Scottish independence: Alex Salmond says the No campaign has “fallen apart at the seams”, well that’s just risible, George Laird is going to help consign you to the political scrapheap of history, Pollok, Glasgow is my area, and it’s a No, you’re all done talking!

Dear All

I have met Alex Salmond many times, at by-elections; he would come up and talk to me. The first time was in 2008, John Mason currently an MSP was standing for Westminster. He won by 365 votes. Despite repeatedly warning him about connecting with the electorate, he lost the seat to Margaret Curran by a landslide of 13,000 votes.

During a by-election, Alex Salmond came into the kitchen were I was sitting eating; anyway, he struck up a conversation with me and started relating stories of his early days in politics. When he saw me elsewhere, he would always pop over; I think that was on the basis of other people pointing me out.

I never wandered off to him.

Back to the kitchen for a second, during our conversation, we had Austin Sheridan turn up and butt in to tell us, he wanted to be Prime Minister of an independent Scotland. Salmond and I just looked at each other, nothing needed to be said, so we settled in as Austin Sheridan started his spiel, after all why burst someone’s bubble.

Sheridan enthusiastically talks simple minded rubbish, perhaps someone might pick up on that and wonder what is the best way to get rid of him or put him somewhere that doesn’t matter.  

So, having set the background, Alex Salmond said today that the No campaign has “fallen apart at the seams”.

Well, let me put Alex Salmond right, I was Glasgow SNP’s top activist, and unlike his Glasgow SNP councillors who are mostly lazy useless gits, the BT Campaign isn’t falling apart at the seams, far from it.

Glasgow is going to end your career, and the Pollok constituency is going to return a rather large No vote. I live in Pollok and have done so for many years, the idea they are suddenly going to back Salmond is laughable. The Pollok SNP vote has reached its high watermark; it will be falling dramatically in future Westminster and Holyrood elections. 

No luck Salmond.

Yet again, Alex Salmond prefers fiction over facts, hope over reality, he is getting politically buried.

The only people I see literally shitting themselves is the Scottish National Party who are getting increasingly desperate as the clock runs down. Today, I happened to run across SNP Councillor Billy McAllister at the City Council, he didn’t look too cocky. Didn’t look like he was leading a successful campaign, far from it, looked like unpopular Nicola Sturgeon who parked herself at the Sikh Centre last Friday for Gordon Brewer’s indy debates.

Pure gutted, I was wondering if it was because both happened to see me, perhaps not more than likely they both know they are part of the problem and none of the solution.

McAllister is the SNP Deputy leader of the SNP opposition (if that is what they are calling themselves these days), anyway, he had to tell the council staff he was a Councillor, most amusing. In a sign of the weak leadership of unpopular Nicola Sturgeon, Councillor McAllister hasn’t been punished for threatening a disabled man; the current caretaker leader hasn’t acted either. If I was leader, his arse would have been automatically suspended pending investigation. His punishment would be stripped of deputy leader and six months withdrawal of the party whip, no matter whose ass he clings to.     

Salmond is trying to rally his faltering troops; it has all been seen before, bravado as he dismissed the timetable for new powers at Holyrood unveiled by the pro-union parties. I saw Yes stall at Queen’s Park today, poor location and no one at it, I guess the Yes message isn’t that appealing, most people when grown up don’t listen to fairytales unless watching a Disney cartoon.

I would have run BT’s campaign differently, but that is a matter of personal political styles, that said, BT still are the force to beat, not the other way round. They are upbeat, determined and ready to fight right up to the last minute.

Salmond used bravado in 2010, bragging about what he was going to deliver 20 MPs, he delivered nothing.

The three pro-union parties are all signed up to give Holyrood more powers.

They are all rallying around the flag, in this case the Union Jack to articulate that the best of both worlds can be achieved within the current setup.

Labour leader Johann Lamont, Conservative Ruth Davidson and Liberal Democrat Willie Rennie staged a joint press conference to pledge a timetable on powers, guaranteeing new legislation by next January.

This isn’t new information as such, new powers were previously announced beforehand; we are getting the timetable.

Salmond said:

“This is the day that the No campaign finally disintegrated and fell apart at the seams. These are people who were 48 hours ago saying there was to be more on offer to Scotland - that’s what George Osborne said. Now we find out it was a recycling of the same package that was offered in three different ways in the Spring and has been judged by the Scottish people to be totally inadequate. So recycling which has already got a substantial thumbs down from the people tells us nothing but that the No campaign is in a total state of disintegration and total panic. I doubt I’ve ever seen any political campaign in any election never mind a referendum which has fallen apart at the seams in such spectacular fashion.”

Yet again Salmond tries to portray that he speaks for the Scottish people, that isn’t the case at all, he speaks for a minority, nothing more, the louder they shout; the less people want to listen.

The grassy knoll isn’t getting crowded; there is a distinct lack of Scottish people.

On the 18^th September, the people of Scotland are going to vote No, and although ‘devo max’ will certainly help that along, it comes down to an issue of trust, Alex Salmond and unpopular Nicola Sturgeon cannot be trusted.

Imagine running an independence campaign founded on outright deceit, hate and stupidity.

As far as I am aware the majority of people in this country can read and write, which tends to suggest strongly that truth remains the strongest currency.

No Plan B required on that one!

The Central Bank of Salmond doesn’t have any reserves, no lender of last resort and the foreclosure is on the 18^th September; his brand of ‘civic nationalism’ is going bust.

This is one institutional collapse which is long overdue which I am looking forward to personally, the Scottish National Party is rotten to the core under the leadership of Alex Salmond and unpopular Nicola Sturgeon. It doesn't stand for fairness, equality and social justice and it has reach the end of the road, letting it die a natural death is in the interests of Scotland.

Finally, I would say to Alex Salmond.... stop talking out your arse!

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights a Glasgow University