Principle or Stupidity?

The news today that 2 SNP List Msps had resigned from the SNP, over the result of the very narrow vote by the SNP conference to change the SNPs policy on NATO, left me scratching my head in puzzlement for a bit.
After a very interesting and lively debate. The SNP conference by a very narrow margin decided that the long held SNP opposition to being part of NATO,should be overturned. Put in its place was a decision to remain part of NATO…As we currently are. But only if that membership allowed for Scotland to be NON Nuclear, and for all Nuclear weapons currently sited in Scotland be immediately removed on Independence.
If this were not acceptable, then NATO would not be acceptable to us either!
So the opposition to Trident and Nuclear Arms remains firmly in place as the main policy. The only difference Is that for the purposes of Defence, NATO membership in itself is not so undesirable.
Nearly half the Conference disagreed on this matter, and although they narrowly lost the vote, are still opposed to NATO. However on democratic principle, the supporters of remaining in NATO carried the day, and it thus becomes SNP policy.

The result for the 2 Msps..John Finnie and Jean Urqhuart, has proved to be entirely unacceptable, and on a matter of principle,and deeply held views, have thus resigned from the party.
The result of this decision..apart from reducing the SNP governments majority in parliament to a mere One. Will also provide the Unionist parties and press much to crow about for the next few days. It also places the SNP Governments ability to comfortably carry votes in jeopardy. One Illness, One death, One more resignation, and the SNP lose overall control of the parliament.
This is all sure to give the Better Together Parties a massive boost!

First off…When I heard this debate was taking place at this time, at all! Was of concern to me. I had no doubt that this was a very thorny issue to be tackling, particularly in the run up to the YES vote.
Not for the first time since the SNP got the majority in government, I have been left wondering what they are doing? Taking on some very contentious issues such as the same sex marriage one, as an instance. Now amongst themselves they create this NATO divide!

It is not that I think that these matters should not have been debated…because I do. But rather…what the Hell are they playing at? Huge matters of principle, create large divisions of opinion!
And lets be absolutely clear…The SNP are the main vehicle for those driving for Independence, and being the party which got into position to get a mandate to call the Independence referendum..A lot rests on their shoulders, in seeing it through.
The last thing they or any supporter of Independence needs right now, Is for them to lose the plot!

The Unionist Media and Britnat parties already try to conflate very successfully in the eyes of the public, support for the Independence means support for the SNP, and vice versa.
The Trump film broadcast last night, has already had Unionists crowing that Alex Salmonds and the SNP Governments handling of the affair, means that Scotland will not be the socially just society that Nationalists make out it will be!
More worrying still…Is that I have seen some very committed Nationalists agreeing that it is a Black mark against Alex Salmonds name, and it is a disgrace!

I had to go into hyper defence mode against some of my Unionist chums over this matter. I shouldn’t have had to! Nor should my Nationalist friends have been so quick to agree with them!
It was a very emotive film, and potentially a very destructive one.
It was also extremely one sided,and not entirely truthful. Although It certainly did raise some very big concerns!
So far the SNP have said nothing about it! They should have been up in arms, at some of the slurs on them!!
Jack McConnell the Labour first minister was the one who brought Trump in. Alex Salmond certainly initially supported the project, because he saw huge employment potential in the area. He has since changed his mind somewhat! It was the Lib Dems as the Aberdeenshire Council leaders, who oversaw most of what we saw. Yet…Its all Alex Salmond and the SNP Governments fault? Just because the film maker projected it so??

These sorts of Big Issue fights, do the SNP, the Scottish Government and the Independence movement no favours at all!
The SNP needs to UP its Game..Fast!! Keep the eye on the ball, and the major prize.

So why was the NATO issue brought to Conference?
It has been suggested that 75% of the public support being in NATO.
I have no idea where they get these figures from? I really don’t think that it is a matter that exercises the minds of housewives, NHS workers, or the Unemployed all that much. The public don’t discuss it much,and certainly when they are under no immediate threat of being bombed by anyone.
Yet, Angus Robertson MP the SNP defence spokesman in Westminster thought that it is?
Thus what I consider to have been a very reckless gamble, potentially alienating at least half of the SNP membership was taken. In my view, that was rank stupidity, not principle.

As far as the two Msps resigning from the Scottish Government are concerned. I consider their decision to do so, was a principled stance to take, but a bloody stupid one!
They have weakened a Nationalist Government, for one issue they didn’t like the result of a vote on, at a time when the Independence movement needs all hands on deck!

The NATO issue will most surely come up again with a future SNP conference, and had they remained, they would have lived to fight another day on the matter. You cannot change policy from without, you can only do so from within. And they have weakened their own side of the debate by 2!

Yes, they will continue to support the Government from the back Benches on all other matters. But that does not detract from the wafer thin majority they have now left a Nationalist Government with.

Independence has to come first!!
If we cannot achieve Independence, we have absolutely no say whatsoever over NATO, In or Out. We have no say on a hell of a lot more than that too. And we have No say on getting rid of Trident!!

It is time for them all to get their acts in gear…I really do not like this internal sabotage one bit!!