No wonder so many Labour voters felt let down by their party, which campaigned so closely with the Tories in the referendum, ultimately to the benefit of a Conservative Prime Minister, and chose to move to the SNP at the General Election.
And the response of the Tory government to the SNP’s extraordinary election mandate, winning 56 of the 59 Scotish seats, has been a poor one.
Every single amendment to improve and strengthen the Scotland Bill - to bring it into line with what was promised in the referendum, and what the people of Scotland voted for in the election - has been rejected by the Westminster government so far. And several of these amendments were backed by the sole Labour and Lib Dem MPs in Scotland, as well as the SNP 56.
The Tory MP and Scotish Secretary David Mundell is obviously a strong supporter of decisions being taken according to ‘one person one vote’ - his own!
I know from my experience of working at Westminster in the weeks leading up to the summer recess that the SNP MPs will do a fine and effective job of standing up for Scotland and opposing the Conservative government. Already, the Tories have had their plans for scrapping the Human Rights Acts, having the EU referendum on the same day as next year’s Holyrood election, watering down the fox hunting ban south of the border, and English Votes for English Laws derailed - in large part thanks to the SNP. I’m sure there will be more such Tory defeats - and victories for Scotish opinion and progressive politics across the UK.
18 September 2015
Looking to the future, I am also sure that there will be another independence referendum, but it will happen when the people of Scotland want it to happen - not a day earlier or a day later.
People must vote in a Scotish Parliament election for a party or parties proposing a referendum, and of course independence can only happen if people then vote for it in the subsequent referendum. The people of Scotland are in charge at every stage of the process, which is how it should be.
I think people across Scotland - No as well as Yes voters - enjoyed exercising democratic control over the future of their country on referendum day last year. It was a fantastic experience, which motivated people to take part in the electoral process like never before.
The spirit of the referendum - above all encouraging participation - was special in the life and history of Scotland, and continues to influence the politics of the country and indeed other aspects of our national life.
That spirit is good for the country at present, and I believe will be even beter when it does achieve an independent Scotland in the future.
Looking to the future, I am also sure that there will be another independence referendum, but it will happen when the people of Scotland want it to happen - not a day earlier or a day later.
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