The Grumpy Grunt commences

Welcome to the new blog on the block. I am a political animal and this Blog’s main focus will be on Scottish and UK politics. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you will know roughly what to expect. But expect comment also on Hibs, guitars and, well, almost anything which catches my febrile imagination.

 

I will aim to be interesting, entertaining, provocative and sometimes maybe even funny. Where jokes do sneak in they are most likely to be at the expense of the SNP or Hearts FC. I like supporters of the latter a lot more than the former. If you are a Yam and a Nat, you’re not off to a great start.

Where I stand

I firmly believe that Scotland made the correct decision on 18 September 2014. The Independence Referendum is now over. All Scots should abide by the provisions of the Edinburgh Agreement, accept the democratic decision and move on. If you are of a similar mind, you may find much on here with which to agree. If you voted Yes, you probably won’t. But politics thrives on debate, so either way your views will be welcome.

If on the other hand you are a Glorious 45er who was cheated out of your birthright back in September by the Great Satan Westminster, by Nick Robinson, Jackie Bird and the biased BBC, by MI5 agents who stole your Yes votes and left them in a carrier bag behind Asda, or whatever - then I suggest you move along. Nothing for you to see here. As an alternative I can recommend Naomi Wolf’s website or a good supplier of tinfoil with which to line your ceiling.

Scotland’s future

The political challenges facing the country now are the General Election in 2015, followed by the Holyrood election in 2016, plus the prospect of a Referendum on EU membership in 2017. Nationalists are already saying that they regard all of those as a further stepping stone towards an Independent Scotland. Whatever the settled will of Scotland as expressed at the ballot box, and whatever promises were made by SNP leaders before IndyRef 2014, Scotland may be drifting into the period of Neverendum for which its electorate clearly did not vote.

Although it is probably too soon after IndyRef 2014 to read too much into the polls, early indications are that the SNP are set to do well in both sets of elections. Nicola’s coronation tour of her subjects has wowed the faithful. So there is clearly a big job ahead for those who believe that an SNP-ruled one-party Scottish state would be bad news.

Editorial policy

IndyRef 2014 showed the extent to which Social Media can be utilised by well-organised political activists. But it is important that all sides of an argument are heard. That needs those who feel they have something to say to stand up and say it. There are already many good Blogs by well-informed commentators, such as journalists saying the things their papers can’t or won’t publish. But the voice of the ordinary voter – that man or woman on the top of the 31 bus – should also be heard.

My loose intention at the moment is to publish a (not-overlong) feature-length article at least once a week, with snippets and responses between times. But we will see how it goes – I am not arrogant enough to assume that anyone at all will want to read or follow what I write.

Comments welcome, but …

Political dialogue is more interesting than monologue, so obviously comments from those who agree (or more likely disagree) with my posts are encouraged. I will have no problem with dissent, disagreement and rational argument. But be warned – mad rants, gibberish and abuse for the sake of it will be deleted without comment or reply. It’s my blog so I don’t have to tolerate any crap from the usual suspects. And I won’t.

Please keep tuning in ...

My first serious piece, on the mad circus which currently surrounds the SNP, follows this introductory post. I hope that you enjoy it. If you don’t I am sure that you will tell me. One Scotland.