Scottish Independence
Of course it's a good idea, the question is how and when it will happen.
I haven't read the White Paper yet, but I was not surprised at the utterly predictable behaviour of the other parties.
About 18 months ago I was asked by the Chicago Tribune if I thought the 2007 election result in a majority for the SNP. I retorted "Absolutely not", but that I expected the 2011 election to have that result.
I based my thinking on the expectation that the SNP would not form the Government, which would give them the perfect platform on which to easily build support.
Being the Government means difficult decisions, being the target of all attacks, and being blamed for everything that goes wrong.
Is the current proposal going to be a winner?
I think not, but I'm not sure that that is the intention. The best result would be for the Unionists to dig their heels in and act like spoilt brats and try to prevent a debate. They are showing signs of doing so, and that is playing right into the SNP hands.
I haven't read the White Paper yet, but I was not surprised at the utterly predictable behaviour of the other parties.
About 18 months ago I was asked by the Chicago Tribune if I thought the 2007 election result in a majority for the SNP. I retorted "Absolutely not", but that I expected the 2011 election to have that result.
I based my thinking on the expectation that the SNP would not form the Government, which would give them the perfect platform on which to easily build support.
Being the Government means difficult decisions, being the target of all attacks, and being blamed for everything that goes wrong.
Is the current proposal going to be a winner?
I think not, but I'm not sure that that is the intention. The best result would be for the Unionists to dig their heels in and act like spoilt brats and try to prevent a debate. They are showing signs of doing so, and that is playing right into the SNP hands.
9 comments:
i admired the way the SNP handled newsnight special last night. very well done to all of them.
Exactly Angus, the unionists have snookered themselves. How can they get out of the 'no referendum' blind alley.
If they compromise on more powers the SNP get the credit anyway.
I'll bet Alex Salmond finds it hard to beleive that they have been so stupid as to fall into his trap.
Robert the Bruce, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Alex Salmond.
All chasing a romantic ideal which cost or will cost the ordinary people of Scotland dear.
When was Scotland ever a truly united nation? when did it ever want to be?
The Highlands and Lowlands were like different countries for most of Scotlands History, The Western Isles and Northern Isles were only later additions that never really came under Crown rule till centuries later.
Where Scotland only forms 10% of the UK population there is always going to be claims of bias, but how will this change for the Western Isles when we will only form 0.5% of the new Scotlands population.
Take away the Hampden effect, 1966 world cup, and modern sports commentators, scottish ones are now no better, and what are you left with.
In the 1970's there were claims made by Shetland for their own independance, what makes that claim any less valid than Scotlands. If we in the Western Isles started a republican movement would we be allowed to negotiate independance from Scotland.
Oh yeh, thats right romance is dead it was acquired in a hostile take over by Disney and Mills and Boon, who exactly does reiver think he is...Lisa Simpson?!
Angus, I would like to get your viewpoint on independence and how it is likely to affect small businesses in the Hebrides. Do you have a contact email that I could email you to start a discussion or arrange a meeting?
Eddie,
I think that the impact of independence on the Hebrides is an incredibly complex series of possibilities that will take a lot of working out.
At the moment, I think the biggest impact is going to be where control of the currency lies:
* Status quo: little impact in short-term
* Part of Euro zone: huge upheaval in the short-term
The difficulty is that the status quo is unsustainable, politically, for anything more than a short period and assumes (big assumption) Gordon Brown would let us remain controlled by the Bank of England, until is suits Scotland.
Therefore we would have to join the Euro and irrespective of the rate we enter at there will be a huge impact. I suspect this would be adverse in both the short and long-terms.
Personally, I'd prefer us to stay outside the Euro, like Denmark and Sweden, until the Scottish economy is under full control and fully understood and we can then decide if we want to join the Euro and at what rate.
I'm still trying to work through the situation before I come to a definitive view.
contact angus[at]angusnicolson.com
I agree angus, LS
If you haven't read the paper yet you should because it's cleverly argued and I'm not surprised the unionists don't want to discuss it.
They had plenty of time while in power to bring in improvements to the parliament but they didn't.
With regard to 'reiver' independence is normality. It's about democracy for the people of Scotland.
The Western Isles are integral to Scotland and I think you'll find the new SNP Government takes their interests a lot more seriously than anyone in London.
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