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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• 591. Sammy - Drongan Ayrshire

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:44

  Some of these labour jokers on here continue to make snide attempts to insult the people in the north of Scotland regarding the A9 . They seem to be under the warped impression that Scotland revolves around Glasgow . But the truth of the matter is that Glasgow itself is the major drawback for Scotland. Someone forgot to tell this lot that the trade unions are dead and that because yer "farra" voted for labour then they must follow suit. Before the ignorant few from Glasgow start to make snide comments on this discussion then you first better look around your city at the deprivation,the ill health,the poverty and try and understand that what the labour legacy has left you is a city in despair. The gorbals was never levelled , it has been extended to both sides of the M8. You have dragged Scotland down long enough and the rest of the country, north , south,east and west of Glasgow want to move scotland on to a better future for all. Maybe some day in the future you will grasp the fact that for the last 10 years you were conned something rotten by those you elected. Glasgow is years behind the rest of Scotland.

• 592. Gillian E Shaw - France

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:45

  The Union became effective on 1st May 1707 and the Scotts argued for a federal union as opposed to an Incorporating union. Surely one must ask oneself this question:
  Has the union been a federal union in your opinion?
  If the answer is yes then fine - keep it; however if answered in the negative then certainly it is time for change and time to cast your vote against it.

• 593. David Ardrey - Cumbernauld, Scotland

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 14:54

  At the University of Stirling in 2004 George Reid, the then Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament gave a lecture encouraging the people of Scotland to raise their aspirations and ‘look beyond the horizon’. For some this is possible. However for many people in Scotland they cannot perceive the horizon never mind what lies beyond it. Perhaps this is due to the ingrained Scottish mindset or that they have put their trust in traditional political parties (Unionist Scottish Labour/ Labour/ and the Conservatives other wise known as New Labour) to address social problems that have plagued Scottish society for so long.
  Fear of change and taking responsibility for your own actions and destiny might be off putting to some. Before Devolution the Westminster Parliament could be blamed for all the ills of Scotland, even the bad Scottish weather was the fault of Thatcher, and son of Thatcher: Blair.
  The election of the SNP this year signals that increased numbers of people are growing in confidence, prepared to take responsibly for their own actions and the future direction of politics in this nation. The disasters: drought, famine and plagues of locus that Scottish Labour and New Labour forecast if the SNP were elected have yet failed to manifest themselves, although their has been plenty of rain but no floods of biblical proportion.
  The Scottish electorate should now ensure that all policies of Scottish political parties are firstly based on what will benefit the nation’s future, rather than based on personal and party needs.
  The electorate of Scotland: no matter which nation, culture or religions they were born of, now have the opportunity, not only to take this ‘Nation’ towards the horizon, but more importantly, to allow future generations of Scotland to see beyond the horizon through independence.
  

• 594. Elaine - Coatbridge

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 15:01

  Its fantastic that we are being offered a choice, a free open debate with a leader who is big enough to take both supporters and critics in an transparent manner, can anyone remember the stage managed Labour conferences were old men were frog marched out for having a varried opinion to that of Blair? Salmond is showing admirable qualities on a daily basis which gives me comfort on a number of levels that he's confident to properly and fairly govern. I have long been a supporter of an independant Scotland (please don't read that as being anti-English, they are our neighbours we have to work together, but we are different people, with a different culture and economic base) I'm truly optimistic that there will continue to be improvements in governance if we are able to meet our own personal objectives as a nation. Another post had said that he wished to have improved standards of living and a good job, and that whoever was in government should just get on with that instead of all this nationalism debate. I take your point, but how can any government aim to improve these issues when they don't have control over the key fiscal policies etc,. It's like asking someone to build something with one hand tied behind their back. The SNP have a better idea of the needs of Scotland (London has proved how little they understand about Scotlands economic base through aspects such as the fisheries policies etc,.) We have to take control of our own affairs if we want things to improve, its a basic fact, if we want it better lets make it better and stop looking to somewhere else to solve our problems and issues. I can remember reading about when Ireland achieved its independance, everday people couldn't really believe it at first, some thought it was a joke, look at the success which they have now achieved, Celtic Tiger Economy and a government that understands its own countries needs, not to mention a sense of national pride which builds confidence. We are fortunate we have this opportunity to gain independance through democratic channels, I hope we have the courage to utilise this chance and grow and develop as a capable nation, why shouldn't we?

