Siol nan Gaidheal forum

New Scottish Nationalist group/party ,Scottish Democratic Alliance to stand against SNP candidate in Leith, their main beef is they want an independent Scotland outside Europe!A lot of nationalists may have sympathies with that I'm sure we have discussed this issue many a time here but the ramifications by the Brit media picking this will be seen as a rift in the Nationalists which is the last thing we need to confuse the voters!It may be only be one council seat in the Edinburgh ward of Leith but the press will have a field day.And for it to be announced on the same day as Alex Salmond is a bit of a stab in the back for Alex!There's a time and place for everything why did they not take this up at SNP national conference and debate the issue of Europe!It makes me wonder what SDA'S real agenda is!

Are you the Free Scotland Party in disguise?

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"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".

They could be genuine but will monitor them for now to see what they are up to!Nothing wrong with democracy but we know the Goverment will stop at nothing to derail the nationalist cause!

There will be a lot of this rising very shortly, I see the Dublin Dumpling's been trotted out already - though even the Daily Rectum seemed to treat that particular ploy with the contempt it so obviously deserved. I rather suspect that Louis Mair will re-surface soon, the NEEP Party may be resurrected in all its former glory (ha!)... Google it...

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Work as if you live in the early days of a better nation.

He's too old these days I'd guess.

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"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".

Believe Niall has connections with them.
It seems to be a right-wing group in the style of the old Scottish Party. Up until recently they refused to stand against the SNP.
I am not sure what has caused the change of heart but the other way to look at it is that Nationalism is becoming a "rainbow" movement
From the SSP/Greens on the loony left to the SNP on the left (generally) to the SDA/SNP right wing.
It becomes harder to paint Scottish politics as different ends of the socialist spectra as UK media are wont to do.
Also there will, post-secession, be a major re-adjustment to Politics. Scotland will resume a normal service. Railways not referenda, Spending cuts/boosts not Secession. The SNP, as a left of centre party, will find their support changing in places like Moray and Aberdeenshire.
I think that there will be lots of changes and not all expected. Salmond, if the referendum is won, will romp home as our first Prime Minister but after that? I am not sure. Although I hope after serving as the Prime Minister the real father of the nation takes a well earned rest and enjoys a happy retirement in Strichen. He deserves it for his services to the nation.

Looked up the SDA`S webpage today and had a read to what they had to say,their aims and policys are not to different to the SNP`S.They make it clear though that there`s no eurozone involvement and the settin up of a scottish central bank,like fifer i think this could have waited till post independance,when new parties will appear,any split in the independance vote now is damaging.

He's not the only one.

I think I can be generally reassuring on this topic.

"Right wing" is probably a reasonable description although the SDA prefers to use the term "common sense", and we are still probably to the left of the unionist parties. Scottish politics are to the left of British politics just as they are to the left of the Americans.

So you have the SRSM, Solidarity and SSP on the left, Greens and SSP in the middle and SDA on the right. No idea where the FSP are these days.

Policy is to refuse to stand against the SNP if it would threaten Independence. Post-Independence would be a different matter. By-elections too can be contested provided Independence is not thereby threatened. Of course in the real world the SDA's electoral experience is "somewhat behind" that of the SNP!

:)

The main differences in policy concern the EU, NATO and currency but there are lots of smaller differences which add up to the aforementioned "right wing" feel. Oh, and as far as I can make out Siol nan Gaidheal is not a proscribed organisation.

I think Mr Salmond would prefer an SDA opposition to the current shambles. It would be far more constructive.

As for the unionist media declaring a split in nationalism, well, so far the only places I've seen the SDA mentioned have been on Scottish Review, Bella, CalMerc and Newsnet. Surprised that nobody here is familiar with Upstake's regular contributions.

