Orange Order chief says growth in SNP support is 'biggest problem' facing country

[Graham]

Orange Order chief says growth in SNP support is 'biggest problem' facing country

Grand Master says that members may be urged to vote Labour to support the union.

18 October 2009 11:37 AM

http://files.stv.tv/img/articles/131009-orange-order-chief-says-growth-in-snp-support-is-biggest-problem-facing-country-410x230.jpg

The head of the Orange Order has said that the growth in support for the SNP is the "biggest problem" facing the country.

Grand master Ian Wilson said that members may be urged to vote Labour in some constituencies in the forthcoming election in an effort to stem the support for nationalism. The organisation is a firm supporter of the union with the other home nations.

Mr Wilson told the Scotland on Sunday newspaper: "There is no question in my mind that the biggest problem facing Scotland at the moment is the growth in Scottish nationalism.

"And the Order - as one of Scotland's biggest unionist organisations - has got to get real about it.

"The reality is that the only party you can do that through in Scotland is the Labour party."

Mr Wilson said he would not be urging all of the organisation's 50,000 members to vote Labour, with Order chiefs instead looking at the situation on a "constituency by constituency" basis.

He added: "The reality is, given where most of our lodges are in lowland and west central Scotland, that a lot of the time it will be Labour."

He said that that Lodge members were involved in last year's Glenrothes by-election which Labour held with a majority of almost 7,000 despite expectations of a close challenge from the SNP.

A spokesman for Scottish Labour said the party had had "absolutely no discussions" with the Orange Order about its election strategy.

He said: "Individual MPs and MSPs speak regularly to church and religious organisation on matters of concern to them when lobbied by such organisations.

"However we have had absolutely no discussions whatsoever with the Orange Order, or any other organisation, about our election strategy."

A spokesman for the SNP said: "The SNP Government are engaged in a National Conversation with all of Scotland, in which everyone can express their view.

"Our vision is of a 21st century partnership between Scotland and England as equal and independent nations - with a flourishing 'social union' and the Queen as our shared Head of State.

"While there will be debate over Scotland's constitutional destination, we should all be able to agree on the right of the people to choose Scotland's future in the democratic referendum that the Scottish Government propose for 2010."
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/131009-orange-order-chief-says-growth-in-snp-support-is-biggest-problem-facing-country/

:D If anything they'll put people off labour

[Beorn]

From the article:"Our vision is of a 21st century partnership between Scotland and England as equal and independent nations - with a flourishing 'social union' and the Queen as our shared Head of State

The SNP are losing the way. A shame really as they started off so promising. It seems the higher echelons of the SNP party structure have finally realised the importance of the cash cow which is England, and how much they look to lose if that cow is finally shut off for good.

As it is with this article, you will have Orangemen voting for Labour because ultimately the Orangemen care nothing more than to extend the old horse which is the Union. Whether or not that Union serves them a purpose beyond their means is not for me to say, but as it stands the Scottish have more to lose with England's departure than they do if they were to vote Labour.

[Murphy]

My father always told me that Scotland will never be independent because the Orange Order will not allow it. I have to agree with him.

Regards,
Eóin.

[Treffie]

Personally, I think Scottish independence will be inevitable. :)

[Murphy]

Personally, I think Scottish independence will be inevitable. :)

Mayhaps, but I cannot see it happening any time soon. I think the break will have to come from down south not up north.

Regards,
Eóin.

[Loyalist]

The Orange Order will of course be a factor, but I doubt their position on Scottish independence will be enough to sway things either way, given their declining membership and influence. The Order invariably voted against the SNP in the Scottish Parliamenatry elections but was unable to stop them from forming a government, even if it is a minority administration.

As for the SNP, it does indeed look like the wave of enthusiasm for their policies and Scottish Nationalism in general has declined since the party took power, particularly after the Glenrothes by-election. Forcing an independence referendum next year, given the current political and economic climate, will not win them further support. I watched an interview with Alex Salmond the other day, where he reluctantly announced his support for a third option on the upcoming referendum, whereby Scotland would receive further devolved powers while still coming up short of full independence.

I see strong parallels between the SNP and Canada's own Bloc Quebecois; independence will never be successfully sold to the public, but the constant threat of secession will be used as leverage to gain concessions and favours from Westminster.

[Graham]

As for the SNP, it does indeed look like the wave of enthusiasm for their policies and Scottish Nationalism in general has declined since the party took power, particularly after the Glenrothes by-election. Nah, no really. If anything the support has gone up for the SNP. Look at the recent EU elections. Fife's the home of Gordon Brown, so Labour have a bit more support there. Scottish Labour are a complete joke here aswell, there like a reserve team to British Labour.

But the more popular the SNP are, the more people don't support independence according tae opinion polls. Quite weird that eh :P