• 595. David Robertson - Inverness

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 15:06

  There have been many concerns voiced here about the economic viability of an independent Scotland. My concern is similar but different. The current global market decline shows no sign of abating and, IMHO, will develop into a full blown global monetary crisis. If this happens then it is my suspicion that Scotland will be pulled down into the swamp with England since their property linked debt problems are many times worse than ours and the UK external debt, i.e. owed to NON-RESIDENTS, is an astonishing £4 TRILLION, the highest relative debt in the world. Will the Scottish Executive be able to protect the Scottish people from this beggar your neighbour collapse? This discussion on independence may become moot in about six months. By then it may be too late. People will be hunkering down for the long winter of our discontent.

• 596. George Steel - Fife

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 15:13

  Perhaps you should reflect on the fact that the SNP have only 35% of the seats in the Scottish Parliament, 37% if the Independent MSP who was uncermoniously dumped by the SNP because her views did not accord with those of her leaders. There is therefore no mandate for this proposal.
  
  It is a lie to state that the labour party has held sway in Scotland for 50 years. As I recall The labour Party in Britain has only been in a continuous majority for 10 years since 1997. Prior to that they were only ever in power for one full term from 1945.
  
  The Labour party in Scotland has never had a mandate to govern Scotland as they had only 38% 0f the seats needed to control the democratic Parliamentary process. The fact that they were able to govern Scotland as the majority party in Scotland for the eight years since devolution was due to their ability to converse with the Lib - Dems and agree positions on major items of concern to the people of Scotland to present to Parliament for approval.
  
  Perhaps the 'conversation' could be started with your parliamentary colleagues first to agree the way forward.
  
  To date the SNP has failed to stop the Edinburgh tram project, while at the same time tried to avoid the blame for any cost over-runs!! You claim you are in the seat, stand by for the flak idf it goes beLly - up!!
  
  Stopped the Kerr proposal on NHS reform in Ayr despite the obvious benefits to serving the local communities the implementation of the proposals would have had.
  
  Abolishing the tolls on the bridges in Fife, (manifesto commitment), proposed reduction in ferry fares to the islands!!! Where did that come from and how much will it cost??
  
  Oh, and our diligent Justice minister with the brilliant idea to solve our drink ptoblem, we do have a drink problem, don't we?? Let's open another six booze outlets, where? why at our national rugby stadium, lets combine athleticism with alcoholism!!
  
  The members of parliament were elected to serve the people, not to try and buy their votes by coming up with popular policies that have have not been costed and subjected to parliamentary scrutiny.
  
  When are the SNP going to start dealing with the day to day government issues of running the country, and present a balanced budget to parliament for debate?
  
  George S

• 597. Iain - Glasgow

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 15:27

  Perhaps the people who repeatedly make anecdotal claims that North Sea oil is almost gone would be better off warning people in the oil industry, because they seem to think they have another 20 years worth to keep them in business at current extraction rates.

• 598. ardnafearn - EU

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 15:28

  1. The losses should be identified clearly e.g. UN veto (Will France lose its veto? EU snaffles UK veto?), IOC/FIFA status, etc.,flight of capital, unequal debt to be assumed upon division of assets (look what a well-known Scot did with the UK gold reserves).
  2. No economist has led a western-type democracy successfully. Economics is a discipline without discipline (multiple choice answers every time; take your pick).
  3. Identify the countries of comparable size/population that have done poorly instead of envying the few successes like Norway and Switzerland, both outside EU. The reasons for those that failed need to be brought to the fore if only to know how the causes would be avoided by an independent Scotland

• 599. Brian - Dundee

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 15:32

  Scotland's like a 40 year old still living at home with their mum! We need to get out on our own feet and find our own way. Fear shouldn't stop us - seriously, does any one seriously imagine that for some bizarre reason Scoland is the only small industrialised well-educated western democracy that can't possibly support itself as a nation? Be honest.
  Trying to measure Scotland's potential worth economically on the basis of the simplistic post independance view (where Scotland's infrastructure remains the same, just without ties of state to the union) is also nonsense. The entire commercial, industrial, and economic structures in an independant Scotland will change over time as we as a nation gear these respective structures to suit Scotland, not the union.
  It's not just about ecomomics - it's about social and cultural values. One of the reasons Labour has lost so many votes up here is that despite sustaining the Labour party during the wilderness years, at the first sniff of a way into gvernment, they abandoned large chunks of their social agenda and played up to the 'look out for #1' mindset that seems to drive the key votes in England. We'll becoming more like as a nation if we stay - I don't want to live in a country like that.
  I also think, for what it's worth, that our relationship with the union will be better in the long run (for all nations concerned).
  The union had legs while it represented something greater than any of its constituent parts, but when that ceased to be the case, all that remains is the will of the dominant partner. Remember, Scotland always gets the government England votes for.
  There is nothing to fear, let's look forward to independence.
  

• 600. James McEwan - Edinburgh

  Wednesday, August 15, 2007 15:34

  All seems a bit like an SNP power-grab to me...

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