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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Comments

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• 401. William J. Swain-Nisbet - Oban

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 01:34

  Perhaps in this conversation we should re-examine The Principal Premise of The Covenanters. That King ruled The People
  whereas The Land belonged to God. The Stuarts emerged from The Stewards of Scotland. Is that not what the Government
  of Scots should be "Stewards of Scotland" A Few Years ago The Clan Chief of The MacDonalds offered for Sale The Cuilins. By what Right The Clan Chief only Governs The Land he does not Own it
  Or Does He Perhaps "It is Time" That just as The Heridary Peers are removed from The Westminster Parlaiment so also are Ludicrious Rights of Ownership of Mountains also to be Challenged if Land in Scotland is Sold then The Only Purchaser Should be the People. Now I am not referring to Farms Mansions Crofts or otherwise I am instead referring to The Great Estates and Natural Monuments such as Lochs Rivers and Mountains.
  Also if Property is Held in Scotland should it not indeed be Held by those who actually Live Here. Nowhere else in Europe is Absentee Landlordism allowed
  So Why allow it here.
  Look to The Covenanters Alex for Inspiration and Govern Scotland for The Scots no matter where they came from if they live here they are Scots.

• 402. Katty - Bannockburn

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 01:41

  Devolution was always just a stepping stone to Independence. What beats me, is this fact, seems to have caught some by surprise. (Like 193 Jason Glasgow) Let me help u pack Jason. I,m sure u will fit right in, in England, Good luck to u old boy. As for me and mine we will be staying in Scotland to tough it out with Alex.

• 403. Sonny Leto - Glasgow

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 01:57

  The ones that would really be destroyed by this are the workers. Trade Unionism lies at a British level, without the UK, the whole working class resistance will be shattered. The SNP have got NOTHING to give to the workers and are set out to destroy the working class even more for independence. Nationalism breeds racism {in our case towards the English} This is another blow to the working class because it divides them up and makes a "them and us mentality" The SNP are an anti-workers party whick seek to oppress them even more than New Labour are doing. Unity is Strength.

• 404. Colin MacDonald - Melbourne, Australia

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 03:07

  Alex Salmond is a breath of fresh air into Scottish politics, he has done very well and scotland needs more enthusiastic people like him instead of dour faces and doom sayers. I hope independence follows sooner rather than later.

• 405. Mark Clement - East Lothian

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 03:07

  Even as an SNP member and voter I have been blown away by how successful and assured Alex Salmond has been as First Minister so far. If the last 100 days are setting the tone for the next 4 years Scotland will get better and better.
  
  What also blows me away, however, is the bitterly pessimistic knee-jerk reactions of some of my fellow Scots to the idea of independence. We Scots practically invented the modern world so why on Earth can't we run our own country? I believe the onus is not on the SNP to explain why we can, but on the unionists to explain why we can't. And they'd better come up with something better than the negative, patronising bile they came out with during the election if anyone's to take them seriously.
  
  Some seem to be forgetting there will still be a union with England even after independence - the European Union. We'll have the same union with England as we do with France, Germany or Ireland. A healthier, more modern union between equals. It's time to leave the old union behind and embrace the new one.
  
  Let's move on as a nation and a people, become a positive force in the world instead of being dragged into illegal wars and used as a nuclear dumping ground. Let's go for it.

• 406. Steve McConnell - Stirlingshire

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 03:16

  Right, lets not say we can't afford this. We just spend one thousand million - ie ONE BILLION POUNDS - on blowing up someone elses nation. And Afghanistan too.
  
  Saying we have no money for the referendum is like saying Saudi Arabia doesn't have oil.
  
  And furthermore, don't say it's a waste of money. We give NO money to full-time carers, we give little money to our pensioners and so on and so forth.
  
  
  Do not say this is a waste of money without mentioning these and other items. It's a weak argument. If you oppose independence tell us why the union is good. Not why independence is bad.

• 407. James Maclean - Skinflats

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 03:19

  Britain as a nation is finished there is no longer any pride in being British. Made in Britain isn't even as good as made in Taiwan. Things just seem to get worse never better. There is even talk down south of independently governed counties especially the Cornish. It's time to change direction and change our own and our childrens future. So a big YES to independence.

• 408. andrew murray - cumbernauld

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 03:26

  I can't help feeling short changed when I look at London, because Scotland made that city what it is today with our talented workforce and natural resources moving down there for the benefit of England. It’s time to call them back home to Scotland to help build their own country and to surpass the nations around us under an independent Scotland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• 409. Niall Macaulay - Glasgow

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 03:53

  Interesting to note that the most of those commenting who are pro independance are literate, intelligent, lively and lucid while most of those anti are peddling disjointed negativity, bitter 'I'm leaving the country, with my stack of gold' gambits and generally posting comments that are lacking in any kind of worldliness and certainly lacking anything positive. Says it all really.

• 410. James McLeary - Hong Kong

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 04:00

  As someone who has travelled and lived in many countries, i am glad that we finally have a government in Scotland that is forward looking, progressive and proactive about making Scotland a better place.
  
  Everything within this initiative is positive - and the SNP continue to deliver change. I hope that Scotland rallies behind this and makes their voice heard in a constructive way.
  
  There are so many successful Scots around the world that we do deserve to congratulate ourselves more than we do, and I have no doubt whatsoever that we would build an extremely successful independent nation.

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