Scotland – land of missed opportunities

The North-East Atlantic is populated by prosperous peoples, speaking English, Celtic and Nordic languages, and generally enjoying substantial self-determination and in an admittedly evermore inter-dependent world. Along with the Welsh, the people of Scotland are the enigma; denying themselves, or being denied political autonomy, and lodging within a multi-national state whose international personality is that of a superpower. The internationally submerged people of Scotland have to live with a foreign policy and defence posture which is suitable for a major world player – certainly appropriate to England, but inappropriate to Scotland.

The national community of Scotland – all those who live there – will benefit from developing their own foreign policy – contributing directly to the world rather than persisting in the current “British” delusion which does not accurately represent the Scottish approach to the global issues. This can be compared to for example, Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union and Norway’s constructive interventions in Palestine and Sri Lanka.

The return of Scotland to direct participation in international affairs will be benign. There are Scots – residents of Scotland – who believe that they are punching above their weight when participating in British foreign policy and defence. While Unionism is a legitimate political position, Scottish Unionists have to accept that the British political compromise leads them into actions that virtually no small country of 5 Million would undertake. (Israel is the only 5M state to be nuclear armed). Ultimately Britain’s foreign policy is England’s. Scottish politics are only domestic at present.

The way ahead for Scotland’s people is this: recognising that there is virtually no hatred, and nor should there need to be any between Scotland and the rest of the UK, the new constitutional settlement will be thus: Scotland to become wholly autonomous, making all its own political and fiscal decisions and retaining a British connection symbolised socially by the Crown. This resulting UK will have a guarantee of peace, of absolute freedom of movement, of free trade, of respecting traditional cross border relationships and of participating in the defence of Europe. The “Peace-Only” red line will ensure political discipline in the resultant UK.

Historians will recognise that this has similarities with the period 1603 – 1707 though much of the content of that period gives a poor example. Today we have democracy: the people choose their governors, rather than the Crown doing so. The Union of the Crowns period, (1603 – 1707) was dogged by England’s statesmen leaning too heavily on the Crown and hence influencing Scottish appointments and Scottish Government policy. This would not happen in the future because of democracy and international disapproval, of the kind which was demonstrated in the fallout of Russia’s recent and brief cyber war with Estonia.

Scotland’s people need and can have the best of both worlds; political independence within a social union. This is not a divorce, that marriage metaphor is unhelpful. The British family is growing up and going their own way in the world. The UK government must map out for everyone’s benefit how they will accept and recognise the wishes of the people of Scotland, so as to enable them to achieve their aims. The present situation where the UK government in general and the Scottish Office in particular produce only Unionist propaganda must end; surely a democratic government must serve its people?  

The government of Scotland must be for the benefit of the national community and not just for the benefit of the political party which has won a UK General Election.

The violent chaos which characterised the struggle for Irish independence has scarred the post 1921 UK psyche. It doesn’t have to be like that: Scotland and the UK must prove it so.