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

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• 321. Brian Bunting - Chorley Lancashire

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:08

  My ancestors left Scotland ( I dont know when) to go to Ireland. My great great grandfather Patrick Bunting then fled Ireland in the mid 1840s with a Welsh wife and came to settle in Lancashire, so what does that make me ?.
  I love Britain and all its diversity,ie the Scots, Welsh, Irish and English, plus all the rest of the world that have come to these shores and enriched these Islands.
  I think it would be a tragedy to break up the Union that would make me a bloody foreigner amongst some of my ancestery.
  I firmly believe that this Independance issue is more about Alex Salmands view of himself, strutting the stage of Europe and the wider world, than about Scotlands needs.
  The Scots will have to decide for themselves what they want, but I believe we are all richer for living in a United Kingdom.

• 322. Paul - Edinburgh

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:10

  Just watched the Kirsty Wark interview on BBC Newsnight. A tough interview but well answered by AS. I thought the other 3 parties interviewed later had answers pretty thin on the ground. Although it was clear as to Michael Forsyth's views on a referendum through his London based view from the safety of the House of Lords.
  
  Well done to the SNP for publishing a paper to include ALL of Scotland and ALL the parties.

• 323. Ian Williams - London

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:12

  Let's talk about money. How many of you know how much the Barnet quotien and block grant to Scotland is ? Well it pisses us southerners off hugely that you get £30k of old person's care a year for free - that we have to pay for - and that your students don't have to pay fees. How can this happen ? Southern mugs......but there is bubbling resentment in England. What if the debate were "Why don't we, the rest of the UK, just push Scotland out ?"
  
  Instead of a conversation let's look at a balance sheet. You can't afford this independence thing, although we down here wish you would fall for Salmond's snake oil as it would save us a stack of cash. Oil ? I don't think so. Do the sums. All else is humbug.
  
  

• 324. Marc Macrae - Moray

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:16

  As a country with a long history we deserve the right to govern our own affairs. No one asked us if we wanted to be in a union, we were 'occupied' and now is the time for us to retake full control and make the best small country in the world even better..

• 325. Ian - Scottish Borders

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:18

  If Scotland became independent I think we would have increased taxes, benifit cuts, pension cuts, health cuts, inflation, job cuts from the military, councils, the goverment, the health service, & the private sector, fuel prices will stay the same or increase, all prices will increase. Travel through England will be more expensive.

• 326. George Rice - Vale of Leven

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:19

  I won't reveal whether I am pro-independence or pro-union because at this moment in time it's not important.
  
  Why the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Labour I must say, are against a referendum is totally beyond me. If you support independence, you should support the referendum to achieve your goal. If you support the Union, you should support the referndum to get of this idea of Scottish Independence for at least a number of years.
  
  I am a strong believer in democracy. And whether I agree with it or not, surely asking the people of Scotland on this issue is democratic? Come on, let the people decide what they want, instead of a top down approach. One would argue that the SNP are asking us what we want by proposing a referendum, whereas the three other main parties are telling us what we want?
  
  I'm not interested what people have to say here for or against independence. Let's have a referendum then we can put those views forward. GIVE THE POWER TO THE PEOPLE.
  
  Or is democracy just too inconvenient?

• 327. tony Smith - Glasgow

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:22

  I laugh when Labour and its supporters say the SNP "has no majority" in Scotland. Labour has never had an overall majority, yet was quite happy to run the Scottish Parliament and many councils for generations on the basis of "do nothing". Tony Blair never won a majority of the vote at UK level either.
  
  We need a free and open debate on the future of Scotland and the more Labour behave like bad losers the less support their argument will get.
  
  What on earth have Scots to fear from greater devolution or independence? Enough scaremongering - let's examine the facts and move forward in a positive and confidence fashion instead of playing old-fashioned tit-fot-tat politics with the future of our nation. I welcome this document and I am sure many other voters will do so too - Labour and others should not assume that we're all too stupid to have a sensible grown-up debate.

• 328. Jimi - Kirkcudbright

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:23

  Would like independence, but will settle for lots more powers as a first step to cater for the fainthearts. No more imperial foreign wars,nuclear power, Trident etc.. Let the people decide not the professional politicians.

• 329. s donachie - dundee

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:24

  the labour party are not intrested in scotland,they only intrested in labour party,if there was no scottish labour mps in westminister theyd never ever be in power again in uk.i just want the chance to vote on independnce once if indepndce lost i would accept it.grow up the other partys and dont deny me my right.what are u scared of?its that kinda behaviour that breeds terrorists.

• 330. James Alexander - Glasgow

  Tuesday, August 14, 2007 23:27

  I'm all for Scotland being an independent European country. Why in the year 2007 we need to be tied to a United Kingdom when other small indepedent countries manage pretty well, I can't understand.
  
  Watching the political views on the TV this evening, the Labour party especially made themselves look foolish.
  
  Yes, devolution is better than nothing - however, until we have our own independence, we'll never have real control over our own affairs!

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