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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• 81. Scott01 - Ayr

  Monday, February 25, 2008 15:38

  To those that question the need to have a “National Conversation” on Scotland’s future, there could be no greater reasoning than Gordon Brown’s reported new attempts to use the Labour/Conservative/Lib Dem devolution commission as a means of reducing the current powers of the Scottish Parliament.
  
  This is a seemingly underhand attempt to counter-act the Scottish Government’s determination to remove Trident and block the construction of new nuclear power stations.
  
  This smacks of political control of the worst kind, an affront to the majority view of most of Scotland’s citizens. As with the refusal to have a referendum on the EU treaty, it seems that Gordon Brown is happy for democracy to exist…….so long as you agree with him.
  
  Surely it must have been realised when the initial devolution legislation was drawn up, that at some point the devolved parliament would want policies differing from Westminster, or did Labour, in its arrogance never think it would ever lose its grip on power in Holyrood.
  

• 82. Dave Eastabrook - Largs, Ayrshire

  Monday, February 25, 2008 17:31

  76. stan hurst
  At the moment of course, it's supposed to be a British parliament not an English one, so I guess it's fair that there are a proportionate number of Scots, Welsh and Irish!
  
  However, if you want an English parliament then I can only support your wishes, as I do, and it is for you to look for independence for England, and an English parliament. I would have no vote, nor the right to vote, because I am permanently resident in Scotland.
  
  You do need to get past the original nationality of the members of that English parliament though, in much the same as we would in Scotland. We have English permanently resident in Scotland, same as you have Scots in England. They should have the right to vote for their own member of parliament, or even be one. Even if they still think of themselves as English - or Scots!

• 83. Dave Eastabrook - Largs, Ayrshire

  Monday, February 25, 2008 18:04

  77. Scott01
  I agree. I think corporation tax - and such as depreciation policies on their own are enough justification for Scotland to go it alone. I just don't know enough about the British economy to understand if these taxation policies are correct for Britain, but I feel I know just enough about ours to state that they are not for us. Perhaps we have a vastly different business base to the overall British one (apart from the likes of the "Edinburgh powerhouse" referred to in another posting). Perhaps taxation policies are geared to the financial and consultative "services" sector alone, where perhaps growth investment is for the customer, not the business itself.
  
  A growing business needs to invest in its growth, it needs 100% of the profits it makes, and it needs 100% of capital expenditure to be offset against tax in the first year. It also needs to concentrate on what it's good at - its own business, not the government's (social and welfare). What we get presently is the government's view of what is good for us at any one time - like a year or two ago there was a 100% offset on computer expenditure. What use is that to a caravan park upgrading pitches, putting in drainage, or a shop converting its store into retail space - or a small or even large manufacturing business trying to make itself more efficient and effective?
  
  If we're prepared to take the risk - amd risks are high - and dip into personal bank overdrafts, even credit cards, to fund our growth, we need a government and a taxation regime that fully supports us, not one that hinders us in every step on the way. One step forward, and a baseball bat across the back of the knees. Ouch!
  
  The way it is, even a very small family company like mine will soon need to look abroad - Ireland for instance - if we get any bigger.
  
  There are other holdbacks - the ridiculous stakeholder pension scheme that starts at 5 employees - it's just a waste of money to pay for a totally dummy scheme that no-one will ever pay into (at that size, no-one can afford to!). Others too, I don't want to clutter the list.

• 84. george alexander - north lanarkshire

  Monday, February 25, 2008 20:58

  Time moves ever on and will not stop. The generation who experienced WW2 have all but gone, their offspring are now pensioners and they too begin their demise.
  
  These good people were the backbone not just of the Labour party but of the Union. Their work ethic, upholding of traditional values and wartime experiences preserved an invisible thread that bound Scotland to the U.K.
  
  Tradition had it that those pillars of the community doctors, teachers and policemen and politicians were afforded reverential respect. This rigid conformity however meant that the establishment was rarely challenged.
  
  If the BBC or indeed the newspapers reported a story then it was generally accepted as fact. To many of these families the Labour party offered salvation from abject poverty, a vote for anyone else was unimageinable.
  
  Today however this thread has all but disappeared. Teachers and doctors no longer command respect, but command sympathy. Many politician's are now viewed with such contempt that it is difficult to imagine it getting any worse.
  
  Almost all of the corruption, law breaking and lying is exclusively perpetrated by Unionist politicians. If it were not for protective bodies like the Electoral Commission then we would already be seeing some of these politicians in court facing prison sentences.
  
  The electorate on both sides of the border look on aghast as details of the perks and privileges of MP's and their relatives are finally made public. That many of these practices are apparently within the rules compounds the electorate's anger.
  
  The Union is over, held together only by the establishment and those who benefit from it. None of the U.K. electorate are served by this anachronistic old boys club. A club so unable to shake off the imperialist mindset that it still yearns to sit at the top table with the super powers.
  
