The Queen tries to derail Scottish nationalism
On Holyrood’s 20th anniversary the British state is pulling out all the stops to co-opt this most important Scottish political institution. This culminated in the Queen’s visit to Holyrood yesterday where she spoke of her “great affection” for Scotland.
To underline the depth of the British state’s commitment to emasculating core Scottish institutions the Queen was accompanied by a substantial royal entourage led by Prince Charles.
Whilst the 20th anniversary of the foundation of Holyrood may be a convenient excuse for the Queen to visit Scotland and to address political leaders there, few Scottish activists are convinced that this was the main reason for the high-profile visit.
Indeed, the Queen’s dramatic political intervention comes on the heels of the renewed debate on Scottish independence, with local nationalists led by the Scottish National Party (SNP) clamouring for a second independence referendum in 2021.
The overall context is defined by Brexit and the chaos and uncertainty surrounding Britain’s scheduled departure at the end of October. At the Brexit referendum of June 2016 the Scottish people voted by 62 percent to remain in the European Union, whereas in stark contrast, only 46 percent of English voters opted to stay in.
Calls for a second Scottish independence referendum is set to intensify in the months ahead as the UK edges closer to exiting the EU without a deal. Following Britain’s departure in November Scottish demands for another referendum may become irresistible on the grounds that the Scots overwhelmingly voted to stay in the EU.
This background helps explain the British state’s intervention in Scotland at the highest levels. During the first Scottish independence referendum of September 2014 the British state successfully managed the process, primarily by bribing, and to some extent, deceiving Scottish voters.
The British monarchy, and the government, appear to be treating the prospect of a second independence referendum with the same level of confidence to the extent that they think they can manage the process through high-level interventions and associated political and economic assurances.
But supporters of Scottish independence appear unfazed by the British state’s political stunts as they forge ahead with securing a second referendum which they believe will deliver better results than the first.
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