Crumbling feet of clay

Malcolm Rifkind (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whether or not Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind have been guilty of wrongdoing according to the evidently rather lax standards which British politicians require of themselves is a matter to be decided by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. But the very fact that they so much as met with what they believed were people willing to pay for their services demonstrates an appalling lack of judgement and is symptomatic of the corruption at the heart of the British state.

Let us not forget that both these individual lately strode the stage of our independence referendum campaign, draped in all the trappings of status and power with which the British state rewards its loyal servants, loudly denouncing SNP politicians and Yes campaigners of impeccable character in the highest moral tones. They used the standing and influence which the British state has bestowed upon them to cajole the people of Scotland into sacrificing their sovereignty for the benefit of the British establishment.

They purported to be doing this in the interests of the people of Scotland. But how are we to believe this when they have been shown to be at least willing to consider prostituting themselves to corporate power for personal gain?

Jack Straw (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Let us not forget either that in the wake of the referendum it was Jack Straw who demanded that the people of Scotland be stripped of their democratic right of self determination. In a fit of hypocrisy that speaks to fairly of what we have come to expect from the British establishment, he declared the people of Scotland unfit for such responsibility when he was apparently quite prepared to act in a way that calls into question his own fitness as an elected representative.

For the people of Scotland the coming election is, above all, about trust. It is about whom we can be reasonably sure will most effectively represent Scotland and its people in the British parliament at a time when our interests sorely need to be effectively represented. Surely by now it has been sufficiently demonstrated that those embedded in and wedded to the British political system cannot ever be trusted to speak for the people or for Scotland.

The British state needs to be shaken to its very foundations. It needs to be reminded of the democratic power that can be wielded by the people, just as people need to be reminded of the power that they own. The people of Scotland, inspired by the Yes campaign, have experienced their awakening. It is time to send a clarion call that will resound throughout these island and inspire others to challenge the old order and the old ways.

We do this quite simply by voting in huge numbers for the one viable alternative to the British parties. Only the SNP is in a position to be the catalyst for meaningful change. A vote for the SNP is a vote for a better politics.

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