Scottish independence: the Queen 'may not remain monarch of an independent Scotland' if there is a Yes vote in 2014, would you trust Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon when they U turn at the drop of a hat for votes?

Dear All

The issue of the Monarchy seems to be the hot topic of today, later on this evening the matter will be debated in a special Newsnight Scotland discussion on the issue.

The title is Independence and the Monarchy and I will be a member of the audience being one of the most prominent bloggers on the Scottish politics scene.

So, where do I stand on the issue of the Royal Family?

I support the Monarchy; the institution is very much a part of Scotland’s history, as it is part of our present and future.

However, there is a growing numbers of independence supporters who wish to get rid of it, ranging from chairman of the Yes campaign, Dennis Canavan as well as SNP MSP John Wilson, ­independent Margo MacDonald and Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie.

In the SNP there is a strong republican group who have an agenda, it is anti British, some of these republicans I would dub ‘Sein Fein lite’ because their republicanism is all about the British presence in Ireland.

Ex Labour MP Dennis ­Canavan says the hereditary principle is an “affront” to democracy.

Is it really?

The real affront to democracy in the SNP in my opinion is this:

http://www.scotsman.com/news/snp-rocked-by-suspected-vote-rigging-1-1367285

The signing up of people specifically to get a certain persons elected, as one SNP official said to me, the SNP has the best electoral system that money can buy.

So, what happened during the episode above?

Nothing until it came into the public domain, is this Canavan’s preferred option, no one can buy the Queen, however it appears that in the Scottish National Party if you have enough cash you can attempt to buy a seat at Holyrood on the list system.

As well as Canavan, leading the charge is SNP MSP John Wilson, you may remember as the anti NATO buffoon who shouted the odds only to get defeated by the SNP U turn.

SNP MSP John Wilson isn’t one of life’s great thinkers; I have met him and spoken to him, dense, unsophisticated, a little man in every sense of the word. 

Then, there are ­independent Margo MacDonald and Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie who says they want a national referendum on who should be head of state in the event of a Yes vote.

President Salmond?

I find that notion as completely unappealing as President Blair.

The SNP leadership’s position is keeping the Queen as head of state in an independent Scotland, however, the issue of trust arises; there is a strong republican element in the aprty who hate the British!

The ‘Sein Fein lite’ brigade.

So, yet again another issue that shows the Yes Camp in meltdown as Senior pro-independence campaigners insisted that First Minister Alex Salmond would not be allowed to dictate the make-up of Scotland’s constitution.

There are many reasons to vote No, Dennis Canavan, SNP MSP John Wilson, ­independent Margo MacDonald and Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie want to rob Scots of their past, and Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon want to rob Scots of their future. 

Also in the anti Monarchy grouping is Robin McAlpine, director of the left-wing Jimmy Reid Foundation, and Jonathon Shafi, co-founder of the Radical ­Independence campaign.

Dennis Canavan has said that Prince George should never be king of an independent Scotland in the wake of the birth of the royal baby.

SNP MSP John Wilson added:

“Clearly the issue is up for discussion. Dennis’s line is the correct one as it’s the right of Scottish people under independence to decide what type of Scotland they want I have a similar position to Dennis, as in a ­democracy we should all be treated as equal citizens and there are ­issues about having a ­hereditary head of state. Clearly the issue is up for discussion and we could look at having an elected head of state.”

John Wilson doesn’t stand for fairness, equality or social justice, I have experience of his warped judgment and as I say he is an utter buffoon who I cannot take seriously.

The SNP keen to dupe Scots has issued a statement claiming the Queen would ­remain as head of state if Scots vote for independence in the referendum on 18 September 2014.

An SNP spokesman said:

“Dennis Canavan is perfectly entitled to believe in an elected head of state, and will be free to argue that case in an independent Scotland just as Labour MPs who support an elected head of state in the UK argue for that ­position at present.”

The fly in the ointment however is that Green MSP Mr Harvie, said the issue was not solely within the gift of the SNP, and Harvie is right, the Constitution much like the MSP list system could end up being rigged by some grotty back door deal.

Patrick Harvie said:

“It seems ­bizarre that we are debating ­creating a new independent state without a discussion on how we appoint a head of state. It should be part of the process of drawing up a constitution in an independent Scotland not something that’s dictated by the current Scottish Government.”

Independent MSP Ms MacDonald:

“Alex Salmond is at pains to say that there won’t be a burst of lightning after independence and that the strands of British life that people appreciate will continue. But people should decide and will decide on the monarchy and the head of state.”

Pro-independence campaigners Mr McAlpine and Mr Shafi both said a referendum on the monarchy should be held soon after a Yes vote.

McAlpine added:

“In the coverage of the monarchy in Scotland, it’s implied that it’s a decision for Alex Salmond to make on behalf of Scotland. But it’s for all of the people of Scotland to decide and if we went a year past a referendum, I’m not sure that people would vote to keep the Queen.”

Mr Shafi said:

“If we win independence a whole range of questions have got to be addressed and the monarchy is one that would have to be dealt with fairly quickly.”

So, the Yes Camp is in meltdown, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon can’t be trusted as we have seen plainly, some of the malcontents or as I call them the ‘Sein Fein lite’ brigade are on the warpath.

This is a rather squalid nasty little episode that shows the Yes Camp up for what it is; a group of malcontents who are divorced from reality and out of touch with ordinary Scottish beliefs. As this independence campaign goes on, we are seeing the deep loathing that exists against Britishness.  

The British Royal family are as a much an integrated part of Scottishness as they are other parts of Britain.

It’s Scotland’s Royal family and we should be proud of that heritage, they stand for so much more than themselves.

Finally, read this again:

http://www.scotsman.com/news/snp-rocked-by-suspected-vote-rigging-1-1367285

This is a taste of democracy in the Scottish National Party.

And read this, the SNP conversion to the Monarchy:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9261092/Queen-may-not-remain-monarch-of-an-independent-Scotland.html

The SNP is a ‘rat ship’ under Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, there is an serious issue of trust regarding these people.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University