WE haven't had a Broontervention for quite some time, although it is entirely possible that we had one but missed it because not even BBC Scotland can be bothered to pretend any more that what the author of the infamous Vow has to say about Scotland's constitutional future is in any way relevant.
However the Broonster has been at it again, preaching his nostrums to an increasingly decreasing audience. At this rate, in a year or so a Broontervention will consist of the former Prime Minister admiring himself in a mirror and telling himself he's still got it, which in terms of real world political effects is all that Broonterventions have amounted to for quite some considerable time.
In his latest episode of pretending he still has relevance in Scottish politics, Broon told the Financial Times that the independence campaign is stronger than the campaign for what he still insists is a union and warned those who are opposed to independence that they needed to make a positive case for the union if they are to defeat independence in the longer term.
He acknowledged that the recent travails of the SNP have failed to put any dent in support for independence in opinion polls, a tacit admission that the long standing strategy of the Labour and Conservative parties has failed.
READ MORE: SNP say 'no positive case for Union' after Gordon Brown independence admission
For years, Labour and the Conservatives have attacked the SNP as a proxy for attacking the case for independence in the mistaken belief that support for the SNP was what was driving support for independence.
They believed that if they could succeed in undermining support for the SNP, which was always going to be inevitable given that the party has been in power at Holyrood for over a decade and a half, then they would be able to reduce support for Scottish independence.
However, this was based upon a faulty analysis. Despite a drop in support for the SNP in recent polling, support for independence itself has remained stubbornly high.
The reason for this is because it is not the SNP which is the driving political force for support for Scottish independence; it is the Labour and Conservative parties and the corrupt and dysfunctional Westminster system to which they are both wedded.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Brown said that "support for independence has remained exactly the same" despite the SNP dropping in the polls and with some polls even suggesting Labour could overtake the SNP in Scotland at the Westminster General Election expected later this year.
Brown added: "You've got to put a positive argument. You can’t just say the SNP have failed, therefore independence is off the agenda...
"In the long run, the forces pulling Britain apart are greater than the forces holding it together, unless something is done about it."
But it is certainly not going to be Brown who 'does something about it'.
His underwhelming but much touted constitutional review for the Labour party offered nothing greater than minor tinkering with the Westminster system, and most of what he did suggest has since been quietly ditched by Keir Starmer.
The 'positive case for the union' is the cryptid of Scottish politics, a legendary and fantastical beast which is frequently rumoured to be in hiding but which never actually comes out into the open.
Broon would have been as well telling opponents of independence to produce Nessie.
READ MORE: Gordon Brown concedes independence campaign is 'greater than' Unionism
There is a very good reason why no British nationalist politician has ever successfully identified a 'positive case for the union' which has gained real world traction.
That's because no such case exists short of radical, comprehensive and wide ranging reform of the British state - reforms which neither Labour nor the Conservatives are willing to countenance because they are both in thrall to the prospect of near unlimited power, which the current system grants to the leader of the party which wins a majority in the House of Commons.
That reform would include, but not be limited to, proportional representation in the House of Commons, the abolition of the Lords, a written constitution, the restoration of British membership of the European Customs Union and Single Market and the reintroduction of freedom of movement, substantially greater powers for the Scottish Parliament including control of employment, immigration, broadcasting, and drugs policy along with benefits and pensions, and a full range of tax and borrowing powers. Everything, in fact, except defence and foreign affairs.
In other words the devo max we were promised in 2014, but real and meaningful, not just an empty soundbite.
Of course, that's never going to happen, and that is why support for Scottish independence will continue to rise until eventually and inevitably it reaches a tipping point and then it will be all over for this so called union and Gordon Brown's pretence of relevance.
David Cameron’s hypocrisy on Iran and Israel exposed
SNP MP Philippa Whitford has called out Foreign Secretary David Cameron for his comments on the Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel, which took place over the weekend in retaliation for the Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus last month.
When asked about the Israeli bombing of the consulate, which was a clear breach of international law, he replied that he understood Israel's frustration.
He was then asked what the UK would do if another country flattened one of our consulates and he said we would take very strong action.
He condemned the Iranian response as “disproportionate”, saying that there could have been thousands of casualties including civilians, "that's a really important point to take into account". Wait till someone tells him about Gaza.
It is notable that the British Government has not used similar language to describe Israel's response to the Hamas attacks of 7 October.
In response to those attacks, in which over 1000 Israelis were killed, Israel has responded by starving two million people, killing over 33,000 Palestinians including 15,000 children, and destroying the infrastructure and natural environment of an entire region that has no air defences.
This piece is an extract from today’s REAL Scottish Politics newsletter, which is emailed out at 7pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from the Wee Ginger Dug.
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