IF you are trying to navigate the diplomatic morass of the United Nations, there are probably worse people to have on your side than Craig Murray.
His latest – and unofficial – diplomatic role took him to Manhattan, there to rub shoulders with ambassadors and activists in the “New York radical scene” with the ultimate aim of having Scotland “decolonised” by the international body.
Murray’s career as a diplomat culminated with a posting to Uzbekistan as the British ambassador, a post from which he was sacked after raising concerns about human rights abuses in the country.
He is now flexing his diplomatic muscles as part of the campaign group Liberation Scotland’s attempts to have the UN recognise Scotland as a “colony”, which would put it on course for gaining independence in the same manner as did countries such as Ghana, Cameroon and Somalia.
During his visit in June, Murray made an intervention on behalf of the Kanak people of New Caledonia.
He told The National that this was because Liberation Scotland supports “the freedom of other colonies” but admits an ulterior motive.
It was “to show that I understand the legal structures and the legal arguments” around decolonisation, and to demonstrate that the group is “not disruptive” as it may otherwise be characterised, said Murray. It was a demonstration that the group is approaching the committee sincerely and in good faith.
The former diplomat, now an activist, blogger and sometime political candidate, said that networking was fundamental to the trip and met with high-profile activist lawyers Margaret Ratner Kunstler and Dan Kovalik.
His initial pitch to the UN ambassadors with whom he spoke – many will represent countries colonised with the help of Scottish soldiers – was to ask whether they considered Ireland a colony.
“Everyone does, that’s a perfectly accepted idea,” said Murray.
“And then explain to them that Scotland’s a colony in the same way, we’re actually extremely similar cases and that all the things that are said against Scotland being a colony, like the fact that we had a Treaty of Union, the fact that Scottish people used to serve in imperialist forces or benefitted from the slave trade, all of those things are also true in Ireland and that doesn’t stop Ireland from having been a colony.”
Murray said that despite the baggage of history, his arguments for Scottish independence were met with “warmth” from those he lobbied.
“That does bring an initial willingness to listen, which is very important,” he added.
By the same token, said Murray, there is a historic and growing anger at the UK in UN circles, especially given Keir Starmer’s assault on the aid budget to fund military spending and the perception of Britain as “one of Israel’s closest allies” during the genocide in Gaza.
“People are receptive to breaking up the UK, because they don’t like the UK,” he added.
June’s trip was marked down by Murray as a success and he said that he would reconnect with people he met when he returns to New York in September for the General Assembly. He and a team potentially numbering dozens of others are due in Geneva in the autumn for further UN lobbying.
But he concedes that the battle is likely to be a long one and it is “in no sense a substitute for campaigning at home”.
“We’ve made a good start, it will take a couple of years and success is not guaranteed,” Murray said. “But it’s a lot easier, it’s a lot more realistic than getting Keir Starmer to agree to a referendum.”
