Division bell

Today Nicola Sturgeon appeared on the Andrew Marr show to give her views on Theresa May and Brexit more generally.  During the interview she stated that

Another Scottish independence referendum is going to happen. Nothing in this life is absolutely certain but I think it's as inevitable as its possible to be.

She also added

Before I set forward a path for Scotland I think it's reasonable for me to know what the starting point of that journey is going to be and the context in which we are going to be embarking on it. We need to know - and hopefully we will know this over the next few days and over the next three weeks. Is the UK leaving the EU? Is it leaving with a deal? Is it leaving with no deal or is it not leaving at all, perhaps looking at another referendum?"

 This should cheer up independence supporters, a minority of whom have been expressing their doubts that Ms Sturgeon still has any interest in pursuing Scottish independence.  In my opinion, if you look closely you can see the outlines of a long-term plan behind Ms Sturgeon's actions over Brexit, which includes doing her level best to ensure that Scotland's vote to remain in the EU is somehow taken account of, as well as forging ties with European leaders, whose support she will need in the event that Scotland takes back its rightful position as an independent nation.

Needless to say the usual suspects have trotted out their usual counters to this.  For example, Adam Tompkins, the Scottish Tories spokesman on constitutional affairs, said

Nicola Sturgeon's visit to London was a scam. She wasn't there because she cares about the UK leaving the EU or to try and influence proceedings in the coming days. She was there to agitate for a second independence referendum, and to set Scotland up for even more years of division. Independence is the only thing on her radar. Her obsession is stopping Scotland from getting on and doing the things that really matter to people.

This is somewhat amusing coming from a party that had a sole policy of 'say no to another independence referendum' in the most recent elections, but who nevertheless bring up the topic at every opportunity.  He also seems to have failed to notice that most of the things that really matter to people are doing pretty well under the SNP government, although there is always room for improvement of course.

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union said

The only thing inevitable in politics is that Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP want to create further division in society. Regardless of what she says about Brexit, the First Minister's priority will always be to break up the United Kingdom.

The interesting thing about these comments is that both stress that, in their opinion, a second independence referendum will cause 'division'.  This tends to imply that they think that, prior to the last independence referendum, Scots were a homogeneous people who all had the same opinion, namely that Scotland was and ever would be part of the United Kingdom.  This was never the case.

Their real issue is that the previous independence referendum got people thinking.  Maybe things don't have to be this way.  Maybe we can do things differently and better.  And having thought this people started having ideas about what an independent Scotland could look like, and how we could achieve those things.

People having thoughts and opinions are anathema to the Unionist parties.  The Tories, Labour and the LibDems simply regarded the Scots as voting fodder, useful only in playing their part in allowing these parties to play their games on the larger stage of Westminster.  No thinking required on the part of the electorate.

The previous independence referendum shattered that comfortable status quo for ever, and there is no going back,. however much the Unionists wish it.  Scots have woken up to the political realities of the Union, and nearly half of them (currently) are not minded to go back to sleep.  That's what terrifies the Unionists, hence their harping on about 'division', as if any population (other than in North Korea) has the same opinion about everything. 

Half of Scotland has already moved on.  It's time the Unionists started giving it some thought or be lost to history.