THE “From No To Yes” column should not be underrated, “How I went from being a Northern Irish Unionist to an indy Supporter” by David Laird on Monday is a case in point. Of course, converts to any cause should be an important factor, especially in the run-up to what should be our most important election, and Northern Ireland is a lesson in Divide et Imperia we all have to take seriously in Scotland, Scotia, or Alba.

The political end of independence for our new beginning is at last in sight but wracked/wrecked by internal division and uncivil war and an unpretty sight of malcontents and downright egotists. Boy, is the Alba faction in for a rude awakening after the election and the pandemic is over when they all get together in one room. MacFerrets in a sack will have no comparison when Alex Salmond and the leadership say one thing and the malcontents and greetin’-faced moaners (you know who you are) the opposite.

READ MORE: No to Yes: My journey from Northern Irish Unionist to Scottish indy supporter

First, Alex says he only wants the second vote and to give the SNP the first vote – just to secure a supermajority, you understand – and others say the opposite, by urging voting against the SNP in the first instance. If you can bear to go on the Facebook pages, you will find pure bile and hatred for the SNP. Alex and Kenny etc need to get a grip on them now. In true civil war style I happen to be personal friends with some on both sides and factions, and do not wish to waste my time with distractions, fissions, arguments and sweary words with them at this crucial time.

To return to our Northern Irish friend, as a supporter of a united Ireland and an independent Scotland, I would say that the Northern Ireland “Protestant working class” (and Mr Laird admits to being a “Protestant atheist”) are the most misunderstood working class in Europe and America. I can only relate to my personal experience through working and living in Engerland, National Service and of Northern Irish persons in general. I can say your average Sassunach does not give a damn about North and South “Paddies”. They are all the same to them, as are all Jocks and Taffies.

I have met countless NI “Prods”, who were republicans over here, but “loyalists” over there, as they could not go against their family traditions and old friends. Most became converted in the armed forces, colleges, universities and workplaces away from home.

I remember one who was working on my kitchen extension as a labourer to an Islay Gaelic brickie, used to get angry with him for referring to him as “Paddy”. He would phone his mammy back hame and put him on to the “Teuchter” for a telling aff. When she had finished he would say, “That wis yer mammy oan the ham bone Paddy”. The two of them got on great and drank their wages the gither.

Noo, we have Pussyhat Galloway urging a partition in Dumfries and Galloway and Orkney and Shetland. It has all been advocated afore. When Arthur Donaldson was the leader of the SNP in the early 60s, he said he would take up arms against the Westmonster proposals of annexing Ayrshire to steal oor watter, as Tory Blair did with oor coastal watter later.

World bankers have been saying for years that the next world wars would not be over oil, but water, of which Scotland also has an abundance. The Brit Nats used to say to the Shetlanders, “You are not Scots but Norwegians” and the Brit Nat Left, including Saint George, to Glaswegian Sellick fans, “Youse are not Scots, but Irish”.

For election purposes: Ross, Sarwar and Rennie are singing from the same hymn sheet aboot the “divisive” policies of the SNP. All this proves, time again, that there is nothing more divisive than unity and we need to save the quite natural different party ideologies till after the election. We have to get the country first.

Donald Anderson
Glasgow