The Dream is Over?

There is a blog, "Scot goes Pop", that today tells us - one opinion poll, and "the dream is over" - forever. I am now being told the blogger is a nat and being sarcastic. But no doubt Angus McLeod in The Times, Magnus Gardham in The Record and co will soon be wtiting something similar for real.

I'd agree with Scot Goes Pop seriously in only one sense - between now and the next Scottish elections in 2011 is not a good time to hold a referendum. The essential idea, that a mega recession, is a time to pull together not divide the country with an inevitably divisive independence referendum is a sound one. And, from an SNP/pro- Independence perspective, sound tactically too, as we'd near inevitably end up as the smaller half, way smaller half in present circumstances. Defeated, in Eck's words, "the issue settled for a generation" But forever? Mince.

But without a referendum now ( and arithmetically it seems for now undeliverable), I'd say until 2014, co-incidentally Bannockburn 700 !

Why then? - mid way through the SNPs 2nd term I'd hope, when the SNP in Government had well and truly proven itself - and I'd also hope a genuinely autonomous and large non SNP Independence "movement" had emerged; And the recession would either be by then on the mend or so fundamental that we provably needed radical change - independence, and a social and economic revolution with it.

And perhaps even more significantly still - especially if the SNP had had the strategic foresight to not just suspend it demand for a referendum in 2011, but be seen to do this, it would be regarded by more and more as as a truly "national" party: One that had worked with others to fight and hopefully defeat the worst aspects of recession that threatened the people of Scotland.

I do think there is such a thing as reward in politics.

Scotland's day will come - if less rapidly than the SNP's unthinking ( and tiny) card carrying fan base might continue to dream.

But.... A second SNP term , a defeated near bankrupt Labour party with its job seekers base realising the game's up; a Tory party interested in consolidating its English base, its own second term, an Obama administration sorting out the world's hot spots including delivering a independent Palestine; some sort of united Ireland moving ever closer; Today's 14 year olds 18: The Scottish working class.

Our day is coming.

Dead forever? - You will never kill us - unionists surely you should have learned that centuries ago?

And, Tavish - ta!!