The latest bit of British jiggery-pokery with the EU power grab represented a potentially tricky situation for Richard Leonard and Willie Rennie. Their first instinct, as always, is to blame the SNP. But the sheer brazenness of the Tories’ cack-handed chicanery made things somewhat easier for the other British Nationalist parties. Not even with the worst #SNPBAD will in the world could Leonard and Rennie enthuse about the latest addition to the BritSpeak dictionary redefining ‘consent’ as… well… anything said or not said. To do so would leave them looking foolish as well as treacherous. And they prefer to do just one at a time.
Spare a thought for Ruth Davidson. She gets no choice in the matter. Looking daft and despicable is in her job description.
It would be folly, however, to mistake the position taken by Leonard and Rennie for anything akin to an honourable defence of Scotland’s interests. The dilemma for them is that, while they are happy to cooperate with the British Government’s efforts insofar as they are directed against the hated SNP, they are ever mindful that Holyrood represents their best – and in the case of the LibDems their only – chance of any meaningful political status. British Labour in Scotland (BLiS) craves a return to power in Scotland – even if it is on Tory coattails. For Willie Rennie, the prospect of a token post in a British party coalition at Holyrood allows him to cling to hope of a Dead Stoat Cloak.
Nothing would please Leonard and Rennie more than a ‘strategic retreat’ by the British government that would allow them to resume full participation in the ‘One Nation’ British Nationalist project. They would be delighted if their Tory allies in London were to contrive an amendment to the amendment which was just less brazen and cack-handed enough for them all to get back into bed together again.
Of one thing we can be sure. If the British government does move on the Power Grab Clause, it will be solely for the purpose of finding an accommodation with the British politicians squatting in the Scottish Parliament. Scotland’s interests will not be a consideration.
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Peter A Bell 
Reblogged this on Scotto Voce.
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The time is coming when people in Scottish Labour and the Scottish Lib Dems will have to decide if being British means more to them than democracy and freedom in Scotland. The British nationalists and the careerists and the weak will side eventually with the Tory government after a token display of resistance. Others will feel compelled to come over to the independence side.
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Your thinking here Peter A. Bell, is spot on, and was well confirmed by Neil Findlay’s initial outburst in the chamber at Holyrood. When he attempted an attack upon the concordiality between the First Minister, and her Brexit Minister, Mike Russell.
Implying that Mike Russell, was keen to accept the Tory offer.That which his colleagues in Wales had signed up to. Against the FM’ s unreadyness to do so.
In doing so, Findlay sought to expose a rift between them.
He, however, only exposed, exactly, how fragile any support he, or his Holyrood Labour colleagues, were ever likely to offer the Scottish government”s fight, against a full grab of powers by Westminster.
It is only the outrageous absurdity of the so called ‘consent’ concoction that, even they, were unable to sign up to, that sees them providing this support. Support that may well vanish like, “sna’ aff a dyke”, when ever it becomes convenient for them to jump ship. In order to rejoin there Tory bedfellows who they adore.
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Playing catch-up Peter and only just noticed – yon Zaphod Beeblebrox hasn’t half let himself go; both his heads are looking the worse for wear.
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