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.

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Comments

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• 421. Christopher - Glasgow

  Tuesday, February 5, 2008 01:03

  Independence for Scotland is evidently overdue. The people of Scotland should conclude on matters that are important to the PEOPLE OF SCOTLAND. Alex Salomd is 100% correct in saying 'Scotland is a nation, and nations are better at governing themselves'. This is fact, evidently from looking at the economic success of countries like Ireland and Norway. Independence is the way FOWARD for Scotland, 'it's time!' for a better future for the People of Scotland. I am extreamly annoyed that the other three main political parties will not let us - the people of Scotland have a say. We are the people of Scotland - We should and will have our say in our country's future.

• 422. Lewis Beattie - Edinburgh

  Tuesday, February 5, 2008 11:38

  Very interesting comments from a lot of well informed people.
  I would suggest that the First Minister checks his office etc for bugs in case Gordo Brown hears something he doesnt like.

• 423. Douglas Watt - Morvern

  Tuesday, February 5, 2008 17:18

  re:Galen Milne's comments(415): "The SNP has no great vision apart from so-called independence". Surely there can be no greater vision for any nation and people than independence! Why is it so noble for so many other countries to fight for, and achieve, independence, but petty and parochial for Scotland to have the same aspirations? As for the further comment that going down this path would "leave us no more than a playground for the rich to hunt, fish and play golf", I really shouldn't laugh! Welcome to the Highlands of the last three centuries! Status quo, anyone?

• 424. Bill - Kirkcaldy

  Tuesday, February 5, 2008 18:50

  Many Scots, timid or unhappy with the prospect of constitutional change, might prefer a multi-option referendum, to include independence, a member of a federation of UK nations, or the status quo.
  Before any referendum takes place, voters would need to know that, whatever the outcome, a clear consensus
  would be essential before making any progress, to ensure that all protagonists can jump on Scotland's bandwagon.
  Peripheral debates about royalty, the EU, NATO, etc., would no doubt ensue.

• 425. Mike King - Birmingham, Great Britain

  Tuesday, February 5, 2008 21:27

  I've enjoyed reading this forum for about 3 months now & have watched the pro & anti Union debate swing one way then the next.
  
  Mostly the debate was polite & well argued but no SNP supporter has been able to explain how Scotland in a federal EU can possibly be 'independent'; yet that is the position of the SNP.
  
  Lately the debate has degenerated somewhat with people passing off opinions as fact (e.g. "Independence will be good for Scotland, and is correct choice for Scotland's future. The London Government is holding Scotland back" 418. Angela Fitzgibbon - Suffolk)
  
  No attempt to back up the claim just an assertion with no supporting evidence.
  
  The undeniable truth is Scottish MPs run the UK government & have for a decade now.
  
  Scotland has autonomy over vast areas of government & no future UK Tory government will ever be able to take that away from you.
  
  It seems to me the choice on offer is be swallowed up by a federal Europe with a European Prime Minister or remain in the UK with at least the chance of having a BRITISH Prime Minister.
  
  How can anyone not choose the Union option - unless out of prejudice towards England?
  
  Be honest, admit that IS why many SNP supporters would be happy as nothing more than a component of a European super state because it would be 'one in the eye' for England.
  
  Talk about 'lack of ambition'!
  
  
  
  
  

• 426. Kev - Edinburgh

  Wednesday, February 6, 2008 13:44

  08.
  
  
  
  "Are you suggesting that the reason why so many people don't celebrate Burns night and St. Andrews Day has something to do with the Union? Another London led conspiracy perhaps?
  
  The real reason is that most Scots don't care".
  ---
  
  Craig,
  to answer your point its not that people don't care, Its just that we don't have a choice!!
  
  I'm not sure your age, But it wasn't that long ago we had Jan the 2nd as a Bank Holiday, until our English neighbours complained and it was lost. Now Scottish Bank workers get an extra day in August when its the English holiday season! nice own, very modern.
  Another point is would you be happy to see the loss of our Scottish notes??. There is widespread support down south to stop the production of new Scottish notes.
  
  My point is an Independent country can and should be able to celebrate its national days, and if the people get a few more holidays then count me in.
  Why should Europe have more holidays than us?
  
