If the varied and various headlines published over the past few days, and indeed weeks are anything to go by, the Scottish Referendum should be viewed as a complete change in British Politics. The ‘Independence’ claims of ‘Freedom’ and ‘self-rule’ are there in plenty, as well as the undertones, always evident from the Celtic fringe, of a release from the servitude of centuries, of a forced bow towards Westminster, of having to be allowed to spend tax-payers money which stems from the wealth stemming from Scots oil and gas. Much more has been written, and spoken, by the Scots ‘Yes’ campaign, but all along the, the same theme emerges from these Scots politicians; ‘Trust us, and we shall deliver you and Scotland towards the Elysian Fields, and it will not cost you anything’!
Much the same thing, but on a much more negative note, comes from the speeches of the ‘No’ campaign; more dire warnings from a bunch of politicians and observers gathered together, for expediency purposes, under their ‘No Thanks’ banner. We hear of the terrible things which may befall the Scots, if they decide to ‘go it alone’, and even of the very voice of the Prime Minister ‘breaking’ with true emotion as he implores the Scottish voters to believe him and his confreres in the ‘No’ camp; whilst at the same time asking those same Scottish voters to forget that he shares the same platform with the Labour leader, a bitter enemy, and the Lib-Dim leader, another bitter enemy, but one wrapped in the colours of a Coalition.
But amidst all the clamour, the many and varied promises of a collective bunch of Politicians whom, we are justly remembering, are the same bunch who promised all those things which never came to pass, because they will never, ever, contemplate changing from the ‘status quo ante’; meaning, literally, the same as was before.
Commentators, and there are many of us, despair of being offered a true change, of a movement away from the deadly boredom of Government by Party politics, of the incessant pleas for this special treatment for a small category, or that ‘exception’ to the rules for the rest of us.
If one of the Parties: now scrambling to attempt to undo the catastrophic decisions which came forth after the totally stupid and cowardly ‘Devolution’ schemes of the early Blair/New Labour years, when the paths towards a Scottish ‘Independence’ were first cast in Legislation: had actually presented any new ideas, any faint traces of a proper ‘Democracy’; of changes which would form a Government which reacted to what the People wanted; instead of ramming through policies based on Party dogma, many would have applauded and made those changes work. But the big problem is that, in order to effect those changes, the Party politicians, together with the bulk of the invisible but powerful ‘Inner Government’ which is actually what the Whitehall Civil Service actually is, would have to give up power, and themselves be subject to the considered ‘whims’ of the people who gave their votes, and allowed the parasites in power to milch the public purse unto the tenth generation!
What is not evident, but still present, are the facts that one bunch of the ‘Old Elite’ are attempting to wrest power from the rest of the ‘Old Elite’; with not a new thought, or idea, or proposal amongst the lot of them! If you mention, even in passing, the Harrogate Solution, all you would probably get would be “Whats Harrogate got to do with it”?
Fire, Pillage & Plague 