Cards on the table, I wouldn't want to create this site if I didn't have a strong interest in Politics, Scotland's Future and a overwhelming desire that we can (as a nation) have an adult, transparent and honest debate.  Looking at the media over the last couple of weeks this just isn't going happen is it?

Recently Scotland has been reported as skint, rich, in Europe as an independent nation, a European outcast without the UK, or indeed a European outcast because we're in the UK and that 'Veto' used to support the City of London (and nobody else by the looks of it).  We've been crazy for pushing renewables over new nuclear or blessed because we have renewables and should protect them the only way we can by being independent.  We've not been a proper nation, we are a great small nation of unrealised potential or I've even read some (what seems to me ridiculous) story that an unelected Lord wants to split the islands of Orkney and Shetland from Scotland (island autonomy is an old Westminster tactic from years ago).  Anyway, c'mon now aren't they Scandinavian anyway!   

So I've created this site and it may work well or much more likely nobody will be interested enough to get involved.  At least it'll satisfy the wee itch i have to spill forth my own thoughts and with a bit of luck read up on the sensible, well thought through or downright funny views of others.

I've been on the Green party’s mailing list (when I lived down south), a previous member of the Labour Party and more recently a lapsed member of the SNP.  My politics are centre left so they should sit well with both the Labour and SNP's manifestos.  

Not to be though as I found myself disillusioned with a Labour Party more worried about representing themselves than the people who voted for them.  Particularly their ridiculous need to pander to the more right wing south east UK, pander to unreasonably militant unions, pander to the USA's thirst for Iraqi Oil, inability to be brave enough to narrow the gap from rich to poor, student fees, privatisation of fundamental things like Health and Water, plus all that rotten spin that emanates from the Westminster political bubble and complicity in the development of the private school political class we now have in the Westminster bubble.  

This all crystallized for me when Jack McConnel became the 1st Minister of Scotland and in his opening address spoke that as an administration of a burgeoning parliament Labour would 'Do less but better'.  What!?  Is that the sum total of your ambition for Scotland, my nation?  Do less but better?  Are you kidding me?  The parliament was still brand spanking new!  No that was it, time to jump ship to the only other centre left party the SNP (as least in Scotland we have a decent choice) and their ambition to do everything they could for Scotland.

A good ideal as far as I’m concerned.  If it’s good for Scotland and doesn't harm anyone else then fantastic.  That's a great political ideal that anyone in Scotland could appreciate.  But political parties can never be a complete fit and a couple of things such as Kenny Mackaskill's keynote speech in the Scottish Parliament when Megrahi was freed (the speech, not necessarily the decision), the recent ill-conceived offensive behaviour bill with its potential effect on free speech and more widely the awful record of consecutive Scottish Governments to tackle sectarianism by removing the divisions of religion in our education system.  I'm not saying don't have faith in schools, but make sure schools have room to represent all faiths (or no faith) as per the parents’ wishes and keep the kids together in all the other classes.   

But, I digress.  This blog is about Scotland and the UK's future and if you asked me now a straight Yes or No independence question the only answer I could give is a Yes.  Why?  Well in my lifetime we've seen two Tory Governments and a Labour Government systematically let (or actively destroy) the social building blocks of the UK.  They've done this to stay in power by pandering to the centre right needs of the South East and the City of London.  The UK needs a change and if the Unionist parties are crazy enough to force a straight Yes No then Scotland must vote Yes to precipitate that change.  Capitalism is a good thing, but we should have a publicly funded and run NHS, not offshore Private Equity firms leeching public funds.  Education on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay, something all the Unionist parties voted for at Westminster.  Plus an economy that spreads the focus wider than the (albeit fantastic) City of London.  

Scotland has grown in my lifetime with the establishment of the Scottish Parliament.  It’s a good thing as it brings all the benefits of an identifiable parliament through Scotland's strong national identity along with the smaller population that means effecting changes in the democracy can be in the reach of everyone.  Let’s face it, all those students protested in London and nothing.  Westminster protects the politicians.  Those kind of protests should they have been in Scotland would've had an effect on those in our smaller (but still decent sized) parliament.

So the challenge?  Can no party or political force come forward with a proper confederation/federation in the UK?  Are we really going to have parties that support the Union sending out negative scare stories with no positive ideas for the next two years? Two Years!  Do we really want the South east of England's politicians to take us out of Europe?  Can there be no constructive ideas for a proper Devolution Max (Devo-Max)?  Perhaps even a UK Devo-Max? Or a new UK Confederation or Federation?  Right now if it’s a straight Yes No then I'm looking to a Yes vote as it would be OK for Scotland.  It could even be great for Scotland.  

If it’s really going to be two years of this then at least we've got our 'One Chance' to leave.

CF

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