How Star Trek can help beat the SNP

I’m a big fan of Star Trek. Something to do with being raised on a heavy diet of sci-fi, leading to my overly optimistic outlook and faith in unions and federations.

For those less familiar with the sci-fi staple, the series often has episodes that take key crew members into alternative, dystopian futures to provide an opportunity to change the present or prepare for a coming event.

With that in mind, bear with me and fast-forward to 8 May: the votes from the Holyrood election have been counted and the SNP has won a majority in the Scottish Parliament. A letter has been issued to Number 10 demanding a Section 30 order, the constitutional mechanism that permits another referendum on ending the United Kingdom.

The government’s initial response will be the right one: ‘No, not now; the Covid recovery comes first’. As we know, less than one-fifth of Scots thinks separation is a top priority.