Dear All
Support for independence has recovered some
ground, according to a new poll, but as much as the SNP would want to say this
is now momentum, it isn’t.
The reason for increased support isn’t down
to what they are doing, rather than unpopularity with Westminster.
In politics when things happen, the saying is
‘events, events dear boy’!
Events have temporary driven up support
because of unhappiness, but unhappiness will webb, like the Atlantic tide,
there will be surges in indy support followed by a trough.
And Salmond cannot rely on events, he needs
people to believe in something more, a narrative which works, at present, the
present narrative is weak much like his leadership.
There has been an increase in support amongst
18-24 year olds but Salmond needs the whole age group to climb onboard and that
isn’t happening.
Using the confirmed question for the 2014
referendum - “should Scotland become an independent country?”, 34 percent of
those certain to vote say “Yes”, up 4 percent, while 55 percent say “No”, down
3 percent.
And then there are the don’t knows, which
come voting time, will vote, and given the current state and quality of the
Scottish Government may decide to vote to keep the status quo.
SNP business convener Derek Mackay said this
is an "excellent poll" for the Nationalists.
No to independence is 55%.
They only lost 3% which isn’t much and not
the start of a trend although Salmond and Sturgeon would hope so.
Blair Jenkins, chief executive of the
pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign, said:
"The support for an independent
Scotland among 18-24-year-olds has more than doubled in the last four months,
showing very clearly that our positive and optimistic campaign is resonating
with younger people who have the greatest stake in securing a fairer and more
prosperous future for our country. This poll is also very good news for Yes
because support for a Yes vote in 2014 is on the way up while those intending
to vote No is on the way down, and this is consistent with other recent
surveys."
In politics, you have to put a brave face
on defeat and beam when things go your way, but in private, I would find it
hard to believe that these people see this as an "excellent poll".
Publicly of course Salmond and Sturgeon
will try and ride the wave, hoping for an endless summer.
It is a blip driven by events, not of their
making but of unpopularity down south.
Less we forget; it comes after the “Yes”
campaign has targeted the UK government’s cuts to welfare and its record on the
economy.
When people realise that the SNP Government
wouldn’t do a thing other than talk on issues such as the bedroom tax, they will
realise that they have been played, the ‘concern’ expressed now, will be seen
through as a campaign gimmick.
Independence can’t be won by spinning, or
gimmicks, or Alex Salmond playing the ‘jolly fatman’ concerned for the poor and
disadvantaged.
Remember Alex Salmond saying the SNP would
help the disabled people at the Accord Centre?
Did they get a new centre from the Scottish
Government?
What about Nicola Sturgeon’s help for Joyce
Juszczak, Ms. Sturgeon done the photo op as a ‘concerned’ citizen.
Did Joyce Juszczak get the drug she needed
by Nicola Sturgeon’s intervention?
No!
She nearly died from a blood clot before
she got the right treatment, and less we forget because Ms. Sturgeon didn’t act
fast enough, Joyce Juszczak lost a third of a kidney.
Nicola Sturgeon said:
“I joined the SNP because it was obvious to
me then - as it still is today - that you cannot guarantee social justice
unless you are in control of the delivery”.
Seems she failed on the guarantees of social
justice to Joyce Juszczak.
Sadly, Ms. Sturgeon’s version of social
justice stinks to high heaven like a burst colostomy bag in a packed sauna.
Today, will probably be seen as a
justification of what the Yes Camp is doing as they kid themselves on they are
driving events.
They are not!
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow
University
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