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]

• 581. Gary Masson - Fraserburgh

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:27

  413. George Grams. You would do well to revisit my post about the building of the Parliament as you have completely misread it. I slated the Labour lot for the gross mismanagement of the building project and stated that us nationalists did not want the thing in the first place. You must have me mistaken for someone else pal!

• 582. Not so daft Doonhamer - Dumfries

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:29

  Until Alec Salmond was voted first Minister, Devolution has given us nothing but the embarrassment of having second rate politicians giving us second rate governance. All our best brains are fully employed in Westminster. With Independance we will at least be able to retain high quality politicians. Alec salmond is a prime example of the best. And he can coont!

• 583. Iain - Glasgow

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:31

  To Peter Maddock #34
  
  The Scottish public have never had the opportunity to vote on independence. General elections are not based on signle issues, that is why they are called General Elections, entirely different from referenda which are about single issues; issues that transcend party politics. I am really quite surprised at the number of people who cannot grasp that.

• 584. Danny Paterson - Argyll

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:35

  Whatever side of the debate you are on in the independence argument, surely the whole point of living in a democracy is to have the democratic right to decide your own and your nations future? To those who say we have had "referendums" on independence at every election, I would respond that elections are about a multitude of issues. As evidence of this consider that many polls have shown support for independence among those who regularly vote for unionist parties. It is therefore bizarre and completely undemocratic for the opposition parties to deny the Scottish people their democratic right for their voice to be heard on this issue.
  
  I personally am in favour of independence as it would unlock the high potential of this small nation. Stop peering over the fence at England and letting it be the benchmark for everything in Scotland. There are far better role models out there. Take a look instead at the many small, highly successful nations on our doorstep e.g Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Iceland (to name but a few). Take a look at many other small nations further afield such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the baltic states which are rapidly catching us up and will soon leave us behind.
  
  Many people cite health, education etc as priorities for the electorate. I couldnt agree more. But the way to improve these things is to have control of your own affairs, and more importantly the purse strings which fund them. Only independence can give us this power. Only independence can give us the power to decide our own relationship with the other nations of the world and to have our voice heard among them. Only independence can give us the power to choose not to become involved in senseless foreign conflicts.

• 585. Independence please - Bo'ness

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:35

  #526
  Who built the Scottish Parliament?
  Who chose its location?
  Who chose the design?
  It was a Labour project from the very start.
  
  Labour are gone. It's time to move forward, and put an end to this constant negativity.
  
  Or are you saying the Scottish people are less capable than the Irish, Norwegians, Icelanders?

• 586. David Hamilton - Glasgow

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:36

  Why is that when I read through the various entries on this site that immediately the "conversation" has become adversarial? Is a battle about to commence or a truly mature, modern and mutually respectful discussion? In particular it would seem that although the majority opinion of Scotland (as evidenced at the last election) is NOT for independence, anyone daring to air this view is being dismissed in at times a rather xenophobic and disparaging manner.
  
  Remember the majority of Scotland did NOT vote for the only party who wish to pursue this agenda and therefore when will we Scots stop blaming everyone else (particularly the English) for our past failings, accept that it doesn't make you any less Scottish to NOT be in favour of independence and respect that majority opinion. The vocal minority leading this "conversation" will at some stage have to accept this.
  
  It quite simply is a waste of taxpayer's money at a time when there are far more serious and pressing matters that will never be solved with the misty eyed belief that an independent Scotland is a panacea for all the challenges we face.
  
  We've had the discussion, it was the Scottish election. The majority of Scots voted AGAINST the only party who made this "promise" part of their manifesto and voted FOR the parties who made their opposition to independence perfectly clear. The country has already spoken and does not need a further expensive debate just because the minority wish to pursue their own agenda.
  
  Can we please get on with improving the lives of every citizen of Scotland regardless of their origin or politic, through a united focus on the real issues such as health, education, poverty and a distinct lack of entrepreneurial spirit. These issues are not caused by our position within the UK and will not be solved by Mr Salmond's ambition for heroic status amongst a minority of Scots.

• 587. f welsh - Hamilton

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:37

  we all love Scotland as our country but have we done badly out of our partnership with England ,wales & n Ireland
  if we can see past the tartan nationalist's
  view
  do we need independence?
  
  does Luxembourg have the power that Germany or France has within the EU
  because that would be us a small fish in a big pond
  can the UK together command respect yes it can it is a global player
  would a country of 5 million people be a global player ?
  united we stand divided we fall!!!!!
  
  
  
  
  

• 588. Independence - West Lothian

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:38

  Why are Ireland doing so well without London's "help"?
  How much cash does the UK contribute to Iceland's booming economy?
  
  I wish people would stop being so blinkered. An independent Scotland would be hugely successful.

• 589. George Grams - Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:40

  Gary Masson in Fraserburgh should remember it was a labour government that mmanaged the procurement of the Scottish parliament.
  
  Donald Dewar's gross mismanagement resulted in a building which specifically intended to represent the people, the industry, the culture of Scotland being designed by a Spaniard and built by mainly English companies. Instead of the Scottish identity that the building should have been clad in, it's as internationally anonymous as an airport or an opera house.
  
  This is no accident. A clearly Scottish building on Calton Hill was simply too potent a symbol to contemplate. So Dewar chose a former brewery in the shadow of Holyrood, a monarchic icon of English dominance.
  
  The building went to detailed design and construction before there was a fully formed brief, it was fast-tracked on a cost plus basis rather than competitive tender, and the very complex undertaking of project management was delegated to a complete novice at the Scottish office who found the task totally beyond her.
  
  This level of mismanagement exemplifies labour competence.
  
  Remember the millenium proejct? What an utter waste, almost a billion spent on a building with a design life of ten years to house a glorified funfair, and it's not without irony that it now seems destined to become a casino!! What an appropriate symbol for new labour.

• 590. LesleyJ - Glasgow

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:43

  Nice to see Gordon Brown congratulating Pakistan & India on 60 years of independence. Funny how "british" prime ministers always think it's a smashing idea for every other country on the planet to be independent but when it comes to Scotland then it suddenly becomes "dangerous" and A Very Bad Thing. Maybe he should have roundly condemned their irresponsible behaviour instead....
  And look at these upstarts in Estonia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Ireland etc etc etc. And just who do the French think they are? They've been independent FOREVER without a single word of apology.

[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]