Terror Incognita

Channel 4’s Jon Snow is back from Scotland with his eyes opened: see his blog on the subject, and the many comments it’s attracted.  To sum up, London is loathed from Land’s End to John O’Groats.  Westminster politicians are vicious and corrupt; City slickers are the downfall of a decent society; the meejah couldn’t care less about anything beyond the M25.

It’s a narrative that is gaining traction and hurrah for that.  While England ponders whether to use UKIP to hit back at the disappointers, Scottish voters are wondering if Salmond might just triumph this September.  It would be such a way to make a point.  What’s more, it’s one we could all share in.  Scotland’s freedom is something to be celebrated wildly by everyone who hates the London system.  The rest-of-the-UK would self-evidently be on Death Row, presenting unprecedented opportunities for all who have even a partly articulated vision of how their own nations and regions should be governed once the Augean stables have been cleansed.  Dangerous times perhaps, but perhaps immensely rewarding ones too.

Then there’s the possibility of a ‘No’ vote.  No-one knows what it means.  Is it a vote for the status quo or not?  What might be promised in the run-up to the poll as a sweetener, if independence takes the lead?  Which is more the leap into the unknown, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’?

Either way, enjoy what could be the last few months of normal British politics.  You’d never believe there’s a UK-wide general election due twelve months on from today; think that one through and the West Lothian Question is child's play in comparison.