Siol nan Gaidheal believes in the total independence of Scotland. The current autonomy engineered by the British Labour Party, while welcome in the extending of decision-making in Scotland for Scots, falls considerably short of what any national community would consider acceptable. As a possible staging post to full macro-economic, fiscal, diplomatic, military and cultural independence, “devolution” may well work in the direction we seek to follow. It may however, and equally conceivably, simply reinforce the dynamics and agencies of Anglo-British colonialism in our country. Given historical precedent and the long-term strategic and constitutional objectives of Unionism, Siol nan Gaidheal greets with considerable suspicion the recent “conversion” of our ultra-unionist enemies to a degree of what in many instances is little more than cosmetic autonomy. Conceived thus, the Scottish parliament in its current configuration warrants unwavering vigilance on the part of all Nationalists.

While it is rightly incumbent upon SNP MP’s to play a constructive role within this semi-autonomous legislature, no complacency as regards the eventual constitutional settlement should nor can be countenanced. Siol nan Gaidheal calls on the Scottish National Party to pursue an agenda for independence and nothing less. Any adulteration of this fundamental tenet of Nationalism, any tacit, or gradual acceptance of the current inadequate arrangement as any kind of “settled will” or satisfactory end in itself will, of necessity, render that party’s position untenable. Further, any such dereliction will, of course, be met with a swift response from Siol nan Gaidheal. That response would in the above-described conditions be electoral and party-political in nature. To date Siol nan Gaidheal has left the electoral challenges for Nationalism to the Scottish National Party to which, it must be remembered, we were once umbilically linked. The circumstances in which Siol nan Gaidheal would stand for election are, clearly, those in which the SNP ceased to be the party of independence and became, de facto, a party of Union, however “devolved”. Siol nan Gaidheal is ready for any such eventuality. In the meantime we shall be pursuing our campaign of non-parliamentary opposition to Unionism and colonialism in our country with the publication and implementation over the coming months of initiatives designed to highlight the continued nefarious effects of Union on the socio-economic, institutional, cultural and environmental fabric of Scotland, and conversely, the potential benefits accruing to our people within the context of full, unfettered and unconditional national independence. We look forward to hearing then, what the Scottish National Party intends to do to “Kill Unionism Stone Dead” within the lifetime of this legislature, what they consider the mechanisms are for negotiated independence from England (other than an electoral mandate and a referendum) and crucially what broad negotiating points they would bring to the table.

Transparency of intent is, in this context, not a liability but a constituent aspect of electoral credibility. Such credibility therefore cannot, in our opinion, be sustained with any continued sitting of Nationalist MP’s at Westminster.

While, as has been mentioned before, macro-economic, social security, broadcasting, military and foreign affairs matters will continue to be, in the words of the devolutionists, “best dealt with” by the Anglo-British parliament, any influence over these areas and therefore any viable representation within an overwhelmingly English legislature can be discounted as not only negligible but illogical. British elections should certainly be contested, but on the basis of sending further electoral messages to London that negotiated independence is a democratic right which an absolute majority for the SNP would render a democratic obligation. Abstaining from Westminster whilst campaigning unflinchingly for the transfer of competence in the above-named areas would meet the dual necessity of responsible democratic accountability to the Nationalist electorate and the bringing into sharp focus of the futility of Scottish participation in Anglo-British politics. Giving continued loyalty and recognition to a body structurally opposed to, not to mention foreign to, Scottish rights and aspirations can no longer be sustained. Siol nan Gaidheal calls on the SNP to pull out of the English parliament, save the “our man in London” role for a future period of negotiations for independence, and work in every way possible to untie the hands of the legislature which will not truly be the Parliament of Scotland until it has retrieved full sovereignty and competence over ALL of its affairs. Siol nan Gaidheal as stated before, awaits developments in readiness and alert determination.