CORRESPONDENT Joey Vimsante stating that if branch offices split from their UK parties Scots will never have a voice in Westminster, and that we did not benefit from Scotland being represented almost totally by SNP MPs there, meaning our voice was not heard in the UK parties, is so wrong on so many counts it suggests that this had to be crafted by a Unionist (Letters, July 14).
We’ve had more than 300 years of Westminster control. When has Westminster ever listened to any of the thousands of MPs we’ve sent there? What palpable difference has any Scottish MP ever made in that place, other than to perpetuate a Union that Scots never voted for and, because we allow it to, denies us the process to leave it?
We have never had a voice in Westminster; the reality being that electing an enshrined minority voice serves little purpose other than perpetuating the illusion of democracy, a convenient method of obscuring democracy itself and the rights and aspirations of an increasingly divergent colony struggling to shake off the restrictions of a colonial master that has too much to lose by relenting to the democratic necessity of Scots taking control of their own governance to satisfy their different aspirations for those who live, work and pay their taxes here.
The branch offices of the major parties have contributed nothing to reflect Scotland’s diverse needs. Indeed, with the exploitation of our fossil fuel and other resources it is clear their function has been to enable the transfer of Scotland’s wealth to the UK, rather than harvest the benefits for the Scots they claim to represent.
Those like Joey Vimsante need to realise the salient truth that Scotland is a colony. Our representation in Westminster is designed to ensure we remain so. The purpose of the Scottish branch offices of the major UK parties is to deliver compliance with our colony status.
Another reality is surely that it doesn’t matter how many MPs we send to Westminster. It is a sop to democracy. But only as long as we accept it.
Yet, Scotland is a colony with a unique situation. We are told we are in a partnership within this UK. We’re given a “seat at the table”, just ignored to render it useless. However this does afford us an opportunity not enjoyed by those like America, India, Rhodesia and all the other colonies that struck out for freedom from English control. And that is a public theatre of conflict at the heart of UK Government to drive home our claim of right to independence. For some inexplicable reason our supposed independence-supporting politicians have failed/refused to utilise this political gift to drive home our aspirations.
It wouldn’t matter whether we elect any of Vimsante’s parties to Westminster. They will never truly represent Scotland’s interests – never represent ordinary folks. They are inured in the Union, that is the master they serve.
My hope is that when independence is won (because of political failures and political dilly dallying it seems unlikely I will live long enough to see it) the Scottish political parties will rediscover their mantra within the context of an independent Scotland and work to deliver here in Scotland their vision of where we should be, and Scots can make their choice of political direction.
After more than 300 years of political failure to Scots, we have to realise that Vimsante’s faith in UK Unionist parties ever having a Damascene moment over the rights of Scots, or enjoying any influence over Scotland’s rights within this iniquitous UK Union is at best fatuous, in reality futile.
Their link with their Unionist masters absolutely needs to be broken.
Jim Taylor
Scotland
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