One of the manifestations of the sub state nationalism which many in Scotland have invested a considerable proportion of their personal identity and emotions is that it comes to see any criticism of it or – adding the personality cult which surrounds Fish-heid McMoonface to the mix – opposition to specific demands (such as allowing an independent Scotland access to the bond markets, debt underwriting services and kudos of Ster£ing) as inherently unfair and displays of ‘BritNat’ malevolence.
Because no right-thinking Scottish voter could countenance voting NO, right? Because the more fervent YESes view the world through a occluded nationalist spectacles, all NOs but be doing similar, okay? And the petty nationalist always sees their preconceptions as justified and noble, whilst everyone else’s is mendacious, as if it needs to be said.
Thus, as Longshanker describes, the Jedi Reverend, Stuart Campbell from pseudo-political website, Wings Over Scotland can on the one hand gush approvingly over non-Scot, Billy Bragg who calls for a YES vote; then whip-up a Twitter storm against the lovely Ben Fogle when he calls for a NO vote.
Fogle, unlike Bragg, has recent Scottish antecedents; and, unlike Campbell, actually works in Scotland. See Campbell’s attempt to establish a racial purity test in which only those living or born in Scotland are permitted to comment, except for those who do not qualify for either criterion – such as Bragg – but who support YES. Those who qualify for one of both criteria face being twatted (by the lacking in self-awareness, Derek Bateman) aside as “expat denigrators who owe allegiance to the British state that promoted them. A self selecting elite on auto sneer”.
See also on McMoonface’s switch from oleaginous to heart-stopping aggression over the temerity of Andrew Marr to address him personally in a questionable decision and tendentious argument. Having spent the past few weeks assigning his deputy, Fish-heid NicMoonface as the acceptable face of the Scottish Government, he resorted to immediate hectoring when Marr suggested that “I think it would be quite hard to get back in [to the EU]” and that he had spoken to Jose Barroso on the subject “which I think you haven’t”.
These comments “appear to be outside the BBC’s editorial guidelines, and no amount of backtracking can change that”; although, according to a statement from McMoonface’s tank, no complaint will be made. I bet not, you old cod… and BBC News has defiantly put up the transcript of the spat.
Perhaps Marr should have adopted the first person plural not singular, as the First Minister consistently has to speak of Scotland’s interests coinciding with his own.
Pete Wishart, MP for Perth twotted a hint that “there will be consequences”, raising the question of what degree of press control he hopes for an independent Scotland. Maybe legal censure, as old friend of Harry’s Place, Aamer Anwar suggests that discussion of MSP, Joan McAlpine’s questionable use of parliamentary expenses on sub-standard work from the wife of her lover potentially defamatory.
Me, I am waiting for how Cameron’s failure to come down like a ton of bricks on Russian money will be spun. My guess is that it will involve hints that he remains hopeful that Putin will marshal his forces to oppose a YES vote, as already requested… although this comes from Itar-Tass, so might be utter nonsense.