  The English media appear to be cottoning onto the need for reform. It won't be long before the English people follow suit.
  
  The Scots however have no such radical media, they have already decided on their own that they have had enough.
  
  The ever dwindling band of Scottish pro-unionists (never to be confused with well meaning, but also decreasing, Labour voters) struggle to argue against independence and for the continuation of the Westminster monolithic behemoth.
  
  Their arguments include the name calling (Nationalists are xenphobes, racists, fascists etc), the scaremongering (Scotland would be an economic basket case) and the history one (the past would be erased).
  
  The so called pro-union arguments are equally ridiculous amounting to no more than we have 'greater influence' in negotiations as part of the U.K.
  
  The youth of Scotland will not be so ready to swallow the propoganda that their parents, grand parents and great grandparents did.
  
  Independence is the way forward, our young deserve the opportunity to create a better Scotland than generations past have left them. We have probably the greatest array of natural resources of any modern country, coupled with an established and widely respected education system.
  
  If we shirk the challenge then we will be viewed with deserved contempt by those yet unborn.
  
  I am not afraid...........are you?

• 85. terry - dundee

  Tuesday, February 26, 2008 17:09

  i have not always beleived in an independant scotland but i have seen so much unfairness over the years caused by the union with england that i think it is time for scotland to make its own decisions about what kind of country it should be we do not need nuclear weapons having them would not save us if we had to use them we do want neuclear waste burried in our mountains or on our coastline it never goes away and is a high risk fraught with danger not just for us but our citizens of the future we dont need people in england to decide what is best for us even if they are scottish those politicians living in england who are part of the current uk government do it because its a job a very well paid job at that especially if you include expenses for them and their families and friends scotland is a smaller country than england and does not pay as well it cant pay as well so its no wonder a lot of scottish people go to england where they can earn more money but it does not have to be that way we can become independant and change the way things are done why should people doing the same job be paid more in england than scotland or have a better standard of living we have a beautiful country that can prosper and take care of our living standards if we take control of our own resources and make the important decisions about our future that suit us best many english people come to live in scotland when they retire they sell their house in england and can buy one of equal quality in scotland for half the price and live a very good life on their profit but how many people living in scotland can retire to england and do the same ? none, much of the land in scotland is not owned by scottish people it is owned by asian swedish danish belgian norwegian english businessmen yes i know the statistics will show that there are more people born in scotland now living in england than visa versa but the scots living in england had to go to england to look for work and make a living whereas the english living in scotland are mostly here to enjoy retirement on the richer pickings they had available to them so lets take control of our own country and look after our elderly citizens properly and give our young people a future worth having here in scotland so we can plug the draining of our talented young to england and stop scotland being used as a retirement home for english people buying up our homes from with their greater wealth that contrary to some views aired on this blog were not earned on a level playing field.

• 86. Lorren - usa

  Wednesday, February 27, 2008 01:47

  Post #85 George
  
  No I am not afraid.
  
  I, and many like me around the world are waiting in the wings to do whatever you and the Scottish people want us to do. You have so many supporters you just cant imagine.
  
  There are a millions of people around the world watching all this and waiting. We all want to do the right thing by the Scottish people. , but we dont want to butt in either.. We are behind you all the way. We want you to succeed.
  
  
  You have for once in 300 years a Political Party Speaking for the people in Scotland. It brings tears to my eyes that for the first time we a have Scots government speaking for Scots.
  
  Its Time
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• 87. Gavin Scott - Fife

  Wednesday, February 27, 2008 23:54

   

• 88. Angus McDonald - Chicago, USA

  Thursday, February 28, 2008 13:47

  What is the Union for, what purpose does it exist for other than to spirited away Scotland's recources and people.
  
  I do not see the beneifit for England either?
  
  When it comes to tourism, from this side of the pond going to European countries is like "box ticking".
  
  For the UK (or as we know it England), go no further than London and you've ticked the box!
  
  Scotland needs to have its own identity like Ireland, Norway or Kosovo. The Union will never provides this!
  
  S McD
  
  Angus

• 89. Dave Eastabrook - Largs, Ayrshire

  Thursday, February 28, 2008 17:06

  89. Angus McDonald
  I've seen a big decline in the number of American tourists to Scotland over the years. Whatever else it would bring, independence for Scotland would be a huge boost for our tourist industry, which represents currently perhaps 10% of our economy - probably with resulting follow-on business opportunities. Goodwill should never be underestimated. 2 or 3 years back the Isle of Gigha was bought out by its people, and it saw a big increase in tourism that year. Not sure what the longer term effect is, but then it's one small island, not a whole country.
  
  And I think England itself is held back by being British, part of the Union, and the last bastion of the British Empire. Like us in Scotland, it's probably time for England to move on.

• 90. Joan - Borders

  Thursday, February 28, 2008 20:00

  I am just wondering who in the Scottish Government reads and notes what is said in the Blogs for any future reference??
  
  Therefore, please add your name here if and when you read this!! Thankyou.

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