A few years ago, the Unionist community realised that their previous line that we should abandon thoughts of independence because we were in a ‘Partnership of Equals’ was ridiculous and indefensible by even the most casual glance at reality. So what they did was they pretended they’d never said that, and it was just a nationalist fantasy.

Except, they had of course said it, over and over, it was a coordinated line and a complete fabrication, and unfortunately, we had the receipts. The same is now happening with the very idea that the Union is, er, a Union. Unionists are now claiming that this is not, and presumably never was, a voluntary Union at all. This is a massive retreat and failure.

The same is now happening with the very idea that the Union is, er, a Union. Unionists are now claiming that this is not, and presumably never was, a voluntary Union at all. This is a massive retreat and failure.

They realise that their position is that if this is a Voluntary Union then there must be a way to exit it. There is not. So, rather than compromise or discuss exit routes: a referendum, a Northern Ireland-style arrangement [Scotland and the Constitution – Bella Caledonia], or whatever, they have instead just begun to shift the grounds completely.