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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• 541. IAN BROWN - Edinburgh,Scotland

  Sunday, March 30, 2008 13:00

  The complicated and unclear nature of this website mirrors the whole "conversation" process.
  If the so called "SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT" really wanted us to have a converation they would have a website that was easier to use.
  I am someone born in Scotland,I have lived in Scotland for all my 47 years except while away at university.
  I have never been convinced by the case for independence,I voted for devolution in 1979 and against in 1997.
  I was right wasn't I ?some of the least talented people on the planet (from all parties) have nice jobs as MSPs.
  No need or even demand for independence or more devolution.
  People believe the myth of the popular push for devolution and independence but the Constitutional convention could not even fill the tiny Queens Hall in Edinburgh when it met and the so called democracy vigil was a fake,I passed it every day and it was not always manned,in any case half the people there were ex pats,a sick joke.
  
  If it was the case that the majority of people wanted constiutional change then of course I would have to go along with it but I am not convinced the people want much change,the media and political class can of course dictate to the rest of us but it does not mean that most people support their self serving agenda.
  If there was independence it would be meaningless in today's modern world,we would be like Ireland,begging for special status from the rest of the UK while going on about being different.

• 542. Paul - Aberdeen

  Sunday, March 30, 2008 13:57

  Independence is inevitable, the road having been opened and the brakes removed by devolution. Additional powers for the Scottish Executive will merely slow the journey down. It is not a question of argument but one of political inevitability - the question will come up every time there are economic difficulties or some decision of the UK government has an unwelcome effect on the people of Scotland. One day the referendum will be held at the "right" moment and the independence vote will come out on top and perhaps it is better for Scotland that this happens sooner rather than later. One point I suppose is that whereas the unionists will always have the option of changing their minds while the status quo is maintained the road to self determination is a one way street.

• 543. Neil MacAlpine - Charlbury, Oxfordshire, England

  Monday, March 31, 2008 14:30

  As an ex pat of many years standing, who has never described himself as other than Scottish, and who has every intention of returning, I am getting rather worried that I won't be allowed back in.
  The National Conversation is a good idea and, while I know that I am echoing other comments made already, I would like to put my tuppenyworth:
  1. Continuing the Union of the Crowns is like having your cake and eating it. There are various historical reasons why there is a Germanic house, settled by civil war, ruling the UK, but is it not time to consider the claims of becoming a Republic? The proposals thus far look just like a Parliamentary democracy, Westminster style, with the same old oligarchy in charge.
  2. What will replace the extra money from the Barnett formula? The English won't be paying anything, and good riddance they will say. Will Scottish taxation make up the difference, and could it be borne by the ordinary taxpayer?
  3. Incidentally, the English don't hate the Scots, far from it. Their default mode ranges from indifference to a full blown love affair. I do wish there was some reciprocation. The general attitude of anti Englishness, for what Edwards the 1st and 3rd did to us puts Scotland in a very bad light.
  4. Big Oil had had its day. North sea Oil is running out, and the proceeds have either been spent or invested in the American economy. How do we get our hands on that? You can see why petrol is so dear, the countries that produce it are making hay before it goes altogether.
  5. Norway and Switzerland may be formally outside the EU, but they still pay their whack towards it.
  6. I am pretty sure that we would have to renegotiate our membership of the EU, and surely that would have to be part of any referendum on independence too, judging by some of the contents here. We would thus potentially leave both the UK and the EU.
  What is Scotland's economic potential as a member of none of the local trading blocs? The multinational screwdriver plants would surely move elsewhere, then what is left?
  The southern English economy is heavily weighted to participating in Europe, where would Scotland go?
  Incidentally, Scotland leaving the UK would give England the perfect opportunity to also withdraw from the EU, should that really be the plan.

• 544. Thomas - Scotland, Aberdeen

  Monday, March 31, 2008 17:03

  Independence all the way.
  
  A chance to argue for Scots best interests without relying on a Unionist Government to provide the backing.
  
  Will we be in Europe? My guess is that we would. But we will have to Scots respresenting Scotland and they WILL put Scots interests first.
  
  Can you not all see that?
  
  Can you all not see that for once Scots who were raised and breed in Scotland will have a say on how we operate in future.
  
  Down south the voices of the Scots are overwhelmed by the many more voices of the English.
  
  They are not bad people but at the end of the day they have different interests to Scotland and some still think of Scotland as being incapable of looking after herself.
  
  Every country operates best differently and it is up to the Scots to decide how we operate and how we are best to operate in future Independent.
  
  

• 545. trevor swistchew - edinburgh

  Monday, March 31, 2008 22:46

  Every nation on earth has the right to be free.
  Scotland is of course a nation on earth.
  Scotland has the right to be free.
  What do the people want?

