Independence: where are we now and where are we going?

Govanhill Book Festival and Bella Caledonia co-host a discussion panel on the current state of the Scottish independence movement. The discussion is chaired by Jim Monaghan and panelists are Mike Small (Bella Caledonia) Martha Wardrop (Scottish Greens) Julie Sherry (author – Breaking Up The British State) and Austin Sheridan (Govanhill based activists and former SNP Councillor)

Comments (15)

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  1. Maclean says:

    Boris and the colonist army has already been mobilised against all and any independence movement. They’ve spent millions get all there so called soldiers into place and their trial run near Aberdeen kept their Tory candidate in a seat. This is just the start as we have and outside Westminster government imposing their colonist power to undermine the democracy of an elected government of another country.

  2. Colin Robinson says:

    Given the hysteria that’s being whipped up, you’d better get your second referendum in quick before the world crashes and burns. The end is nigh, don’t you know?

      1. Colin Robinson says:

        It’s not the scientists who are whipping up the hysteria that might sway voters one way or another, depending on which political interest is doing the whipping.

        But seriously; in the context of the accelerating global crisis, whether or not the Scottish government can act independently of the UK government seems a pretty trivial concern, like recycling your plastic bottles while the world burns.

        1. Alistair Taylor says:

          Aye, but at least we wid be happier as our world ends.

          1. papko says:

            “Aye, but at least we wid be happier as our world ends.”

            Nothing like a positive argument.

            No doubt walking out at dawn to face a firing squad is a memorable experience as well- and if its not well its too late anyway.

        2. John Monro says:

          I can’t see that – the UK’s record in climate change is not that good – a large reduction in CO2 emission is trumpeted, but all we’ve done is give our emissions to China and other countries and we burned gas because it was cheaper not because of it’s lesser CO2 emissions. Wind power is one area where the UK has done well, though recall the facilities and the electricity you pay for are all owned by overseas interests. Scotland missed out on N Sea oil revenue, or it’d now be like Norway ( or not, not every country has been wise enough to create a national fund on oil revenues, and Scotland mightn’t have been any different) but wind power gives the country incredible opportunity for wealth creation and foreign currency (the English pound) – allied to a low population and a good education system and likely avoiding for a while the worst effects of global warming, it stands to make a country worth living in. Just don’t import too many people to quickly, New Zealand has done this and is now suffering some very serious economic and social consequences as a result.

          1. Colin Robinson says:

            How on earth might Scotland (independent or otherwise) avoid the worst effects of global warming? We might be able to leave the Union, but not the planet.

            Nationalism (and especially the sort that, unlike New Zealand, would pull up the drawbridge and not let too many foreigners in, so as to protect the nation’s putative economic prosperity and established social order) has become an absurdly trivial concern within the apocalyptic narrative of global catastrophe.

  3. Dougie Strang says:

    Erm… has this already happened? Or is scheduled to happen? If so, when? Tried clicking on the link but no go, and no indication of time or date.

    1. Sorry, it happened at six. Hoping to re-broadcast with input from the others

      1. Dougie Strang says:

        Ah, okay. Great.

  4. Ewen A Morrison says:

    When did honourable adult maturity disappear from Scottish political discussion and/or debate? ~ I’m witnessing what’s too pathetic to be expressed or described in words?!

    Please remember Saor(aibh) Alba! =
    Free Scotland!

    1. Mouse says:

      In gaelic, ‘soar’ means ‘joiner’. Woodworkers of a little bit of the world unite! God knows where the english term ‘soar alba’ came from. It’s wierd.

      1. Colin Robinson says:

        Does Scottish Gaelic have an etymological dictionary?

      2. Cynicus says:

        In English, the word ‘joiner’ can mean a tradesman who, any original sense, “joined“ wooden cabinets et cetera together.

        It can also mean mean a new member who joins the club or other organisation.

        Likewise in Gàidhlig, the word ‘saor ’, (NOT ’ soar’) has more than one meaning- including ‘joiner’ and ‘free’.

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