  

• 427. Kev - Edinburgh

  Wednesday, February 6, 2008 14:54

  Mike, (426) you have made number of posts of this forum and your comments like others add to this debate, But and its a big but do you have the maturity or understanding of politics to make a clear comment!?
  How do Scottish MPs run the UK? We have a Scottish Prime Minister who has stated on numerous occasion's that he is British first and foremost.How can no future Tory goverment run down and ignore Scotland?
  
  How would Europe Swallow up Scotland ? What are you on about? one in the eye for England!
  
  Scotland is at the moment a region of England, we are undervalued and home to nuclear weapons, we have been dragged into wars against the majority of our peoples wishes and we do not have a "Choice" to run our own affairs.Our wages are 27% less than England, we dont vote Tory yet there's a good chance w'll have to suffer them in the future, Its a no brainer.
  
  I dont choose the union but I have no hatred or prejudice towards England my wife and in-laws are English, its my 2nd home.
  
  Can you same the same towards Scotland, and Btw we are part of Europe whither you like it or not.
  

• 428. charles solomon - larbert stirlingshire

  Wednesday, February 6, 2008 17:16

  Alex Salmond is doing a good job but he cant do it without us we have to make
  scotland self sufficient and we can help in this by buying scottish produce
  but he need's to help, as he is doing now, help the small company's produce the best quality good's.We as a nation need to stop taking day's off when its not needed, help your company be strong in compitition but at the same time companys should reward there workforce for there dedication there is a lot off big company's out there make a fortune in profit's but do not share it with there workforce, this should be made compulsory.we can do it but only by having dedicated scottish people who want to make scotland the place to be if the scottish people give the same support to there place of employment as we do the Scotland Team
  then we could be nation to be reckoned with. so let's do it, do it for the love of our country
  
  charlie solomon

• 429. Dave Eastabrook - Largs, Ayrshire

  Wednesday, February 6, 2008 17:39

  426. Mike King
  I agree with quite a few points in your posting, but not others.
  
  1). In Scotland for years and decades, whenever things go wrong we blame the English. It's a chip on the shoulder we have. If we get independence we will no longer have this comfortable escape and justification for any failures, we'll just ahve to get on with it and sort out the problem, whatever it is, ourselves.
  
  2. It could be said London held us back in 1979 by an unfair system for the referendum. I don't think so. Though a majority of actual voters voted "yes", many stayed away, and many voted against because "it was a badly put together package". My argument was - take what we can, while we can, and improve on it later. Many strong Nationalists either abstained or even voted against in the referendum just because the proposal wasn't perfect. If I remember correctly the SNP itself was against the devolution package proposed. It wasn't London that held us back, it was ourselves. And so it is now. The English are not to blame, we are.
  
  3). Some SNP supporters and some others in favour of independence probably do see it as "one in the eye" for England, sad but true. Unfortunately Jack McConnell's support for any football team other than England in the last world cup is something many do feel, at least in a small way, throughout Scotland. You only have to hear the cheers when the other side scores. I find it not so in England, where the attitude is more to support any "British" team against the "foreigners". That's life! Whether that would change or not with independence, I have no idea. On the other hand we have the same thing with Rangers and Celtic, where a supporter of one would prefer to see Barcelona beat the other team. They're both Scottish teams for heaven's sake, and both West of Scotland sides!
  
  However, saying that independence is the correct choice for Scotland was/is a personal belief, and requires absolutely no backing up by facts. What we believe and hold in our hearts does not have to be justified to anyone, except perhaps ourselves.
  
  And as for the European Prime Mininster, an Independent Scotland within Europe will have just as much, or as little, sovereignty as would/has an English or indeed a British Prime Minister, within the EEC/EC/EU/USE.
  
  Personally I would vastly prefer an independent Scotland outside the EU. I, and many others in business I talk to find the EU unneccesarily bureaucratic, restrictive, and discriminatory against small business in favour of global corporations. I'm surprised so many of us small businesses manage to survive and even prosper, albeit by the skin of our teeth.
  
  
  Nice to see you your point of view in the debate, I've enjoyed reading your postings!

• 430. PMK - Ayrshire

  Wednesday, February 6, 2008 22:18

  Since the unionist establishment has already denied us a referendum on independence, I was rather hoping their representatives at Holyrood would vote down the budget and bring about an election. Oh well - its their own funeral really! The more often they deny the people a say the worse they look and the more scrutiny their fundamentally weak arguments ("punching above our weight"/"family ties"/economic lies) appear.
  
  Wendy and her Labour Party are the best thing that have ever happened to aid the independence cause.

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