Divides and Divides to Be Crossed

Let's be clear on how Scotland has been divided. More importantly, the several ways…

The referendum split 55-45, a gross figure and, not as some have portrayed it, so decisive. The coarse red map of NO with wee blue things nestled in it does't reflect the truth. In reality the distinction is a pointillist mosaic of red and blue dots. Many towns and villages voted like Glasgow. That isn't part of the 'decisive, settled for a generation' view. Nor does it sit well with the collective amnesia rising like a fog in Westminster as the main parties wrestle for political gains of their own.

Look at it another way, we are a coalition of YES campaigners and voters alongside the persuaded NO and forever NO campaigners. I sense, among the first of those categories, a horrible realisation that the Brown promises of a week ago were just that, made-up muck (for want of a less polite word).

Cameron has tied 'The Vow' into Devo-Plus for all and the English answer to the West Lothian question. He's got a brawl to come with his own back benches but he can sell it on the wholesale destruction of Labour - for a generation. He's already poised to whittle away Barnett .

Milliband is, as he so often was in Scotland (on the street), silent about Scotland. Ed Balls has the temerity to stand up for cuts to child benefit, more austerity, benefit caps. He's more red than Tory by a bawhair, politically a hideous puce.

Clegg is, as usual, liberally quiet. Looking for a fence to sit on. Never mind, he's Orange Book. When the fence turns up he'll sit on it but his feet will be on the side where the rich people live.

Back home, we have the rump of these, our local stooges, the Lamonts, Davidsons, and Rennies witheir attendant Darlings and Murphies. Never a chink of light between, arms linked in a resolute wall of opposition to Scottish purpose. Be sure, that purpose of social justice, fairness and creativity, for all they pay lip service, are diametrically a threat to their corporate allegiances. The division there lies between their covert coalition of dread and our own coalition of vision.

In Scotland, the SNP, the Greens, Scottish Socialists, Solidarity along with community and local groups came together with a positive spirit of unity. We set differences aside to reach a collective goal. And that put an indelible stamp on our political nature. We aren't afraid of disagreement. We are prepared to respect sincere NO voters. Of course, we'll argue, discuss and persuade but we recognise that argument is the foundation of real democracy. We expect our opponents to show integrity and we'll respect them for it.

Deep in the South, I suspect these views have no place. Westminster will bray in the same monotonee as before. Respect is not even skin deep there. It's a shred of scurf, nothing more, brushed aside in a moment of distaste. What's more, in narrow party interests, they'll divide us and divide us to their hearts' content, if it serves them.

Here, we have many bridges to build, between YES and disappointed NOs, and many to maintain. The political movement we grew is nurturing itself, its voice unstilled. That is also the voice we have to project to reach though the rupturing Westminster turmoil.

It must ask questions:

• Where are the promises of change?
• Where is the detail you hid from us when you made them?
• Where is the real consultation about that, for Scots, English, Welsh and Northern Irish voters?
• Why so late? Did you think you'd get away without offeringf it?

It must provide the answers we want:

• Nothing short of Devo-Max will do;
• Full fiscal autonomy - with control of ALL tax revenues, including oil;
• Social justice - no bedroom tax, end demonising the poor and disabled, no more food banks;
• Regulate the banks and the City;
• Regenerate industry;
• Scrap Trident.

That's a start. But if we don't ask the questions and provide the sample answers it'll all be swept aside in a tide of self-serving politics. The Westminster carpets hide too many demands that have turned to dust.

It's feet to the fire time.