The SNP’s dismal conference

The Scottish National Party conference in Perth ought to have been a festival of ideas, showcasing solutions that only be applied by independence. Instead it has reminded everyone that the SNP is bereft of ideas*  – and why the union is not in as much danger as Alex Salmond makes out.

Salmond’s speech laid into the “Lord Snooties” down south, and the “London government” which would “put this first class nation in the second class carriages.” His message – and that of his colleagues – seemed to be that an independent Scotland would have so much money that it’d be first class for everyone.

Nicola Sturgeon’s speech suggested that the problem of Scottish poverty is not enough welfare payments. “Independence is about having the powers we need to eradicate, once and for all, the obscenity of child poverty in our rich society,” she said. Quite – but powers to do what? She didn’t say.