Over the last few days, for want of anything more interesting happening in Scottish politics, we’ve been reviewing some of the entertainingly fluid criteria by which Unionist politicians used to assert that Scotland could supposedly achieve independence. But we hadn’t seen this one before:
A view apparently “almost universally shared among English Tory backbenchers” back in the late 1980s was that independence could be won by the SNP securing a majority of Scottish MPs at not one but two successive UK general elections.
Given that that line has now been crossed in THREE Westminster elections in a row, we’re all agog to find where Boris Johnson will move the goalposts to in his keenly-awaited response to the Scottish Government’s second Section 30 request, which he’s due to deliver any minute now.
We’ve never been able to actually confirm the oft-cited “quote” from Margaret Thatcher suggesting that the SNP winning a majority of Scottish seats at a UK election would constitute a mandate for independence, but here’s a verified more recent one from a then-serving Conservative PM.
“[John] Major has made it clear that a majority of SNP MPs after an election would serve as a mandate to begin negotiations for separation. There are no plans to hold a referendum”, said former Thatcher minister and party chairman Norman Tebbit a few months before the 1997 election.
It was a position the Tories held right up to 2010 – the last election at which the SNP didn’t win a majority of Scottish seats, at which point the goalposts magically shifted. Now, of course, the rule is that a majority of MPs doesn’t count, but you also can’t have a referendum.
Scotland is a prisoner without hope of parole. Time for a breakout.
We couldn’t help but raise a quizzical eyebrow at this assertion from SNP MP Pete Wishart in today’s Sunday National.
It was said in the specific context of securing a second indyref in 2020, and since such a referendum has NOT in fact been secured – and looks extremely unlikely to be – we wondered which other definition of “success” might be being used to justify the claim.
The 2010s end in a matter of hours, and everyone and their genderfluid dog is writing retrospectives of the 10 years just past. This site, which came into existence in the second year of the decade, has very little interest in following suit – we’ve always been about the future.
But a cursory glance over the shoulder does reveal one immediately striking fact that’s worthy of passing note.
We got blocked by LBC’s James O’Brien today for very gently and politely challenging him over this tweet:
And while this site most assuredly carries no torch for Jeremy Corbyn, it’s a reframing of reality that merits a bit of investigation for what it tells us about the UK media.
Mark Beggan on A Long Hard Think: “So what. We don’t care. Stop crying and grow up. It would be ironic if you got raped by an…” Sep 12, 15:38
Captain Caveman on A Long Hard Think: “‘Ferries procurement’ comes to mind. Well, if your entire government – and bloated Civil Service – is filled to the…” Sep 12, 14:32
Marie on A Long Hard Think: “@chas 11.41am – 300 years is nothing. Absolutely nothing. And yes, the colonial authorities did destroy documentation relating to their…” Sep 12, 14:28
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on A Long Hard Think: “Many thanks to Prof Alf Baird for this presentation: THE COST OF COLONIALISM (5 Sept 2026) www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnfqeZr-2fU” Sep 12, 14:24
100%Yes on A Long Hard Think: “Please have a look at the link below, your be amazed at the shit that’s happening in Scotland. https://www.isp.scot/september-5th-september-11th-2026/” Sep 12, 13:47
Knuckle_Heid on A Long Hard Think: “Kind of related to Stu’s headline story – on 14th of July (almost two months ago) David Hendry & Sean…” Sep 12, 12:35
Knuckle_Heid on A Long Hard Think: “Very interesting Willie, I read Robin McAlpines articles about the Standards Commission / Fiona Higgins case and was appalled at…” Sep 12, 12:28
Alf Baird on A Long Hard Think: ““There really are jobs that take years, even decades, of experience to master” That’s a valid point, Hatey. ‘Ferries procurement’…” Sep 12, 12:00
Confused on A Long Hard Think: “everyone else is doing it, why don’t we https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/12/trump-united-ireland-would-be-a-great-thing/ trump, at the very least, doesn’t give a fuck about england.…” Sep 12, 11:53
willie on A Long Hard Think: “Interesting how on his visit to Ireland that President Trump said he thought a united Ireland would be a good…” Sep 12, 11:45
Chas on A Long Hard Think: “Yep. 300+ years will be wiped out because professor crank says so. Of course, with some help from some dubious…” Sep 12, 11:41
Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: “Fair enough, Alf, post-Indy everybody currently running Scotland will flee to London as predicted by the post colonial boys. Does…” Sep 12, 11:32
Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: ““Scotland’s people are closer to ending the UK ‘union’ hoax than many think” That will undoubtedly rely on a personalised…” Sep 12, 11:16
Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: ““you’re the wings champion” Shucks, I’m welling up here. Tell you what, Dave, if you post another after this one…” Sep 12, 11:05
Alf Baird on A Long Hard Think: ““if we’d voted Yes in 2014, although even the most cursory thought would tell us it would be much the…” Sep 12, 10:30
Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: “Anarcho tyranny and neo feudalism are two of the terms being used to describe the state of affairs we see.…” Sep 12, 10:23
DaveL on A Long Hard Think: “…don’t stop there! Last word, come on you can do it. We all know you can do it, you’re the…” Sep 12, 10:18
DaveL on A Long Hard Think: “Ten twenty and more at a time soon mounts up but you know better eh. Any idea what the service…” Sep 12, 10:12
Alf Baird on A Long Hard Think: ““burning down the court house records to protect the guilty” was, according to Prof Elkins, a rather common feature in…” Sep 12, 10:11
Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: ““You’re just to thick and gobby for your own good” Aha! The Baton of Erudition has been recovered and is…” Sep 12, 10:00
Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: “I absolutely and categorically believe with every fiber of my being that “ten, twenty or more” isn’t “thousands”. Just as…” Sep 12, 09:51
Spartan 117 on A Long Hard Think: “Good post. Your second paragraph accurately sums up the current state of the whole of the UK. We are ruled…” Sep 12, 09:39
Spartan 117 on A Long Hard Think: “It’s not hard to imagine Chas as that’s exactly what we have at present.” Sep 12, 09:30
DaveL on A Long Hard Think: “The reasoning is quite simple and easy to see. People the police like are left alone to do as they…” Sep 12, 09:25
DaveL on A Long Hard Think: “Do you think that when ten, twenty or more people lifted at a time on ‘terrorism’ charges get to wait…” Sep 12, 09:13
Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: “If you don’t want anybody to be investigated and possibly penalised for the missing money and goods, twathater, just say…” Sep 12, 08:36
twathater on A Long Hard Think: “AND let us also not FORGET Robert Corruption. This sorry excuse for a country, governed by the corrupt for the…” Sep 12, 03:12
twathater on A Long Hard Think: ““That is the UK Gov taking action because the Scottish Gov will not!” Correct. By far the most significant development…” Sep 12, 03:05
Willie on A Long Hard Think: “And meanwhile how many people know that the ‘ Kangaroo court ” they call the Standards Commission Scotland has changed…” Sep 12, 01:05
Andrew Morton on A Long Hard Think: “Obvious, innit? The items in her possession are presumably the ones removed from the charge sheet. As they aren’t the…” Sep 12, 00:28
