“It’s part of the energy of nationalism,” sighed Jim Murphy on Newsnight. “They’re never knocked down.” He’s right, and that that is why the Scottish referendum polls show the gap between the two narrowing – YouGov has that gap at 6 points, down from 22 last month. If even Labour’s Jim Murphy accepts that the momentum is with the nationalists – and says that the momentum is with them because they are nationalists – then it’s a rather depressing state of affairs.
Where is the passion and energy of the campaign to save the United Kingdom? This isn’t a criticism of Murphy: he is certainly energetic, and as he wrote on Coffee House he has been the target of the worst kind of energetic of nationalists – who called him a pederast, a Quisling and worse. We ran a piece in last week’s magazine, arguing that a lot of the nationalists are converts, and are driven by a convert’s zeal. Anyway,
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
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