Tony Blair used to whine that he never really compared the Scottish Parliament to an “English Parish Council”, it was only the nasty Scottish press who twisted his remarks! In fact, he did so compare. (1/5) Similarly, there is little point in John Swinney complaining that his attendance at the grandly titled Council of the Nations and Regions doesn’t carry a perception of a regional status for the nation of Scotland - it does deliver that status. (2/5)

For any independence supporter to trust a single word the BBC, or associated organisation, say is one of the great mistakes in life. The BBC’s venomous and institutional bias against Scottish independence was demonstrated during the referendum and remains to this day (1/8) And so when I was invited to take part in a “blue chip” history of the rise of the SNP by Firecrest Films for the BBC, I should have smelled a rat immediately, instead of believing the assurances that they willingly gave, that they were intent on making serious programming (2/8)

🧵Great to complete my round of campaigning with 19 fine @AlbaParty candidates across the country with @Jim4Indy in Rutherglen and @Corri_Wilson in sunny, but windy, Ayr! (1/6)





I watched John Swinney on BBC this morning with Martin Geissler and I know him very well. My conclusion is that he’s already mentally accepted that he won’t have a mandate for anything after Thursday, which is why he tracks back to the 2021 Scottish election mandate (2/6)

Scotland’s “independent” prosecution service (COPFS) demonstrates how to engage in goalpost shifting but end up hole digging. (1/4) At lunchtime today, COPFS, which claims not to “provide details of investigations”, were quoted in the Daily Record, the recipient of a criminal leak, “exclusively” that “COPFS hasn’t received a report”. (2/4)

The resilience of independence support is remarkable and will come as a crushing disappointment to the mainstream media. However, the leadership has to be as confident in the case as the people. (1/4) scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2023/03/exclus… There can be few parallels in history where a plurality of the voters, and the overwhelming majority of the independence supporters, believe a clearly stated election result represents a valid mandate for independence, but 2 out of 3 candidates for First Minister hesitate. (2/4)

Unionists should beware in their glee as the lesson of history is that you can postpone democracy but you cannot deny it. (1/5) The Scottish Government now has the responsibility to find a way forward. They have led the national movement down a complete blind alley to the Supreme Court which astonishingly has gone as far as rejecting Scotland’s right of self determination. (2/5)

The SNP written submission to the Supreme Court cites a parliamentary exchange between Donald Dewar and myself, upholding the sovereign rights of the Scottish people, on the introduction of the Scotland Bill White Paper on the 24th July 1997. (1/15) It would have strengthened the case on intent if their legal team had asked me about it, since the question and answer was not a throwaway parliamentary line but pre-arranged with the then Secretary of State for Scotland. (2/15)

How sad to hear of the passing of Ian Hamilton KC, that outstanding spirit and leader of the merry band who in December 1950 reclaimed the Stone of Destiny for Scotland. (1/5) Ian and his confederates, Kay Matheson, Gavin Vernon and Alan Stuart, in league with stonemason Baillie Bertie Gray, incensed the British establishment but galvanised a nation and his place in Scotland’s story is assured. (2/5)

What Scotland requires is a Scottish National Renewables Corporation (SNRC) allocated a public share in every offshore wind, and other major renewable project, as a licence condition. (1/6) SNRC can then enter the market for production and supply as People’s Energy Scotland, to ensure that the benefits from these immense resources flow to the Scottish people. (2/6)

The BBC have badly let people down in their coverage of the Queen’s passing.

The ongoing attempt to appropriate a display of Scottish respect & affection for our late monarch to peddle a state political line, shows the extent of BBC departure from broadcasting standards. (1/4) In the course of a remarkable three days, we can at least say that Scotland has done the Queen proud.

I am in no doubt that she planned the whole thing exactly as it transpired and the solemnity, without flummery, is what she would have wanted. It was as it should be. (2/4)

Attending #AccessionCouncil this morning, where a slimmed down Privy Council of 200 meets to proclaim King Charles III. The longest serving PCs now are the mid 70s intake of Roy Hattersley & Bill Rodgers, but they joined more than 20 years after the last Accession Council (1/7) Thus no one alive has ever attended an Accession Council and Queen Elizabeth was the last survivor of the meeting of 8th February 1952. Today’s agenda doesn’t allow for discussion or questions for the job applicant so we can safely assume that Charles will be so proclaimed (2/7)

Boris Johnson is finished and deservedly so, but the unfinished business is the future of Scotland. (1/4) Those expecting a General Election are whistling in the wind. The very last thing the Tories in total disarray will vote for, is an election. Self-preservation is the one remaining thing that unites them. (2/4)

Here are a few political quiz questions for the weekend;

Why would any real believer in Scottish independence want the weak and chaotic Boris Johnson out of Downing Street to be replaced by a ‘more competent’ unionist politician? (1/4) Why the two year pretence that this Downing Street buffoon was capable of resisting a real campaign for an exercise of democratic self-determination? (2/4)

Following Nicola Sturgeon’s decision to oppose further oil development, I have set out in this article a different approach to managing Scotland’s natural resources (1/8)

https://twitter.com/albaparty/status/1462361155905720322

As ever in oil and gas matters we should look across the North Sea to Norway to see how serious governments address issues (2/8)