The New Racism ; the Snp Gathers Today On the 40th Anniversary of Enoch Powell's'rivers of Blood' Speech. Coincidence? No, Argues a Mail Writer in This Important and Provocative Piece, Modern Nationalism Is Itself Inherently Racist...

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THERE is something rather fitting about this weekend's SNP spring conference falling on the 40th anniversary of Enoch Powell's 'rivers of blood' speech. Powell's fear that whole sections of Britain would be occupied by immigrant and immigrant-descended populations is rightly considered racist and beyond the pale of acceptable dialogue. And nationalism should be seen in the same light.

Scottish nationalism, like every other form of nationalism, is dangerous and has its roots in xenophobia and racism. Why? Because it suggests there is a separate 'Scottish interest' which is under threat from 'outsiders'.

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The New Racism ; the Snp Gathers Today On the 40th Anniversary of Enoch Powell's'rivers of Blood' Speech. Coincidence? No, Argues a Mail Writer in This Important and Provocative Piece, Modern Nationalism Is Itself Inherently Racist...

It emphasises what distinguishes us from our neighbours, rather than what unites us. It demands that different groups of people be separated, and in doing so stems from the belief that such groups cannot - or should not - coexist.

In Alex Salmond's foreword to the SNP's 'national conversation', the First Minister wrote: 'As a sovereign people, the people of Scotland - and we alone - have the right to decide how we are governed.' This was intended to be a statement of democratic self- government. But the 'and we...

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