FOR the SNP, Theresa May’s Brexit Government is becoming the gift that keeps on giving. First, there was the cack-handed response to Nicola Sturgeon’s call for a second referendum. Now, the failure to even notify the Scottish Government about triggering Article 50. Whilst the latter may have been incompetence, the former was most certainly ineptitude.
The SNP was going into a conference facing from a Scottish Government running out of steam, with a policy agenda that’s limited to say the least, to an activist wing demanding a second referendum immediately, if not already. All that should have required careful handling of the media on domestic issues and of members on the constitution.
However, by their crass and insensitive actions, the refuseniks in the UK Government allowed the conference to become a rally in support of the democratic rights of the Scottish people.
SNP conference managers must have been blessing their good fortune. Gone was any difficult analysis of health and education policy and practice, areas where the Scottish Government’s coming under intensive scrutiny and challenge. Gone too was the dilemma of a referendum where polls are finely balanced and underlying troubles on currency and the economy remain.
Instead, it was an opportunity to defend the right of Scotland to decide its own future and not be directed by a UK Government possessing but one MP north of the Border. Moreover, the refusal went against clear commitments that had been previously made not to stand in its way. The hasty backtracking made by Ruth Davidson and David Mundell on EU membership, was compounded by a rapid falling back on single market membership; and has now been supplanted by a full-scale retreat on the right to hold a second referendum. It seems as if there’s no policy change imposed from London that they won’t supinely swallow, as well as appearing to be well out of the loop in its formulation in the first place.
So, the SNP comes out of its conference with the sun shining on it, as the Tories seek to darken the skies with the catastrophe that’s Brexit and adopting a hardline position on the constitution. All that’s simply succour for the SNP.
The SNP is at its strongest on the constitution and weakest on the domestic issues. The Brexit Government by its belligerent response played its game and on its turf. It’s not just bought the SNP time on the referendum that was badly needed, but also given it breathing space on the domestic issues. Many who don’t support a referendum or mightn’t even be persuaded to vote for independence are appalled at the undemocratic decision of the UK, as well as being hugely nervous of the dircetion of HMS Brexit.
However, the SNP isn’t out of the woods yet. Challenges remain; health, education and the economy will return to the fore. Moreover, the fundamental issues that lost the first referendum and undermine the case for a second – the currency and the economy – remain.
Failure to address the currency issue is becoming not just lamentable but laughable. Action needs taken before criticism turns to scorn. Options exist and have legitimacy. They need spelled out even if a final position isn’t yet adopted. After all, Theresa May has bought them time.
The economic challenge is uncertainty but the course being charted by the Brexiters is making that seem no more risky than remaining aboard HMS Brexit, bound for South China Seas.
Last time, as well as the doubts over a Yes vote, there remained the stability offered by a No vote. That now no longer applies. The case for independence needs to be made, but the case for the Union is being undermined.
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