The Scottish Government

An Independent Scotland

Friday, November 30, 2007

The White Paper says: For Scotland to achieve full independence, the UK Parliament must cease to have competence to legislate for Scotland and the UK Government must cease to have competence in respect of executive action in Scotland. Correspondingly, the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government would assume the full range of competence, duties and responsibilities accorded to sovereign states under international law.

This blog is now closed to further comment.

Comments

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• 261. Euan Purchase - Carluke

  Thursday, November 15, 2007 21:34

  An Independent Scotland! That's what we need! The chance to show our ability to stand on our own feet on the world stage. A chance to fully make our own decisions without looking over our shoulders to Westminster. The opportunity to build on our success of the past. A chance to have a Scottish voice in this world, a voice for peace and prosperity. An opportunity to make the most of our talents and demonstrate our willingness to leave a lasting impression to the rest of the world, to look at Scotland and think I wish I could do that! It's time to move on, to move forward. It's time to make the most of ourselves. It's time for an Indpendent Scotland.

• 262. james - Kilwinning,Ayrshire

  Thursday, November 15, 2007 23:32

  Any 1 who was born in scotland who do not want indepence should move to england where they belong, england has held back scotland,northern ireland & wales we are the mud on there shoe(example scotland playing in a huge game against italy gets less coverage on tv than an england friendly),if scotland cant prosper why wont they let u's go simple in my opinon we make them to much £ we are the jewel in there crown I Was Born To Live In A Free Scotland

• 263. E.D - Norway

  Friday, November 16, 2007 16:57

  First: It would be a great thing to see an independent Scotland. However, like so many have already pointed out; is Scotland ready to become totally independent when it comes down to economy? perhaps, with the free and open labour market, I do think Scotland can manage. Norway did it, but it happened over a hundred years ago, long before the II WW and the UN. If Scotland is to become independent, what state shall then take Britain's place in the Security Council? A split of the Union will not only mean minor changes in Scottish domestic and foreign policy, it will mean changes in the international political system as well. That's my view, the rest is up to the lot whose job is to think about this.

• 264. Ellis Sims (simse01) - Gosport

  Friday, November 16, 2007 19:34

  hmmmm, well Euan Purchase, what makes you think Scotland can't do those thngs now within the Union?? their is nothing holding scotland back from doing this. Like i said before WTF is it with the people who sound like William Wallace. He FOUGHT against oppression, Scotland is NOT oppressed, so their is nothing to fight against "oooo Westminster" boooohooo, Scottish MP's are AT Westminster, you are basically saying that your 'own' people are oppressing their very country. That don't sound right to me.
  
  In fact, it sounds completely f**ked. "Hello im Alex Salmond, i love Scotland, but i want to make its laws subordinate to EN laws and our precious oil reserves to be allowed to be transported to Eastern Europe. But don't forget i look for Scotlands best interest"
  
  Scotlands best interest is within the United Kingdom, where it can look for its best interests while looking for Britains.
  
  

• 265. Adam Hall - Tennessee, (arbroath originally)

  Friday, November 16, 2007 21:54

  As a proud young scot, i feel that the break up of whats left of the british empire is coming near and i am all for it. I dont have a problem with english people, but im scottish and their english, times have changed! we are just slow at realising it! i find a lot of older generations still feel british because of WW2 etc, however us younger generations have a vision and we want to make it happen, its all our futures we are talking about. the british empire will never be what it was, lets move forward into this new age and show what we can offer the world.

• 266. gavin thompson - Dunfermline

  Saturday, November 17, 2007 10:24

  Hello Craig
  
  Refereshing to see that you were moved by my last missive. I merely followed the logic of your own argument to its conclusion. There was no intention to make a 'personal' attack.
  
  I can only comment on what you actually write, and you're comments in response to my earlier response about xenophobia did not imply a denial. All you did say was that 'the majority of Scots are also Euro-sceptic'. I put it to you that the majority of Scots are now 'Brito-sceptic' and becoming increasingly so, as time goes on.
  
  As part of the EU laws affecting Scotland will increasingly emanate from Europe, not Westminster. Most Scots do not see that as a bad thing. After all, we have a democratic deficit now in relation to reserve powers. Frankly, I have more faith in European principles of fairness than anything ever likely to come out of Westminster.
  
  I understand that you consider your self both Scottish and British. I have absolutely no quarrel with that. It is how that view translates to practical government that matters however. We already have extensive devolution. You have already said you agree with that and with the possibility of further powers. What I can't get my head round is this problem with transferring all powers - surely it's just a little bit more of the same?
  
  The only difference is that Scotland would no longer be politically dependent on England.
  
  I have never said that 'you cannot truly be Scottish unless you marry yourself to everything Scottish'. I have in fact said the opposite - some of the strongest Scottish Nationalists I know were born and bred in the South of England. The reason they are Scottish nationalist is because they are sick and tired of this 'british is best' mantra that prevents Britain truly engaging as an equal with other countries in Europe and the rest of the world.
  
