Ten years ago, the rest of the UK decided that Scotland would be leaving the European Union. Every single part of Scotland had voted to stay in the European Union, but that didn’t matter.

Just months earlier, the people of Scotland had been convinced to vote against their own independence by the UK establishment’s self-styled “Project Fear” which argued that if we dared to vote for independence, our EU membership would be at risk.

There is a sickening irony to this sequence of events. The EU is made up of self-governing countries, many of which are the size of Scotland with a fraction of Scotland’s assets. None of them is seriously considering leaving the EU, and few are experiencing the rapid decline we are.

Since our departure from the European Union on 31 January 2020, the UK has experienced a never-ending series of events it would not be an exaggeration to call disaster. Existing weak spots in the UK’s economy and social fabric, especially our pernicious wealth inequality, have been opened up and exploited by dark and avaricious interests, and the country is being ravaged at a greater rate than most with the result of economic decline, societal breakdown, narrower opportunities, and a palpable sense of decay which manifests in many ways: dirty and crumbling town centres, a drug deaths crisis, rising unemployment, a housing crisis, an explosion of xenophobia, and a mental health crisis among other things.

We have lost billions of pounds, thousands of jobs, lost our right to live, work and study in 27 other countries, and experienced highly divisive debates around asylum when previous asylum treaties were torn up on the altar of “taking back control”.  Brexit was, in short, the most stupid and damaging decision the UK has ever made.

It is worth considering how differently the four countries of the UK did out of the Brexit vote. For England and Wales, it was a clear win in pure democratic terms – a majority of people voted to leave, and left. Northern Ireland voted to remain, but got a special deal to retain access to the European Single Market and Customs Union, and their citizens retained the right to remain EU citizens (via Irish citizenship). Scotland also voted to remain, but was dragged out, and no accommodation whatsoever was made for Scotland’s wishes or interests.

The way in which Scotland was removed from the European Union against our wishes was undignified in the extreme. As someone who believes that Scotland is a brilliant country no better than, but every bit as good as, any other country, I find it very hard to accept that we Scots allowed that to happen in the way it did.

Going back to the circumstances that led to us being removed from the EU, I also find it very hard to accept that 55% of Scots voted against their own independence in 2014. Writing that out makes me feel slightly sick, but we did: The Scots voted against their own independence. Yet, as a democrat, I do reluctantly accept that fact... or just about. Because while I have no reason to doubt that most people made their decision to vote “no” for reasons of principle, I believe a significant number voted “no” out of fear – because they were lied to and misled by Project Fear – and that number probably made the difference between a Yes vote and the No vote we ended up with. How do I know that? I've lost count of the number of people I speak to who voted "no" but have changed their mind.

Although I reluctantly accept 2014’s “no” vote, I cannot and will not accept that we don’t get another chance, given how much has changed for the worse since then, much of which is linked to our continued presence in the UK. 

We are fed the oft-repeated lie that the “yes” side promised the referendum would be a “once in a generation vote”. It's a distraction, and untrue.  No such once-in-a-generation “promise” was ever made – it was in fact a warning from the leadership of the “yes” campaign that such opportunities don’t come round often, and was intended as a stirring appeal to come out and vote for independence even if you had some qualms about some of the detail. It's a ridiculous straw man argument to claim it was anything more than that - though for some reason we've allowed this argument to go unchecked for a long time and the Mandela Effect has done its thing.

I find it immensely frustrating that the governing party of Scotland - elected again and again for two decades by Scots – is doing what amounts to nothing, as far as I can see, to advance the cause of independence. That dream shared by so many committed, intelligent and compassionate people who want this country of ours to succeed is now further than ever from where we were in September 2014, where we stood on the cusp of making history.

Of course, I find it appalling that the UK Government continues to deny Scots another say on how they are governed, despite having voted for a party which promises them a vote and knowing full well and with more detail than most just how badly Scotland has been affected by decisions made outwith Scotland. Disappointing, but understandable - they stand firmly against independence and experience has taught them they can give no quarter and face no consequences for their intransigence.

However I find it excruciatingly frustrating, and not remotely understandable, that the governing party of Scotland, empowered by Scots to govern and progress the cause of independence, has no strategy beyond continuing to meekly ask London for a referendum – a request which has now been rejected countless times and which should not be repeated by any self-respecting Scot. A child would understand that this strategy is a hiding to nothing.

More than that – our pro-independence parliament, which has stood since 2011 and was most recently mandated in May 2026, is so feeble that even it cannot progress things. If anyone doubted the maxim that “power devolved is power retained”, here is the fact to wave in their face.

Independence is not something to think about “once we’ve dealt with the bread and butter issues” like health, education and transport. It literally is the best way to deal with these things. That’s why every country on earth chooses independence and never looks back, even when times get hard. 

Independence is not about flags or anthems or "nationalism" as it is understood in the international sense. In French, a language once widely spoken in Scotland, there is a useful distinction that doesn't exist in English between "le nationalisme" and "l'indépendantisme" - and I'm very much an indépendantiste.

Independence is the most desirable way for any country like Scotland to govern itself. It would allow us to make our own decisions on issues domestic and international, and given how closely these things are linked in reality, it is vital for a coherently-governed country to hold power over both domestic and international policy. We would be able to work with our neighbours and allies where our interests align, enjoy frictionless trade with the rest of our continent, and allow Scots the right to live, work, travel and study anywhere across the 27 countries nearest to us. 

Naturally we would have to come up with a solution to the Scotland-England border, which would become an EU border. That’s not a problem of our making, but it is a reality. I am quite sure that Scotland, the country that brought the world the Enlightenment, radar, the Bank of England, cloning, the US Navy, refrigeration, the lightbulb, the television, penicillin, the bicycle, and tarmac, to name a handful of Scottish inventions, could find a pragmatic solution to that challenge, and us guid folk of the Borders would cope.

Which leads me to a real head-scratcher. How anyone could see these very obvious benefits of Scottish independence in the modern era, and not want to grasp them with both hands, is beyond me. Scotland has been a European country for over a thousand years, and always will be. It is surely undignified in the extreme to allow ourselves to be pushed around because of an outdated treaty with our nearest neighbours, who clearly wish for a different future.

As things stand, we appear to be stuck. Our current position is intolerable. It cannot go on.

The hard truth of the matter is: nobody else is coming to save us. So what do we do now?

Scotland’s pro-independence voices – politicians, trade unions, communities, industry, religious groups, charities, journalists, academics and artists – must start to organise and extricate us from the cul de sac we’ve sleepwalked into during the past 12 years. This initiative would take the form of a standing “Independence Convention” to take the power out of the hands of those who lack the vision and wherewithal to use it, and place it instead into the hands of people who will get shit done.

We must devise a means of getting Scotland out of the UK and into the European Union as a matter of priority. And we must begin that work now. I am ready to play my part – humble though it may be as an ordinary citizen. Who’s with me?