Tuesday
Dec012009
Scots deserve the right to choose
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 Yesterday the SNP government in Edinburgh set out its plans for a referendum on Scottish independence. I'm no fan of devolution let alone independence but I am gutted that opposition parties will almost certainly unite to block a referendum. What sort of democracy is that and what sort of message does it send out?
What are they scared of? That the SNP might win the argument? I'm pretty sure they won't but that's irrelevant. What matters is that we have a proper debate and let the people decide. Why would anyone want to block that?
Reader Comments (6)
I brought this very same subject up on another thread (sorry about that) but I was replying to Margot, and she seemed to think that everyone thought the Scottish referendum was about Europe. Here is what I said: (and by the way, I think it is disgusting for opposition parties to treat the electorate this way).
"I have been asking for days and days the same question, what would the ukippers do about the smoking ban, and all I get is one semi-answer stating what the ukippers would LIKE to do?
I dont know if the ukippers ever watch what is going on elsewhere other than in ukip- land but the SNP yesterday said they would give Scotland a referendum on being independent or not, BUT the opposition parties simply said NO WAY ALEX we will oppose your bill.
Thats the way politics works. It works like that in Scotland and it works like that in England"
If the Scots did get independence, would they be able to vote on being in the EU or are they in the EU whether they like it or not?
Funnily enough I bumped into Bruce Anderson the Independent columnist at Boisdale last Friday. He comes from the Orkneys and was saying that The Orkneys and The Shetland Islands would probably vote to breakaway from Scotland if it became a sovereign state.
Chas -
Don't be silly !
Alex Salmond has repeatedly said that his desired objective is " an INDEPENDENT Scotland WITHIN the European Union."
Nobody seems quite to have got the joke yet.
Least of all, Mr Salmond...............
Scotland has traditionally had closer links with Europe, especially France than England.
But it is their call.
However I feel sorry for Scottich smokers as the Calvinist Puritanical streak is stronger there.
I believe it would be refered to as the dour element.
definition of dour from dictionary.com hmm hmm.
1. sullen; gloomy: The captain's dour look depressed us all.
2. severe; stern: His dour criticism made us regret having undertaken the job.
3. Scot. (of land) barren; rocky, infertile, or otherwise difficult or impossible to cultivate.
It could easily refer to Ms Arnott aka the chairperson for misery or Ms Robison aka the minister for misery.
Simon says "what sort of democracy is that".
Its the same sort of democracy that would'nt accept Ireland's democratic NO vote on the Lisbon Treaty.
Politicians have copped on that they're much better off realising their goals by becoming unelected members of the gravy train like Rompuy Pumpy in Brussels.
Simply put - its the race to the bottom.