The Scottish Government

Scotland in the World

Friday, November 30, 2007

Aberdeen University has just set up a 'Scotland in the World' Forum to consider our country's global standing and global potential.

I was invited to deliver the inaugural lecture and I was delighted to explain how the Forum will be a major part of the wider National Conversation which is about the kind of country Scotland wishes to be - and the changes that must be made to meet our ambitions.

I talked about independence and interdependence and why this Government looks to Ireland and the Nordic countries - the Arc of Prosperity around us - as working models of what can be achieved in the modern global economy if Scotland had the same powers and freedoms that these countries take for granted.

I said that Scotland's interdependence is a fact. We have a strong economic relationship with the rest of the UK, our EU partners, and beyond.

And, I argued, it is precisely because we live in an interdependent world that independence matters.

The choice for Scotland is clear. We can choose to remain a bit player - unable to advance our interests other than through the UK. Alternatively, as an independent country, we can actively seek responsibility, eager to help shape the great global debates on the environment, on trade, on poverty, on the emergence of new economies.

For me, Scottish independence is not just an opportunity to move Scotland forward, but a chance for Scotland to give something back, to meet our global responsibilities. I want Scotland to be a leader in international conflict resolution, building on the tremendous sense of goodwill towards our nation across the globe.

Scotland is considering its position in a world of close and ever-growing economic interdependence. We benefit greatly from co-operation but that does not obviate the huge economic rewards for countries that are innovative and flexible and pursuing the right economic strategy, and a clear and distinct set of interests.

That is why this Government believes that now, more than ever, Scotland stands to benefit from full independence.

Read the full text of FM's lecture

This blog is now closed to further comments.

Comments

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• 151. WT - England

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 13:10

   

• 152. Ed Abrams - ENGLAND

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 13:11

  Good luck all you Scots, I hope you get what you dream for. Lots of people in England want you to go for independence, some of us down here want the same. We English are not a bad bunch but like you, a lot of us are fed up with being run by a UK Government.
  Good luck, don't loose your nerve.

• 153. Derek - England

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 13:23

  Come on Scotland! Stop dithering! Vote SNP and be done with the Union. We English don't want the Union and all you have to do is vote SNP at the next Holyrood elections in sufficient numbers to give Alex Salmond an absolute majority. In the meantine you can vote SNP at the next Westminster elections. Let the Unionists know you mean business. Dump Brown out of his constituency! We intend to kick him out of England!

• 154. Martin Higgins - Edinburgh

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 13:27

  I have voted the snp since i was able because i believe scotland should be an independent nation and for the people who did not believe alex salmond or the snp could lead scotland they are doing a far better job than any previous administration has in scotland.
  
  I do not hate the english people but cannot stand the control the u.k government has over scotland.

• 155. Derek - England

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 13:29

  142 Kev ".....lets not forget the immense sum's to upgrade and polish up the English nuclear weapons and warships"
  English? What are you talking about? The nukes are in Scotland and we have a Scottish PM, Scottish Defence Minister and a Scottish Chancellor in control of them! I'd say they were more Scottish than English!
  Come independence you can keep them, just pay us English back our share of their costs.
  
  

• 156. Andy - Scotland

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 14:15

  No 145 Jack from Glasgow wrote:
  
  I believe in solidarity, co-operation and integration - not independence
  
  I suppose Jack would favour all the countries around the world who have gained their independence should give up the freedom of governing themselves and return to absolute colonial rule from London/Paris or what ever robbing European capital stuffed its coffers full of the wealth of those nations?
  
  Solidarity, co-operation and integration are good beliefs to behold, but the denial of peoples' freedoms to govern themselves as they see fit is to rob them ofthe fundamentals of democracy.
  

• 157. Scott01 - Ayr

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 16:10

  To get back to the initial point of this particular blog, namely “Scotland In The World”. I would like to see the Scottish Government inviting leaders from the “Arc of Prosperity” nations namely the Nordic countries, and also leaders from some of the smaller European nations like Belgium, and the Netherlands to an independence conference here in Scotland.
  
