SNP
Cameron’s risky move could play into Salmond’s hands
Not many politicians would conjure up the spectre of Alec Douglas-Home to scare the Prime Minister, but that is exactly what Alex Salmond did today — to some effect. The… Continue reading
35 CommentsDavid Cameron Abandons The Tory Diehards
David Cameron’s apparent willingness to contemplate greater devolution after an independence referendum (pithily summarised by one SNP MSP as: Vote no to cake today so I might give you some… Continue reading
11 CommentsDavid Cameron Opens the Door to Devo-Max
At this moment, I dare say industrious hacks are searching for politicians to condemn David Cameron for "selling the jerseys" on the question of further powers for the Scottish parliament… Continue reading
14 CommentsAlex Salmond, Supply-Sider?
Today’s Chat With Dave is all very well and good but Alex Salmond’s speech to the LSE last night was just as significant. Much of the wrangling about Scottish independence… Continue reading
5 Comments
Westminster’s attention heads north again
The debate over the referendum on Scottish independence will take centre stage next week. Michael Moore, the Scottish Secretary, will see Alex Salmond in Edinburgh on Monday and then Cameron… Continue reading
30 CommentsScottish Labour Embrace the Logic of Independence
One of the problems with the Scottish parliament is that all gathered there must pretend it is more influential and vital than it really is. In fact, as has been… Continue reading
5 CommentsMike Russell and the Mythical Anti-Scottish Conspiracy
Mike Russell is a genial chap who, most of the time, is not much of a fool. Most of the time is not all the time, however, and this week… Continue reading
11 CommentsAlex Salmond’s problems with women (and the wealthy and the old)
Like the Peat Worrier and Kate Higgins, I think the headline figures on polls asking Scots whether they fancy independence or the Union are much less interesting than the numbers… Continue reading
22 Comments
What difference the Scottish independence question makes
A very useful contribution from Lord Ashcroft this morning, in the form of a poll he’s commissioned on Scottish independence. What sets Ashcroft’s poll apart from previous surveys is that… Continue reading
25 Comments
Freedom for Shetland!
If Scotland can claim independence — and a ‘geographical share’ of the oil regardless of population — then why can’t Orkney & Shetland? It’s the Up Helly Aa festival in… Continue reading
79 Comments
A poll to darken Salmond’s day
It looks like Fraser was right to question Vision Critical’s recent Scottish independence poll. That poll surveyed just 180 Scots and found 51 per cent saying they would vote ‘Yes’… Continue reading
31 CommentsScotland: A Land Where Conservative Principles Die
For some time now we have been told – by the editor of this magazine among other, less distinguished, commentators – that David Cameron and the Downing Street machine view… Continue reading
17 CommentsCan Home Rule Solve Scotland’s Problems?
This is not a Question To Which the Answer Must Be No. I too saw the headline Now 51% Back Independence and thought, "Well, that’s interesting but implausible". Then I… Continue reading
24 Comments
A skewed response to a skewed question
‘A clear majority of people in Scotland now back independence, according to an exclusive poll for the Sunday Express. Using Alex Salmond’s preferred referendum question, the Vision Critical survey found… Continue reading
58 CommentsHow Sound is Salmond’s Scottish Pound?
One of the more tiresome aspects of the SNP’s vision for the future of Scotland is its fondness for breezily sweeping away awkward questions as though important elements of Scotland’s… Continue reading
10 Comments
Salmond lays the ground for his referendum
So now we have it: the ten words which Alex Salmond hopes will end Scotland’s 300-year-old membership of the United Kingdom. ‘Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent… Continue reading
41 CommentsAlex Salmond’s Inevitability Strategy
Apparently it is all but compulsory for London-based observers to note that Alex Salmond is "wily". Those possessing an Anglo-Scots dictionary may add that he’s "sleekit". By this they really… Continue reading
8 CommentsSalmond: Scotland Free By 2016?
So, the game is afoot. The Scottish government today published its consultation document on an independence referendum to be held in the autumn of 2014. You can read it all… Continue reading
14 Comments
Salmond’s dangerous strategy
Cartoonists like to portray Alex Salmond as a modern-day Braveheart preparing to charge the English enemy. But, in truth, Salmond’s strategy is far more subtle — and dangerous — than… Continue reading
50 CommentsThe John Wilkes Society is Reborn
John Wilkes was radical and wrong; his latter-day equivalents are merely stupid and wrong. To buttress this notion, I submit the cases* of Simon Heffer and Melanie Phillips. We are… Continue reading
45 Comments