WHEN Boris Johnson described his cabinet as “a nest of singing birds’ he meant to convey an image of unity but as ever he got the allusion not entirely right.
The phrase is commonly used to refer to the artistic court of Elizabeth 1 of England, where poets, dramatists and musicians proliferated, though not always in harmony.
It would be hard to equate that hotbed of genius with what one sees at Westminster these days. The reality of the term might better apply, because singing birds are often just aggressively warning others off their territory.
All political parties have internal differences and there is a mordant ring of truth in the reported remark from Labour’s Nye Bevan to a new MP who observed, sitting in the Commons, that it was great to see “the enemy” across from him: “Those are the opposition. The enemy is all around you.”
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Politicians are, by nature, argumentative but we meed to remember that we don’t have to like those we campaign with, or for – people can share a world view but still have contending personalities.
What is important is an ability to work together to produce results and across our national movement that means working together for independence. Anything which weakens that will be to the detriment of Scotland and our country’s future.
Of course Alex Salmond is entitled to stand for Parliament like any other citizen, and I accept he still supports independence.
What we now need to see from him, however, is an approach which seeks, if not to unite the forces for progress, then at least not divide them. Style will be as important as substance and things left unsaid as vital as those trumpeted aloud.
In any election parties jostle for position and in this one every Unionist will attempt to take advantage of what Salmond has done, in order to try and set back Scotland’s progress towards full self-government.
The means to prevent that happening lie firmly with Alex Salmond. No more David Davis interventions would be a good start. Accepting difference and campaigning positively would be the next priorities. A realistic view that without both votes SNP there is a risk of no independence majority is however probably too much to ask, no matter how true.
I can’t say it has been pleasant these last months as the inquiries have come to their climax, though my belief that Nicola Sturgeon would be vindicated was borne out by events.
The very sad thing is that the women complainants have been so badly done to and therefore the lessons of the inquiry, where they were unanimous, need to be acted on quickly.
Last weekend I was lambasted by some then in the SNP both for defending the party and our First Minister.
Being called a “mendacious, amoral, New SNP worm” (amongst other things) is not pleasant when it comes from political opponents. To receive it from those with whom one shares a passion for securing independence is harder still.
However others have, I accept, fared much worse.
I can put that behind me, and I would encourage others to do so too. We need to ensure that all such unacceptable divisive and wounding words and actions – from wherever and whoever they come – cease, not least because there are now less than six weeks to an election which, if it does not produce an SNP government capable of passing a referendum bill, will mean stalemate or worse for the national movement and endless crowing, hostility and further erosion of our institutions from a
UK Tory party that is attempting to destroy Scottish democracy and our country’s legitimate desire for self-determination.
And that is the hard truth and the bottom line.
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The national movement does not seem as if it will be, at least for a while, that “nest of singing birds” of Johnsonian imagination.
What we should aspire to, though, is the constant, careful and united expression of the widespread, cross-party desire for independence and an acceptance that only an SNP Government can deliver the means to achieve it at this time.
I joined the SNP in February 1974 – around the same time as Alex Salmond did – and I am not going anywhere else. I know that the party’s true face is an open and welcoming one that looks with confidence to a better, more equal and more just future.
That future was, is, and will be best for Scotland and we should allow nothing – and nobody – to get in the way of it.
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Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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