John Swinney’s decision to take the heat out of the independence issue on the 10th anniversary of the referendum was wise. Scotland has been split on the constitution over the past 10 years and public services have suffered.
The SNP was hammered at the general election and Swinney has made it clear he has listened. Instead of rattling the cage for IndyRef2 and demanding the next Holyrood poll is a de facto referendum, he said there would have to be a “compelling” demand for independence before another referendum takes place.
The precedent his allies are attracted to is the devolution referendum in 1997. That effectively rubber stamped the settled will of the Scottish people and the campaign contained none of the divisiveness of 2014.
But while IndyRef2 is not the priority at this time, only a fool would say it can be ignored forever. Around 50 per cent of Scots still support independence.
Nicola Sturgeon was rightly criticised for dangling a second referendum she could never deliver. But the combination of a pro-indy majority and huge support for independence would be difficult to ignore.
That said, all political parties should be focused on the bread and butter issues that are preoccupying Scots. Independence is off the radar at the moment and MSPs must deliver the real change people need.
Joining forces
Two Scottish football legends are backing demands for more help for people with the agonising “butterfly skin” condition EB.
Celtic legend Scott Brown has joined former Old Firm rival Graeme Souness in campaigning for people with epidermolysis bullosa – the painful condition that ruins lives by causing painful blistering all over their bodies.
Ayr United manager Brown visited the Scottish Parliament as an ambassador for EB charity Debra to make MSPs aware of the problems facing the community.
He spoke of a shocking lack of specialist medical professionals, which forces 6000 patients to travel from all over Scotland to Glasgow for health checks and procedures.
Meanwhile, Debra vice president Souness is in training for the cycle leg of his latest challenge to raise much needed funds and awareness of the condition. He has become firm friends with young Scot Isla Grist, 16, who herself is a vigorous campaigner for her fellow sufferers.
Brown and Souness may have been on opposite sides of the Old Firm divide but they are united in their support for EB patients.
They were tough tacklers on the pitch and they will be fierce fighters off it for this worthy cause.
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