  My nationalism is not about 'isolation', but about being able to properly engage with the rest of Europe and the world again. Sadly, this philosophy is alien the ruling elite of Britain, evidenced by the widespread euro-scepticism you speak of and support.
  
  Of course, not all Scots and indeed not all Scottish Nationalists agree with this philosophy. I do not regard them any less for it. I think they are misguided, and will strive to persuade them by power of argument and logic.
  
  You mention all the famous Scots that supported the unionist parties at the Holyrood election. Why not also mention the press that were almost universally opposed to nationalism ? Being famous or having control over the media does not make you right. Alex McLeish may be popular, but I don't think many people regard him as a 'political' guru.
  
  You then delve into some spectacular fantasy when you say that. 'Even in the days when ‘Britishness’ was stronger a strong sense of ‘Scottishness’ always existed'.
  
  Within living memory we had the 'North British' hotel in Glasgow and the 'North British' railway. That sense of Scottishness was pretty well smothered by the British Empire. The growth in nationalism has corresponded with the universal franchise, from 1918 onwards and accelerated with the decline of the British empire from 1945.
  Scots played a huge part in running the Empire. Don't get me wrong I agree that in the past being politically part of Britain was of value. But these days have gone, as a nation we need to move on.
  
  Regards a referendum you say '...the SNP ‘government’ should spend its time doing what it was elected to do, that is govern Scotland on devolved matters'. This is wrong in fact. The SNP manifesto is to not just to run the Scottish government but to represent Scottish interests. That may grate a little, but there it is - they won't allow Westminster to just walk all over us.
  
  Given the assumed power of Unionist arguments I am a little surprised by your reticence regarding holding a referendum. Surely it would settle the matter for a generation or so anyway ?
  
  You say it makes no sense in a small world for the countries of Britain to go their separate ways. But it's also a world where civil rights are more important than ever, and the old empires are spltting up e.g the USSR. Even countries like France and Spain have had to concede ever more devolution.
  
  Expressing greater national political rights goes hand in hand with greater economic interdependence and is not contrary to it.
  
  You are of course perfectly entitled to your views, but they are fundamentally flawed, and I will continue to strive to persuade you of that.
  
  Awrabest
  

• 267. Margaret - Edinburgh

  Saturday, November 17, 2007 18:03

  #97
  
  "You say the Scottish and English identities are equal, but presumably the English are more equal than others, since it is they that run the Westminster government that controls Scotland,Wales and Ireland"
  
  Ah... actually they dont control Ireland Gavin
  

• 268. Ian Innes - Elgin

  Monday, November 19, 2007 12:41

  ref # 257,258 Murdo, thankyou for your contribution. You have said it all. Only by confronting the hard realities can we move forward together with those other countries which make up the British Isles.
  
  Having worked and lived in both England and Wales as well as overseas independence for Wales, England and Scotland can only have a positve impact on the values and quality of life we largely share. Its only when we resort to the blame game that relations sour.
  
  Its the hubris of the political establishments in the respective countries that is the stumbling block to the creation of a more relevant political construct for the British Isles.
  
  With our friends south of the border now, in increasing numbers, wishing us well there is a window of opportunity opening up that the politicians ignore at their peril. We need only look at what is going on in Belgium where self seeking politicians have destroyed any good will left between the seperate cultures which have coexisted for over a hundred and fifty years.

• 269. Chris Nickerson, English Independence Party - London

  Monday, November 19, 2007 13:18

  The Scots and English will always be 'British' because we live on the island of Britain and within the British Isles
  The meaning of the word 'British' will simply change
  eip_enquiries@yahoo.com

• 270. Ellis Sims - Gosport

  Monday, November 19, 2007 17:04

  Craig Cook, i can only say that i think that we both share the Exact same views when it comes down to Independence.
  
  That the fact it will be the Greatest mistake this Country/Contries will ever make.
  
  As to a response to Gavin Thompson's statement; what on earth are you thinking???
  
  For a start, what is this "engagement" you talk about, the "engagement with Europe and the rest of the world". You mean the kind of European and Global engagement on the level of Bulgaria, Czech Republic or Greece?
  
  Scotland deserves FAR better than this, it deserves to be part of its greater being (forgive me for being a lil bit Philosophical), its greater 'being', being Britain. To say that Scots were being controlled by Brits would be correct, after all, Scotland IS British. What you say about "North Britain" and such, i never agreed with, i do believe that Craig Cook has said that it is important to be BOTH not one or the other, like an American is both for e.g. Californian AND American or how a Spanaird can be both Catalese AND Spanish.
  
  Its best for Scotland to be Scottish yet British at the same time. The short falls which have come about this country (Britain) are not to do with Unionism but with the Government which runs it, its just insane to think that Independence will solve problems which can be easily fixed while in the Union.
  
  Get back to me
  
  :)

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