An embarrassing confession: in the late 1960s, I was a Trotskyite. But that period of political adolescence has its uses. It made me aware of the methods employed by extremist parties such as the Scots Nats. Trots wanted to encourage ‘the workers’ to make impossible demands, including ludicrously high wage rates, in order to bring down capitalism. But the workers were too wise to fall for that, until Arthur Scargill came along. Now, the Nats are playing a similar game, discussing the terms on which they might support Ed Miliband — as if they would like a stable government in London. That is nonsense. They want confusion and chaos in London, which would inflame the English against the Scots and convince even more Scots that the Union is collapsing. The Nats would actually prefer a Tory government, because they think that Toryism is still a toxic brand in North Britain. In Lenin’s words, they will support Mr Miliband in the way that a rope supports a hanged man.
Can you remember who Emily Thornberry was? If not, no worries: neither can she. A clue: white van man and the Cross of St George were responsible both for her 15 minutes of fame and her dismissal. But before she returns to the obscurity from which she should never have emerged, there is an interesting point. When the English won the football war in 1966, they marched under the Union Flag. In those days, if you had asked the average supporter about the Cross of St George, he would have been nonplussed. So how did it migrate from the church steeple to the van’s bonnet? There have been worse PhD topics. This is one change which owes nothing to any supposed elite: a genuine popular movement, which is why the sociologists have averted their gaze.
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in