• 546. PMK - Ayrshire

  Tuesday, April 1, 2008 13:37

  The unionists are ensuring their eventual defeat by denying a referendum. The longer they do so, the weaker their case becomes!

• 547. Neil Anderson - Glasgow

  Thursday, April 3, 2008 19:01

  I would like to say even though many regard me as a Unionist for supporting Labour and not totally oppossed to independence. In fact I would like more powers to be devolved to Scotland for the reason that I am not convinced that independence will make Scotland a more prosperous nation because our nation is officially the 'sick man in europe'. Nationalists argue that independence will mean Scotland is free however although Im a 100% proud to be Scottish I am also proud to be British. In addition Scotland seems to be extremely divided over the issue of independence for the reason that people who support the notion of independence live in the more northern and rural areas of Scotland. Whereas in contrast most people who live in Scotland's largest city the place where I have lived for all of my life do not support independence as Glasgow is an extremely successful major British as well as Scottish City.
  
  My argument is that how can Scotland be independent when most citizens of the largest city are oppossed to independence. The fact of the matter is that without Glasgow's existence Scotland would not be the nation that it is. Maybe the nationalists and anyone else living outside Glasgow and the rest of Scotland should bear this in mind. We should become independent when the whole nation supports it.
  

• 548. Thomas Porter - Scotland, Aberdeen

  Friday, April 4, 2008 12:34

  Neil Anderson - Glasgow
  
  Please do not post such nonesense.
  
  The majority of Glasgow are against Independence?
  
  Where have you witnessed these results?
  
  The UK have failed to change Glasgow. Glasgow is the knife capital of Europe.
  
  The UK has failed. Are you now going to speak of unity and together we can overcome anything?
  
  The day Scotland becomes Independence is the day we are able to push for ways to combat OUR problems.
  
  The problems that the UK-Govern ignores.
  
  Glasgow is no longer in its prime. Once you realise that maybe then you will see that we need change.

• 549. Trevor Swistchew - Edinburgh

  Saturday, April 5, 2008 13:29

  I like the site it gives anyone in Scotland the opportunity to have their say on the future of this nation.One post seems to think Scotland is too small for Independence but Lictenstein with only 100000 of a population is Independent does it matter if a nation is only wee?Unionist politicians have ruled for nearly 300 years without bringing equality to the United Kingdom.Who would dare say that Scotland gets a fair deal when the nation needs over 100 thousand homes now just to meet the present need?I know many people feel a connection to the Union that is true but if the Unionist politicians had fought for the economic growth and invested oil profits like Norway did Scotland would have prospered.People in Scotland have to ask permission from London to spend money addressing Scotlands economic matters John Swinney recently had to ask the Westminster Parliament for increases in revenue to address the prison issue.Housing in Scotland is provided by Councils through the Regeneration Division within the Government of Scotland but the Funds still have to be approved by London.It was like that before Devolution and it is that way NOW. Scotland deserves far more than second class.Unionists for years frightened Scotland with tales of ruin and poverty if Scotland chose freedom.Logically then all small nations must be poor are they? look around wake up smell the coffee.There are people who say in a Global Village world small nations must be joined onto bigger ones.Fine if that is what people in the nations want but in this nation people in Scotland have the legal right to choose.Cherish your rights for in many other nations there are no rights except the right to die from want.Independent Scotland will challenge global poverty and offer another way to look at life.I trust the people of Scotland will open the door to better communication which they have historically done and that the words of Burns will be universally known,"for a that an a that its comin yet for a that.that man to man the world ower shall brothers be for a that"Scotlands Bard was a man of great vision who loved Scotland and freedom.He hated noone but saw that Scotland was a land of people who did not and do not like to be coerced.Unionists did that to Scotland and their time is over.Politically skint still trying to peddle the old lies as before.Well I am not buying it and neither should any other who truly cares about Scotland.People can come on here and try to rubbish the snp but at least they are fighting their corner.Let Scotland truly Flourish.

• 550. Trevor Swistchew - Edinburgh

  Saturday, April 5, 2008 14:08

  In a world where money is King
  where the many look for everything
  where a persons worth is judged by loot
  where the poor get nothing but the boot
  where elderly people are relegated
  to lower incomes and poverty slated
  where only the few can afford the price
  of a luxury lifestyle or a house that is nice
  where the working man is only a slave
  where the rich more wealth than they need do crave
  where infants go hungry every day
  while their leaders laugh and drink and play
  at representing the will of their folk
  while treating the rights of the people as a joke
  where millions call out "it is not fair"
  their words hit ears that do not care
  it is time for those who care to say
  its well past time for equality
  therefore the fight is never done
  until theres enough for everyone
  when none shall sleep out on the street
  nor want for shoes to cover their feet
  nor hunger suffer for want of food
  its time to end inequality for good.
  Forward to Independence.

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