Nine years on

Calton has wanted to leave the EU for years, long before he started this blog 9 years ago. There were times when he seemed like a lone voice, howling at the moon. Even when Nigel Farage founded UKIP it seemed impossible that the UK would leave the EU. Now, at time of writing, we have already left and are less than 2 hours from exiting the resulting transition period, with a deal in place, which is something else which seemed impossible until Christmas Eve. Truly 2020 has been a year of miracles as well as disasters.

Some things haven't changed, for instance the SNP's love-affair with the EU. This has led them into the ridiculous position of voting against the deal which Boris Johnson has agreed with the EU, in spite of months of warning against a no-deal Brexit. It also means that most of the items on Calton's 2012 wishlist are still valid - just replace Alex Salmond with Nicola Sturgeon and redefining marriage with trans rights.

What has changed is the mood within Scotland. The hitherto silent majority who voted NO in 2014 have now found a voice and a party to vote for in 2021 - Alliance for Unity, headed by George Galloway. The iron grip of the Murrells on the SNP has also loosened and cracks are appearing in what was once a united party. Nicola Sturgeon's pursuance of a highly woke agenda has won her enemies including Joanna Cherry and Stuart Campbell. The former fired a shot across Sturgeon's bows after being elected to the SNP NEC and the latter continues to bombard Sturgeon on an almost daily basis via his blog Wings Over Scotland, which talks so much sense that Calton has decided to add it to his blogroll.

Many still think that an SNP victory next May is inevitable. Hopefully the SNP are among that number because complacency comes before a fall in votes. Defeating the SNP may seem impossible but so did Brexit. It just needs enough people to turn out and make their voice heard. May 2021 be the year that sees the end of nationalist rule in Scotland! Slainte!