Scottish independence: Patrick Harvie and the Scottish Greens seek distance from SNP in 2014 poll battle, too late for that bright idea, the SNP are sunk and they will take down the Greens with them, Patrick Harvie picked the losing side!

Dear All

The Scottish Greens are an odd bunch; I suspect that many people in Scotland don’t know what they stand for on the major issues of the day.

And in some cases what they stand for that leak out doesn’t appeal to many people.

The Scottish Greens have launched a new independence manifesto.

The idea is to distance themselves from core SNP policies at the heart of the Yes campaign.

You could argue why bother!

Indeed why bother, the Scottish Greens are only in Holyrood because of the list vote, they have two seats, and no first past the post seats in their own right.

They are a party which hasn’t made an impact of note at either Westminster or Holyrood, perhaps you might described them as a poor man’s lib Dems.

The Scottish Greens have signed up to the coalition of the damned, which also includes the SNP and Scottish Socialist Party.

Solidarity, the Tommy Sheridan Party was not asked to join the cross-party ‘Yes ­Scotland’ Campaign because its leader, Tommy was slammed up at her majesty’s guesthouse.

The Scottish Greens don’t like some of the SNP policies that Scotland’s ‘jolly fat man’ Alex Salmond is peddling like a used second hand car salesman.

They have rejected Alex Salmond's plan to cut ­corporation tax.

And my personal favourite which shows they haven’t a clue on defence, is that they have insisted an independent Scotland should not apply to join NATO.

Nutters!

But more than Nutters, dangerous Nutters, apparently they think defence is one great big joke, they think they can spread universal love and talk you way out with extremists.

Who want to attack us is their strategic thinking!

  

Does having a distinctive vision for an independent Scotland help them?

Only if it connects to ordinary people, on defence, it is clear the majority of Scots want NATO, that is why Alex Salmond and Niclla Sturgeon U turned on the issue, and for the record when an SNP member I thought the policy was bonkers put forward by cranks.

So, we have a "Green Yes" document.

They say they accepted that the SNP would lead negotiations in the event of a Yes vote next year, but added:

"They must recognise that as yet they have no mandate for their policies in reserved areas. From Nato membership to the level of corporation tax, they should not lock Scotland in to their preferred policies, unless the Scottish people give them a mandate to do so in 2016."

I don’t know how long it took to write Yes Green and I don’t particularly care either, in the event of the Scottish independence campaign being won, the Scottish Greens would find themselves friendless as the SNP blank them.

One policy, they did get right is that keeping the pound in a currency union should not be the only option on the table.

So far the SNP have refused to acknowledge Plan McB.

I would suggest that the SNP want to take Scotland into the Euro at some point to put up as many barriers as possible if people wanted a return to the Union, independence is highly unlikely at the present time.

Something to do with trust regarding Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon!

They also appear to have lost the plot by arguing North Sea oil should be left untapped and new deep-water drilling should be opposed.

How are services going to be paid for?

By England’s largesse!

They also appear to miss the point about the monarchy, they say that should end.

Nope!

You have to stop a moment and read this but again and again, they say workers should be guaranteed a "citizens income" of up to £15,000.

QE anyone!

Other parts of the manifesto also said "a more enlightened approach to recreational drugs" should be adopted, I having been calling for legalisation of the drug market for years to funnel money towards treatment and community projects.

Patrick Harvie MSP, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, said:

"The debate which Scotland has embarked upon is about far more than whether decisions should be made at Westminster or Holyrood. We have the opportunity to ask ourselves what kind of country we want to live in, what kind of society we want to build and what kind of economy we want to run."

Patrick seems a reasonable sort whenever I have bumped into him but on some things, you have to say no!

Their manifesto will not garner them more support, they are party of Yes Scotland, used as a shield to attempt to make it look like Yes Scotland is a cross party organization, indeed a few ‘Veggies’ have been given jobs.

But it is still an SNP front.  

A spokesman for Better Together said:

"It is clear that the Yes coalition is falling apart."

I never thought they were ever together in the first place.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University