By Rab Bruce’s Spider

So Stuart Campbell has decided to let his Wings Over Scotland website suspend, and possibly end, its operations. Personally, I’ve not visited the site nearly as often as I used to because I found his attacks on the SNP rather tiresome. He is, of course, entitled to his view, and he’s certainly put forward a lot of arguments as to why he believes the chances of getting IndyRef2 while Nicola Sturgeon remains First Minister are virtually non-existent. However, I do believe he could still have helped the Yes movement by paying attention to the machinations of the Westminster Government and their Scottish allies, while still being able to take pot-shots at the SNP if he wanted. By concentrating solely on the SNP, it’s evident he has lost a lot of support. Not only that, he has undoubtedly helped widen the rift in the Yes movement.

That said, what disappoints me, as with the backlash against Alex Salmond, is the way so many Yessers have turned vitriol against Wings rather than counter his arguments with reasoned debate. Then again, I suppose those who live by the swear word are condemned to suffer derision via the swear word, and in this respect it’s hard to have much sympathy with a man whose first response was always verbal aggression. Even so, Wings provided an invaluable service during the 2014 IndyRef, and the Wee Blue Book certainly made an impact. I do think that many of those who now deride Stuart Campbell ought to remember that he probably did as much to bring us close to winning more than most of the rest of us.

Of course, things change, and relationships are not immune to that, but the reported comments coming from the SNP about Alba are equally concerning. If we lose our chance of independence because of personal rivalries, that will be unforgiveable, no matter who is responsible.

As things stand, I don’t think many people will be mourning the demise of Wings Over Scotland, although quite who is going to fill the breach this leaves I am not sure. It certainly won’t be the SNP’s virtually invisible Media Team.

For now, all most Yessers can do is wait to see what happens next and put our support behind anything which seems likely to bring ab out IndyRef2. What really bothers me is that if it turns out that Stuart Campbell’s prediction is correct, and we are still no closer to becoming a normal country by the time of the next Holyrood elections, what will his detractors say then? I must admit that I have a nagging fear that he might be right, although I do believe that the leadership of the SNP must realise that they cannot remain in power on the goodwill of pro-Indy voters for much longer. I’ve been waiting for Nicola Sturgeon to push the pro-Indy message and set out a proper plan for a long time. I’m still worried that her current approach simply gives Boris Johnson time to thwart her plans via the Courts, but maybe her approach is the correct one if we are to take a majority of Scots along with us. I sincerely hope so. We need to escape the increasingly xenophobic and corrupt UK sooner rather than later.

And once we are a normal country, we can bicker among ourselves as much as we like.