Too many chiefs...

Charles Kennedy

The anti-independence campaign may have no clear proposals or rational arguments, but they certainly aren't short of "leaders". Here's yet another one auditioning for the job. And while Kennedy has no more to offer than any of the others in terms of a vision for Scotland, he has certainly established his British nationalist credentials with a litany of hypocrisy, distortions and negativity.

And dishonesty, of course. No claim to leadership of the campaign to preserve the corrupt and anachronistic union could be valid without a proven ability to spin a lie. Kennedy covers this section of his job application with a snide attack on the First Minister and what he refers to as Salmond's "relentless need for self-promotion". By which he actually means his stubborn refusal to just shut up and go away.


Where Kennedy descends into mendacity is his reference to what he calls Salmond's "tantrum over his non-appearance on the BBC TV rugby coverage". There may be "medical reasons" why Kennedy's perception and memory might be impaired. But he surely must be aware that the real basis for Salmond's complaint was not so trivial. He surely cannot be oblivious to the fact that the BBC's decision to withdraw Salmond's invitation was entirely politically motivated.

While we might understand that, having nothing positive to offer, Kennedy is necessarily reduced to such puerile smears against the democratically elected head of our government. But one is still left wondering at Kennedy's determination to divert attention from the blatant anti-SNP bias of the BBC. Are we to assume this to indicate his approval for the broadcaster taking an active role in the anti-independence propaganda campaign?

The remainder of Kennedy's audition was padded out with a dull reprisal of the same material offered by all the other wannabe saviours of the British state. Vague promises of "jam tomorrow" and.... well... that's it.