Henry Hill

Downing Street is clueless on Scottish independence

(Photo by Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

It has been pointed out before that the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives have something of a symbiotic relationship. Bitterly opposed as they are on the constitutional question, they nonetheless share an electoral interest in keeping that question front and centre.

This explains the otherwise baffling (to put it politely) decision by the Tories to put the nationalists’ central election message – that an SNP majority means another referendum – at the top of their own election materials. This is contrary to government policy; indeed, contrary to Conservative Party policy.

Boris Johnson has said that he will not grant the Section 30 order necessary for the Scottish government to hold another referendum. He is entirely within his rights to do this and right to do so. There are many strong practical and moral arguments against allowing a swift re-run of 2014.

But perhaps I was too hard on the Scottish Tories. Reading the comments from ‘senior ministers’ in yesterday’s Sunday Times, it’s not difficult to see why Unionists might find it tricky to run on a strategy built on the idea that the government is a reliable bastion for the Union.

It’s not difficult to see why Unionists might find it tricky to run on a strategy built on the idea that the government is a reliable bastion for the Union

Where to start? First, there are apparently those in Whitehall determined to do Alex Salmond’s work for him and lend credence to the idea that a separatist ‘supermajority’ at Holyrood – gained entirely by gaming a badly designed electoral system – would lend moral force to its demands for a second independence referendum.

Even the SNP knows better than that, which is why you will note that Nicola Sturgeon’s party has exhibited no enthusiasm for Alba or its grand plan. If the nationalists collude to disenfranchise pro-UK voters, that actually gives the Prime Minister a more legitimate claim to represent those voters himself – his being, after all, their government too.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in