Constitutional politics “would end” after Yes vote

Ian Hamilton says Scots would return to party politics after independence. Picture: TSPL

Writing on the Scottish Review website, the veteran of the independence movement forecast a return to non-constitutional party politics once the SNP had realised its dream.

“The SNP doesn’t embrace all Scots,” Mr Hamilton wrote. “You don’t need to belong to a political party to love your country. For that matter, the SNP will fly apart as soon as its aim of independence is achieved. That said, sooner or later there will be a revival of party politics in Scotland. “We must face that as a nation we have the responsibility of nationhood. We cannot hide a handful of MPs among the crowds at Westminster and kid ourselves that it gives us influence. It doesn’t. We have four per cent of the legislators. We have no voice to speak to other nations.”

Mr Hamilton also claimed that London had “sucked” up wealth and said the “real fight” of the 21st century was between Scotland and the UK capital.

“Independence means that we pick and choose our friends. I’m not sure where England stands in the pantheon of our friends,” said the lawyer, who famously broke into Westminster Abbey in 1950 and took the Stone of Scone, which had been kidnapped from Scotland by the English King Edward I in 1299.

“England changes. The England of the shires and the village green has gone. England is now the walled city of London. The torrent of Better Together that daily disfigures our papers shows a frightened London. The real fight of the 21st century is not between Britain and the Common Market. It is between Scotland and London.”

He added: “London has sucked the wealth of these islands into its walls. It manages things. It doesn’t create them and for this reason it fears a rival who does. We are the only country with the wealth and vigour to rival them. If that were not so they would patronise us, not shout at us. If we are poor why are they so keen to keep us?”

SNP Spokesperson: “Ian Hamilton is a stalwart of the independence movement, and it’s great that he is looking forward to an independent Scotland. He is right that proud Scots support all parties and none - as far as the SNP are concerned, we are aiming to become the first government of an independent Scotland in the 2016 election and beyond.”