The Scottish Government

First Minister Alex Salmond

Friday, November 30, 2007

We in the Scottish Government believe that sovereignty in Scotland lies with its people.

That is why our manifesto for the Scottish Parliamentary elections this year promised to provide an opportunity for the people to consider the concept of Scottish independence in a referendum during this Parliament.

As First Minister, it is my responsibility to explore and lead discussion on the options for constitutional change. I lead the first Scottish National Party Government to be elected in a devolved Scotland, so I will put the case for independence, its benefits and opportunities.

However, I also recognise there is a range of other views in our country and represented in the Parliament. The national conversation on our future is to allow the people of Scotland to debate, reflect and then decide on the type of Government which best equips Scotland for the future.

It is 10 years since the referendum to establish the Scottish Parliament. We have seen the potential of a Scottish Parliament to respond to the wishes and needs of the people of this country. But we have also seen the limitations of its current responsibilities.

I believe it is now time for us, the people of Scotland, to consider and choose our own future in the modern world.

Alex Salmond, First Minister

This blog is now closed to comments.

Comments

[Latest First] | [Earliest First] Page: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63] [64] [65] [66] [67] [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] [73] [74] [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] [81] [82] [83] [84] [85] [86] [87] [88] [89] [90] [91] [92] [93] [94] [95] [96] [97] [98] [99] [100] [101] [102] [103] [104] [105] [106] [107] [108] [109] [110] [111] [112] [113] [114] [115] [116] [117] [118] [119] [120] [121] [122] [123] [124] [125] [126] [127] [128] [129] [130] [131] [132] [133] [134] [135] [136] [137] [138] [139] [140] [141] [142] [143] [144] [145] [146] [147] [148] [149] [150] [151] [152] [153] [154] [155] [156] [157] [158] [159] [160] [161] [162] [163] [164] [165] [166] [167] [168] [169] [170] [171] [172] [173] [174] [175] [176] [177] [178] [179] [180] [181] [182]

• 91. Ruth - Dumfries

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:00

  Please stop wasting money on a 'conversation' that is unnecessary. We have had an election and the clear majority of people voted for unionist parties. You may not like the answer but please have the humility to accept the full verdict of the Scottish people - not just the bits that suit you!

• 92. Kevin - Dundee

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:03

  Yes its about time the arguments for and against independence were tested in a grown up debate - with the people.
  
  The Unionist parties are entitled to their opinion - but to argue that the case for independence has been tested at every election is a nonsense because everyone knows that people vote on a variety of issues at general elections.
  
  If the Unionist politicians want more powers under devolution, they need to say at what stage in that process they will go no further - and why.
  
  They will need to articulate far better than they have so far, why they believe Scotland is incapable of being a successful independent nation and they will have to put aside scaremongering in favour of reasoned argument.
  
  The media in Scotland too must engage in the debate and give voice to the diversity of opinion instead of banging the monotonal unionist drum as has been so often the case during election campaigns.
  
  Ultimately it is the people who should decide (not the professional politicians with vested interests)- and if opinion polls are correct, we want the opportunity to at least listen to the arguments and to cast our judgement in a referendum.

• 93. John Wards - Oxford

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:07

  Hello Jim...we're living in a foreign country at the moment. Or hadn't you noticed.
  
  England has a different legal system, health system, education system....even different notes...never had any difficulty changing your notes in Oxford when you come back from being up north. I have.
  
  I don't mind living in a foreign country and look forward to the day that my passport is a Scottish one.

• 94. James Gordon - Arbroath

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:07

  Salmonds ideology seems to be a strange mix of Scottish nationalism and traditional socialism. A sort of... national socialism if you like. He could call himself the McFuhrer!

• 95. Caroline - Dundee

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:08

  I think people forget that it was only in the 17th century that the Union of Crowns united the Scottish and English royal families and the 18th century that saw the Treaty of Union where Scotland and England united. Scotland has been independent for many more years than it has been a part of a union.

• 96. Steven Marwick - Fife

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:11

  It is good to see the SNP Government fulfilling another pre-election manifesto pledge. Those who complain about the SNP having this national conversation on Independence miss the point completely. They are doing exactly what they said they would prior to their election as the Scottish Government.
  
  The Labour Party, Lib Dems and Tories should hang their heads in shame at their attempts to deny the people of Scotland the chance to make a democratic decision on the future of their country.

• 97. David Rees-Jones - Wrexham

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:13

  Good luck with going it alone my Celtic cousins. But if it all goes pear shaped, don't even think about asking to be let back into the Union, you'll be on your own.

• 98. Edward - Hungerford

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:16

  Reading many of the 'comments', there seems to be at times a stunted conversation, with people not puting forward anything constructive to the debate and reulting in one liner point scoring. Would suggest that before anyone wants to say something, they should actually read the document 'Choosing Scotland's Future - A National Conversation' in which is laid out every aspect of current and proposed government (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/194791/0052321.pdf )
  Read it, take notes, think about it, then comment, perhaps we will get an inteligent conversation going
  (This goes for everyone, regardless of political persuation)

• 99. Steven - Edinburgh

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:17

  Let the countdown begin; let common sense prevail; let the battle be joined - and may the Force be with us.
  
  Scotland must, and of right ought to be, a free and independent state.

• 100. Kenny Cameron - Edinburgh

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 14:17

  We are supposed to live in a democracy so let the people speak. All parties should have this out right now, once and probably for all.
  Lib Dems are a joke, the rest would contribute something worthwhile and whatever the Scots people choose should be what they get.
  Lets be a part of history for our country and decide either way.
  For the record, I'm pro independence but also a republican, will that option be available to me if the referendum goes ahead?

[Latest First] | [Earliest First] Page: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63] [64] [65] [66] [67] [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] [73] [74] [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] [81] [82] [83] [84] [85] [86] [87] [88] [89] [90] [91] [92] [93] [94] [95] [96] [97] [98] [99] [100] [101] [102] [103] [104] [105] [106] [107] [108] [109] [110] [111] [112] [113] [114] [115] [116] [117] [118] [119] [120] [121] [122] [123] [124] [125] [126] [127] [128] [129] [130] [131] [132] [133] [134] [135] [136] [137] [138] [139] [140] [141] [142] [143] [144] [145] [146] [147] [148] [149] [150] [151] [152] [153] [154] [155] [156] [157] [158] [159] [160] [161] [162] [163] [164] [165] [166] [167] [168] [169] [170] [171] [172] [173] [174] [175] [176] [177] [178] [179] [180] [181] [182]