Surely we Scots won’t let ourselves be conned again

ABRACADABRA, the rabbit has been pulled out of the hat – again. By Gordon Brown – again (“Brown unveils vision for major UK reforms”, The Herald, December 5). Let’s hoist the Union Jack and stop bothering about independence.

Just as soon as Sir Keir Starmer and his English Labour Party win the next UK election, we will get lots more powers for the regions and devolved governments, and they will set about abolishing the House of Lords, as they promised more than a hundred years ago. Unless, of course, Sir Keir doesn’t fancy seeing his prospective comfy, taxpayer-funded, retirement snoozing seat disappear.

Ever heard of the “Power Grab Prophecy”? It’s the recognition of the fact that, throughout history, the side in a conflict that fears losing promises lots of goodies to persuade their opponents to surrender, and as soon as they have, the promises and guarantees disappear in the mists. For example, the citizens of a town besieged by the English, who, on the guarantee of free passage if they surrendered, did so and were promptly executed.

We have been here before. All three unionist party leaders in 2014 swore to implement the Vow, devised by Gordon Brown, promising the nearest thing to Home Rule, guaranteed membership of the EU, 13 frigates starting to be built on the Clyde within a year, Holyrood’s status made legally inviolate in perpetuity, the Sewell Convention made law and more.

What did we get? On September 19, 2014, English Votes for English Laws, and since then Holyrood has been overruled several times, even taken to court to overturn the signing of a UN charter, we are out of the EU, the power to dissolve Holyrood still rests with Westminster, and Sewell is only a custom “normally” observed.

Are we to be conned again?

Any time we meet someone who is being swayed by these rehashed promises, we need to remind them of the “Power Grab Prophecy”.

L Mcgregor, Falkirk.