Why unionists cannot bridge this divide

JACK McConnell’s attempt to tackle sectarianism in Scotland will fail. Firstly, because the two big Glasgow football clubs on either side of the divide which spews forth Scotland’s sectarian bile need the revenue generated by their religion-motivated fans and, secondly, because the First Minister and his Scottish government are unionists, and unionists are a significant part of the problem.

For British unionists to continue to dominate and govern Scotland, the status quo has to be maintained. And for the status quo to be maintained, unionist politicians have to ensure that the people of Scotland, primarily the working-class people of Scotland, continue to be divided.

It is in the interests of Mr McConnell to have the people of Scotland divided along religious and perceived British/English versus Irish lines. The alternative would see the people of Scotland shake off historic indoctrination and come together as a nation.

The reality is, therefore, that, while the First Minister talks about ending sectarianism, for unionist control of Scotland to remain in place the benefits of being Scottish must remain hidden behind the sectarian banners and ideologies that scar our country.

In polite company, it’s said one should never discuss politics, religion or football, but if Scotland is to tackle sectarianism, we have to accept all three subjects are intrinsically linked and have to be tackled head on.

Scotland’s football is, of course, dominated by Rangers and Celtic. In public, both clubs will agree that sectarianism is a problem and say they will do everything they can to help eradicate it. In private, however, they know the religious affiliation of their supporters is the fundamental driving force of their allegiance to those clubs.

And if they were publicly to reject anyone whose primary reason for supporting the club was their religious background, they would be committing economic suicide.

Football-based sectarianism is the most visible aspect of a problem that blights Scottish society, but it is only a symptom. The real problem lies much deeper and links us back to politics and British unionist domination of Scotland.

We see the British at Ibrox with their Union flags singing Rule Britannia, while across the city the Irish will be at Parkhead waving the flag of the Irish Republic and signing the Fields of Athenry.

Scotland will only begin to tackle sectarianism when we get over the inferiority that drives sections of our population to aspire to being British/English or Irish.

For Mr McConnell’s initiative to work, he has to recognise that we first have to dismantle the structures that have created the Protestant/British, Catholic/Irish divides in Scotland.

A united Scottish people with the power to transform our nation will come about only when we retake our independence and raise our children to be proud of being Scottish. Mr McConnell, as a British unionist, will fight to prevent that happening - and his anti-sectarian initiative will fail.

Campbell Martin is an independent MSP for the West of Scotland.