SNP Childish Pointless Games: Nicola Sturgeon’s threatens to torpedo Brexit legislation, writes a letter demanding permission to hold indyref 2, and sounds off long and loud about a new SNP grievance about a Westminster "power grab", IQs continues to drop in the Nationalist ranks, all they have is the ability to be petty and small minded

Dear All

It seems having been blown off by Westminster in her effort to get talks, unpopular Nicola Sturgeon is still trying to prove she is relevant to her supporters, prove she can do ‘something’, she is like someone with a TV aerial waving it about the place trying to get a picture.

Sturgeon’s latest act is to threaten to torpedo Brexit legislation, this is much like you feel a stone in your shoe, you stop to remove then you continue your journey. At present in Scotland, the Nationalists are trying to suck people in to believing there is a Westminster "power grab" about to happen. To that end, the Scottish Greens and Scottish Labour have joined the party, yet again, by hitching up to the SNP bandwagon; Scottish Labour has made them irrelevant in the minds of the public.

The problem for Scottish Labour is that they are too inward looking and not focused on the “bigger picture” because they are entirely Holyrood focused and based. Effectively, they can write returning to Westminster for decades the way they are carrying, and given they are polling so badly, their councillor numbers across Scotland if you believe the polling are about to take a severe hit.

If there was ever a pressing need for someone in Scottish Labour to stand up and speak out against the path they are treading, it is sorely needed now. You almost feel that you want to walk up to some of them and say, ‘are you fucking stupid, is that your problem’.

Remember this, if there was a Labour Government in power at Westminster, you wouldn’t be reading about the Scottish Labour Party backing the SNP.

As we have seen devolution isn’t working, the Great Repeal Bill serves a purpose beyond Brexit, it also offers an opportunity to tailor select powers for Holyrood. It is entirely right that Westminster should get all powers repatriated from Brussels to London; then after careful consideration, decided via a Commission what scope there is to improve devolution which at present doesn’t work properly.

The SNP Government is inept and incompetent, they want constitutional clash between the Scottish and UK governments so they can keep talking about grievance and avoid talking about devolved issues which they are failing to address. This is a situation where the SNP need to be forced to do the ‘day job’, online I see people in newspaper comment sections saying vote independent because these people don’t have to toe a party line, I see this more and more.

If Nicola Sturgeon wants a fight, then it is time to give her exactly what she wants, but this time, the rules will be set by Westminster. Westminster needs to start thinking of the concept that they can step in and overrule Holyrood, and with the SNP at the helm, this would be the first time since devolution.

Sturgeon’s threat that third rate MSPs might withhold consent for the Bill, disrupting and delaying the process is a wonderful opportunity allowing Westminster scope and with justification to fix Holyrood. We all know in Scotland that we have a ‘pretend’ parliament which doesn’t work in the interests of Scots, and hasn’t for about a decade that the SNP have held power. This cannot go on, my thoughts are when the grievance and complaining starts is to simply ignore it and press ahead. And make it publicly clear that what is given can be taken away very easily.

When you look at the state of Scotland, has the SNP created nirvana in the decade they have held power?

When I read that Nicola Sturgeon was “writing” her letter to Theresa May on the sofa of Bute House, I laughed, all that time wasted, but what should the reply be? The reply should be that this matter has been discussed before and the position of the Prime Minister hasn’t changed. Sturgeon’s letter for permission to hold a second independence referendum is merely gesture politics, she has already been told, now is not the time.

This can all be done with a classic one line sentence letter!

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said he thinks the Bill would mean Holyrood passing a Legislative Consent Motion [LCM], but if they don’t then it is easy enough to change the law at Westminster. Westminster could in theory they say just ignore Holyrood and press ahead regardless, but the SNP would seized upon a new grievance to further its case for independence. Westminster needs to be bold, and if they are willing to be, they could change the Scotland Act.

The SNP’s game is very obvious; they are ‘in part’ wanting independence by stealth, this is one of the avenues they are using, so this is why they have started a fierce dispute over which devolved powers returned from the EU go to Holyrood after Brexit. Westminster needs to the SNP powers that they don’t want but are forced as an administration to use, because you know like the EU farm payments fiasco they will mess it up down the line.

One of the things which should be carefully thought about is devolvement of agriculture and fishing so that the UK single market is able to work properly without any problems. My concern about fishing is the SNP might attempt to place the industry in a position where the SNP simply let EU fishing boats into Scottish waters as part of their bid to get fast track EU membership… if they could ever win a referendum.

The SNP don’t give a monkey’s about the devastating effect that EU membership had had on the British fishing industry, and that very much includes the people crewing the Scottish boats. The SNP would sell out anyone even if it is against the Scottish national interest.

Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray said:

“All repatriated powers in devolved areas that return to the UK following Brexit should, in principle, fall under the competency of the devolved administrations. However, this will be a complex process with a number of different stages. Both the UK and Scottish governments have a responsibility to protect the interests of those affected, including businesses, and our farming and fishing industries.”

Scottish Tory Adam Tomkins said:

“The SNP is complaining about the return of substantial new powers which - under its plans - would remain in Brussels. If ever people needed to see their utter hypocrisy, this is it. As the Prime Minister has made crystal clear, the UK Government expects substantial new powers to be delivered to our devolved parliaments as a result of Brexit. At the same time, it is sensible to ensure that UK frameworks are applied so that, as those powers come back, nothing is done that fragments our own United Kingdom. That might be good for the SNP but it would be bad for Scottish jobs.”

At some point, there has to be a fight between Westminster and Holyrood, whether the Conservatives are willing to do this at this time is debatable, the Scottish Conservatives being the second party of Holyrood think they have a shot at being the next government at Holyrood. So, they might not want to ‘rock the boat’ too much but you know the thing about fighting is that once you start you don’t stop.

Brexit is going to happen, Nicola Sturgeon’s letter is meaningless, Scottish Labour need to decide are they a political party or are they now a just focus group for the SNP, Holyrood will not be allowed to derail the Brexit process or use new powers to undermine the stability of the UK single market. The SNP will not be allowed to hold the UK economy as a hostage to fortune.

Finally, did you notice how “happy” Nicola Sturgeon was writing her poisoned pen letter to Theresa May for a second independence referendum; it got me thinking of her last gimmick which blew right up in her face, this one will too, too stupid to learn from her mistakes it seems.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University