That’s the big question I ask myself often. Why are at least half of Scots still supportive of the clearly failing union, when we’ve recently suffered so many disasters and chaos in recent years? I believe it’s all about the lack of so few representative Scottish media. I remember my son made this comment in 2014 “ how can we win independence with no media? “
Of course younger Scots get their media and press from a variety of sources and their support for Indy is around 70%. But the over 50s still look to the mainstream unionist media and press. BBC Scotland for instance totally ignores any serious failings in England, such as England’s disastrous water scandal. (This is covered by channel Four news which is more balanced than the BBC, with Dark Waters.)
Back in 1707, Scotland kept its own Kirk - which in those days was the media (they preached against the French terror!) We had Scottish newspapers by 1800s. The problem started with broadcast media around the 50s, which is totally controlled from London. Even Catalonia has four tv channels, two news and two entertainment. The UK is now a highly centralised state, which is not healthy for the north of England either.
By the late 1700s we had a Scottish Kirk and Scottish newspapers but since the war we’ve had totally biased news reporting that focuses on London and the UKs foreign owned press, that is not balanced. John Swinney should pursue legal means to regulate for a balanced press! They do this in other countries. I went to a talk at Edinburgh book festival about this issue: Ruth Wishart was there.
Today Scotland only has the one Indy supporting Newspaper, the National that represents half of Scots. There are not one, but four English political parties in Scotland who support the union. It’s all quite bazaar and unbalanced. With Reform a far right, English nationalist party. (Why don’t we stand a Scottish political party in England? The Democrats for instance!)
Scotland is asking for normal self-determination, that’s normal across the developed world - then again Edinburgh must not be a new centralising London. The central government should only decide on federal roads, foreign policy, certain economic levers - otherwise decisions should be made at a local level on say education, health, local infrastructure etc. The economy should work for the people not against us! The politicians in London are totally out of ideas and controlled by dirty money and Trump's America.
Why are there so many Scots in thrall to the supposed ‘union’ with England? A good read is “DeColonizing Language” by Ngugi Wa Thiong’O recommended by Alan Riach - how language repression is much cheaper and easier than military control. Colonisation of the mind. I think of how children were belted if they spoke in their native Scots at school, how clan chiefs had to have their son’s educated in England. This also happened in Africa - where children had to learn ‘To a Daffodil’ even though they had never seen one!
Is there a reason Scots vote to be a colony of London? I’ve been trying to find out. Scotland used to benefit from the exploiting of the British Empire countries, but since the Second World War the BE has ceased to exist. Now Scotland is the last colony being exploited. Some Anglo Scots view advancement through getting a seat in the House of Lords. Is unionism about your tribe? It used to be about religion.
Scotland could be as successful as Ireland, Norway or Denmark - instead we’re held back as part of a failing UK model. Don’t tell me the lies of the made up and fake GERS figures - these are the figures Scotland endures being shackled to the UK and treated as a branch economy. London only cares about London property prices and London voters. Westminster is shutting down Scotland.
Since this election 2026, the prospects of the three Celtic nations working together is so positive. Crucially Swinney must appeal to all of Scotland and speak to all Scots, to counter the rise of divisiveness of Reform and the rise of the far right.
anglo,
Tom Nairn’s “The Break up of Britain” is another great read on the archaic politics here. Where are the books on the benefits of the union, where are the songs or celebrities for the union? We are basically fed a bunch of lies constantly by the unionist press - SNP bad in among the gossip headlines. it’s very demoralising and isn’t good for anyone all this negativity. Where is the hope??
So how does Scotland prosper as part of the UK, what are the benefits? The crash of 2008, showed clearly how the neoliberal economic model is failing people. The politicians in London only claim, “They’ll do more of the same but better.”
They are stuck in the 80s thinking rather than looking at new ways of modelling and moving to a modern state. This is not good enough when most people here see their standard of living falling. Scotland is stuck in an archaic Britain that is unable to move forward. ….. If you don’t believe me watch the BBCs Question Time each Thursday to hear the lack of any constructive ideas from Westminster MPs! Scotland’s freedom and sovereignty in Europe now!!