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Chan eil mise nam Bhreatannach

Can't we leave the squabbling about petty issues until after we have actually achieved independence? So this party wants an independent Scotland outside the EU. The SNP is Scotland's largest independence-supporting party. In which case, anyone who votes SDA over SNP wants a hypothetical independant Scotland to be outside the EU, more than they want Scotland to actually achieve independence in the real world? Where is the sense in that?

The SDA are a Centre right Democratic party which is working towards total indepemdence for Scotland with NO involvement with the EU or the Euro which is about to crash in the most spectacular manner.

The SNP has no rfeal plans as to how an Independent Scotland would be governed, whereas the SDA are currently working on serious, costed proposals, including defence. These institutions in cluding a central bank have to be in place when Scotland becomes independent and we only get one chance to gvet it right. The SNP may believe they can muddle through but that will never work.

To show how complex this is, I have been working on a Budgetary and Taxation paper for the SDA over the past three years and it is only now coming together as workable policies are ironed out. The machinary of Government has to be in place before Independnece day and this includes a central bank, the Treasury, the Scottish mint and the Scottish Civil service. The same goes for defence with acquisition of equipment etc Its a lot of hard work but I love it!

The SDA will be fielding candidates at the next Scottish elections. This may bring about a note of realism in the SNP's policies which is badly needed to make people take them seriously. Oh and by the way I am a member of the SDA and will shortly be the Party's spokesperson on Finace matters.

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"Scotland free or a desart.' Banner carried by James Wilson the Strathaven Weaver; Executed for alleged treason on Wednesday 30 August 1820."

I remember when the SNP, of which I am a member BTW, was Anti-European Union. As recently as 12 months before the SNP's Flagship "Independence in Europe", policy was announced in October 1988, the Autumn 1987 SNP constitution, which I had up until 2000, but have since lost, was adamant AGAINST any membership of the then European community. The White Booklet, stated, that, "It made no more sense to part of a European Union than the Westminster Union". Signed by both Gordon Wilson and Winnie Ewing.
It's time we went back to those days. The Euro and the E.U are both finished. They have had their chance, and "muffed" it.

Stephen.

I think Winnie and the rest of the MEP's enjoyed the club to much and seen this as a way of defending Scotlands interests in Europe,for a long time Winnie was our only MEP!

SDA cannot deliver Independence. That is the riole of the SNP - even if we disagree anout 1201 items they claim to stand for !

I don't disagree.

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Chan eil mise nam Bhreatannach

I think the SDA will be good to have after independence so that people who do dont have left wing views will have some one to vote for,but just now we must stay united to win our freedom and maybe the SDA will be able to show those who dont have leftwing views can still vote for independence without having to accept the SNP policies!In an independent Scotland there has to be a choice for the people or we will end up with a one party dictatorship like China.As long as once we have independence we dont allow the Scottish Independent Parliment vote to rejoin the UK as they did in 1707!Safeguards must be put in place to prevent this ever happening again!

In an Independent Scotland we should have Referendums in the first term about Membership, or otherwise, of the European Union, NATO, and the U.N. along with a Referendum on the Constitution. In the second term, a Referendum on the Union of 1603, (against or for), and if against, what form of Independent Head of State? (President or Monarch?). This would of course automatically take us out of the British Commonwealth. And any future Constitution Amendments, or a Bill of Rights, would have to pass a Referendum as well. What are your thoughts on an Independent Scotland being devolved along the lines of the Swiss Cantons?

Stephen.

Yes!

Switzerland is a republic, not in NATO, not in the EU. It is a better aim point than Norway or Iceland.

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Chan eil mise nam Bhreatannach

I would tend to agree with Talorgan on this, there are a good few things we could learn from Switzerland. The Norwegian and Icelandic models are also areas we could take ideas from. A combination of all three could prove almost invincible.

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Work as if you live in the early days of a better nation.

My turn to agree with you.

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Chan eil mise nam Bhreatannach

I've seen so many of these ginger groups disappear without trace... SIP? SEP? FSP? Determination? Alert Scotland?

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"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".