Having given up our Parliament in 1707 to merge with that in England, the Anglo/Scots Union has, for most Scots, just meant increasing domination by Westminster with the threat of total absorption. But gradually, with the advent of the European Union, the situation in Scotland has been transformed.
It is not an Independent Parliament which is proposed but Scotland will have its own Parliament again, after an absence of some 290 years, with powers over a whole range of important policies, such as health, education, law & order, and land use. This is the start of something very special.
The perspectives, and the possibilities open to Scotland - an activeEuropean nation before the Union with England are vast. They cannot becompared with the aspirations of an English region like Yorkshire or the East Midlands, any more than Austria can be equated with Pomerania in building the new Europe.
The referendum campaign witnessed a new departure for Scotland. Thepolitical parties, bar the Tories, came together to work on the common cause of what we believed was best for Scotland. It is a new politics and new beginning, the start of a process that will transform Scotland into a modern, enterprising and compassionate country.
The decision for Scots, and for each of the peoples of Europe's other"invisible" nations, is whether they wish to become an independent nation or remain a region. That is a matter for each individually - their right to self-determination.
However, a Europe of the regions is not for the Scottish National Party(SNP) - more a Europe of the nations tempered with an understanding andrecognition of regional interests.
The flag of Europe is the circle of twelve gold stars on blue. The number has always been twelve. It is in effect a magic closed circle. Admission to the magic circle is open only to independent states: they are the actors in the multi-national confederation of states which makes up the European Union. There are of course policy pros and cons in European politics. But transcending that there are grave drawbacks to outsider status, great advantages to being inside the room when decisions are being taken.
Yet the powers which the Labour Government propose for the new ScottishParliament are considerably behind those of, for instance, Flanders in terms of power. It is not federalism which is being proposed and therefore the problem of self-government for England is to be left unresolved.
The SNP would have preferred the Parliament to have complete control ofScotland's destiny but the proposed powers do offer a step in the rightdirection.
The SNP will stand for the new Parliament and seek to persuade voters of the merits of Independence. We will put the case in a positive way and will try to make a roaring success of the Parliament. We believe that voters will only ever vote for Independence for positive reasons because they believe it can work better for Scotland.
For Scots, Independence in Europe will give Scotland full democracy at home and a direct voice at the top table of Europe, thus ridding us of our unenviable status as the "invisible nation of Europe".
In just over two years from now, the doors of a Scottish Parliament will be open again. The home rule movement in Scotland, neither xenophobic nor anti-English, has driven the mood for change and established self-government as a natural expression of our nationhood.
Labour's proposed Parliament is not an end in itself, but the start of a process which I hope will lead to Independence - when the Scottish people choose.
But before that moment it will be much better to have some control over our own affairs rather than none at all as at present, and that is why the SNP worked so hard to move Scotland forward.
Dr. Allan Macartney MEP
SNP Deputy Leader
If you would like to know more about the SNP and HELP SCOTLAND contact snp.hq@snp.org.uk or visit the official the Scottish National Party web site.
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