  This would allow the leaders of these nations to share their experiences with us, giving us the proven facts of what a small independent European nation can be like to live in.
  
  I think this is the crux of the whole argument whether you support an independent Scotland or want to remain within the status quo. Casting aside everyone’s political allegiances, the truth is none of us really know what independence could mean; the production of the cold hard facts either way is something sadly lacking from the public domain.
  
  I think this will be the only way that we can truly know what is right, not only for the country, but for us as individuals, our families, neighbours and friends.
  
  While I am in favour of independence, how many of our fellow Scots fear it, not for patriotic reasons or any particular hankering over remaining linked to England, but that they simply fear the unknown?
  
  I would like a comprehensive, detailed and politically impartial study into the financial, economic and societal impact of independence for Scotland. One which could finally answer the tax issues and whether they would go up, how dependent we would really be on oil, could we cope without it, what would our place be in the world and EU - in or out?
  
  I do accept, as I think most of us would that independence would undoubtedly change Scotland. Whether these are for the better or worse, we can but hopefully find out soon.
  
  To those who are vehemently opposed to even contemplating independence, I will leave you with this quote, which I think sums up the point I am making rather well
  
  “It’s fear of the unknown. Unknown is what it is. Accept that it’s unknown and it’s plain sailing” (John Lennon)
  

• 158. jim - PETERHEAD

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 17:25

  I am a proud scot who is also proud to be British. In my 30 years in the oil industry i have worked and lived abroad as well as in Scotland and i have seen how destructive nationalism can be.
  As for our first minister he has been my MP for many years but we still await a decent road between Peterhead AND Aberdeen. Make Devolution work thats the answer.

• 159. Thomas - Scotland, Aberdeen

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 17:27

  I would first like to point out that the S.N.P. were defeated by mayjority by the Unionist parties.
  
  However, you vote for a party that will best represent you and even for example you felt you wanted Independence but the policies that the Lib Dems had respresented you more then you vote Lib Dems.
  
  This is for the post of 98.
  
  And also we are going to be in the EU no matter what. Why pay the fat cats in West Minister when we can have our own fat cats in Scotland doing work that respresents Scotland and not four seperate countries?
  
  Can Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England really share the same views? I guess to some extent we can but has England defended Scotlands fishing rights? No they have not. But why can Norway and other countries continue to fish against EU regulations? Because they are represented better then Scotland and Britain will not respresent our cause.

• 160. Ian Innes - Elgin

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008 17:50

  One of Labour's first acts on coming to power in 1997 was to hand over the control of interest rates to the Bank of England.
  
  The new era of financial probity had arrived. So we thought!
  
  In time Chancellor Gordon Brown eased the constraints on the banking sector's freedom to lend money.
  
  Followed by the removal of house price inflation from the retail price index.
  
  The retail banks got the message - the brakes were off.
  
  Sustained by, one suspects, more than a little creative accounting, the banks proceeded to play fast and loose with our [the public's] money.
  
  But,as was inevitable, someone jumped off the merry-go-round; asked the questions that our elected representatives dare not ask.
  
  Had they , they would have found that a 'virus' had infected the whole financial sector, in the form of dodgy 'securitised products'.
  
  What followed was a major loss in confidence in the retail banking sector.
  
  As a consequence company and personnal pension funds are likely to suffer large losses and peoples savings put at risk.
  
  So much for prudence!
  
  The government at Westminster have a lot of explaining to do.
  
  For us here in Scotland, Holyrood is more than a casual observer. Its duty of care to the Scottish electorate requires it to establish the facts and to this end should not brook any interference from Westminster.
  
  This is a matter of grave public interest.
  
  Questions on competence and integrity must be at the heart of any formal inquiry.
  
  The Scottish public , deserve nothing less.
  
  for further reading #109, Scotland in the world.

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