There was a sense of betrayal among some of the guests at the annual dinner held by the Catalan Delegation in London last month.
While the representatives of the Delegation, effectively Catalonia’s embassy in the UK, diplomatically steered clear of the subject, many of the Catalan guests were privately seething over Alex Salmond’s comments made just before, publicly distancing the SNP, himself and Scotland from the Catalan push for independence.
Until that interview there had been a genuine feeling of fraternity. Indeed Xavier Solano i Bello, the former head of the Delegation now does some work for the SNP in Westminster, having previously worked in Holyrood for Nicola Sturgeon.
But Mr Salmond’s insistence that Catalonia is a different case hurt those who had hoped for moral support from another independence movement. The word “treachery” was used about Mr Salmond, and it was rather indignantly noted that maybe Catalonia is, after all, different – with a “stronger case”.
While there is a debate over whether Westminster subsidises Scotland there is no doubt Catalonia subsidises Madrid. And while Scots hold senior positions in the UK government, Catalans are kept out of the Spanish government.
It was suspected that Catalonia had been abandoned by the SNP because of Spain’s threats to delay EU membership for Scotland, fearing agreeing membership might encourage other independence movements.
But the “treachery” to Catalonia is just one example of a surprisingly long list of small and emerging nations snubbed by Mr Salmond and the SNP. While they are desperate to promote Scotland’s right to nationhood and independence the SNP, more often than not internationally, side with the larger nation suppressing a smaller one’s push for autonomy.
There was the recent snub by Mr Salmond of the premier of Quebec, with whom he refused to do a public press conference, but more seriously there has been the way he has ingratiated himself with the undemocratic regime in China . This is, no doubt, because China is an important market for Scottish goods, but it looks bad for the leader of an independence movement to snub the Dalai Lama because of Chinese sensitivities over Tibet.
Even in the UK there seems to be a certain dismissiveness of others’ nationhood. The SNP have a Westminster election pact with Plaid Cymru and yet, in a recent Twitter exchange with this writer, Mr Salmond’s aide, the SNP MSP Joan McAlpine, appeared to suggest that unlike Scotland, Wales is just a part of England. Legally there are arguments for that, at least pre-devolution, but culturally there are not.
The SNP put great store in the international significance in the Declaration of Arbroath of 1320 in laying out the principles for the freedom of a nation, yet their “foreign policy” suggests it only applies to Scotland.
It's important to realize that the newspaper which carried this article, the Scotsman, is against independence for Scotland. It therefore wants to cause as much friction as it can by portraying anything the SNP does in a negative light.
From my perspective, as someone who wants to see Wales gain its independence from the UK, it is important that we uphold the right of any nation to become independent, provided it is what the people of that nation want, and especially when it can be done by peaceful, democratic means. Upholding that right does not constitute interference in the affairs of other countries.
Those wanting stateless nations in Europe such as Wales, Scotland, Catalunya, Euskadi, Flanders and others to become independent need to work together and learn from each other to establish a common framework, so that when one country achieves independence, the others can follow more easily. To a large extent this already happens through the European Free Alliance.
Michael Haggett @ Syniadau
I'm very sorry to say, Michael (because I am writing from Catalonia and I would like to say otherwise) that there is a lot more than a grain of truth to the story.
It is extremely disappointing to see that the SNP has adopted a policy of not getting on the wrong side of the Spanish because they think that if they don't antagonise Spain by siding with the Catalans. They apparently believe the Spanish will thus not go against an independent Scottish state remaining in the EU.
But as the case of Kosovo, which adopted a similar policy, shows, the Spanish will baulk at recognising Scotland, never mind accepting their remaining in the EU.
It is about time the SNP realises this and coordinates with Catalonia in defending both countries and other nations' right to self-determination and action before European and international bodies, governments and opinion.
@yuribcn
If it is true, I'm very sorry about it, Yuri. The SNP would playing a very dangerous game if it thought that it could ease Scotland's path to independence by refusing to stand up for the equal right of other countries to their independence.
Besides that, there are strong pragmatic reasons why it will be in their own interests to stand openly alongside those in Catalunya who want independence. The way things are going, the polls show that support for independence is much greater in Catalunya than in Scotland, and it looks likely that a referendum in Catalunya will be held in 2014. If it takes place before 18 September (which it might well be, especially if it is timed to be close to Catalunya's Diada on 11 September) the almost certain Yes vote in Catalunya will boost the chances of a Yes vote in Scotland, and this could make all the difference between winning and losing.
This is exactly what happened in 1997 to establish devolution in Wales. Our vote (which, as coincidence would have it, was on 18 September) was only won by a very small margin, and it probably would not have been won if Scotland had not already voted for devolution a week earlier.
You must be very cautious in accepting what is said in this commentary as being truthful.
The Scotsman newspaper is completely opposed to Scottish independence and is constantly critical of both the SNP and the Scottish Government.
They have a long history of not only political bias, but also of inventing stories to fit their stance.
My father was Scottish, I went to school in Scotland and my brother lives and works there. Personally I cannot understand why Catalans want to link with the SNP. It is a horrible party and most Scots do not want independence. Now the referendum has been announced we are seeing the more spiteful side of their leader.
The SNP does not speak for Scotland and most Scots don't support them. And Salmond only thinks of himself, he is not going to support Catalunya because he needs Madrid's support to join the EU should Scotland become independent.
Although I have Catalan friends, love Catalunya and speak some Catalan, as a foreigner I do not interfere in Catalan, nor Spanish politics. I recommend Catalans stop interfering in Scottish politics, you don't understand the situation.