Independence? That's Just for Foreigners!
Democratic self-determination based on a clear electoral mandate from the Scottish people?
Bunkum & Balderdash I say!
What an interesting day in Scottish and UK politics, when a well planned attack on the SNP plans for independence had to be rapidly re-spun, when the Tory/Lib UK coalition realised they had made a fundamental mistake; they used an English politician to attack the Scottish Government. I was fascinated to watch as the media initially took the UK line, then gradually started questioning the validity of posh Englishman Cameron picking on the Scottish nation, particularly when Salmond refused to take the bait and allowed his deputy Nicola Sturgeon to 'stand up for Scotland' (literally, unlike the Carwyn version). Then came the panic and out came the Scottish based coalition politicians, to back Cameron's line. To be fair, this changed the tone of the media, but the damage was done 'north of the border'.
Nichola Sturgeon sank Cameron with her first salvo, questioning how was it acceptable for a party with just one Scottish MP, to dictate to the Scottish Government how to interpret its own policy; a policy that had been clearly stated prior to an election then promptly supported by the majority of Scotland. The statistical fact that Scotland has more pandas than Tory MPs, was then used with some justification by Scottish Government representatives.
More Common Than Scottish Tory MPs, 'North of the Border'
The UK Statists have one major flaw; they don't like each other much and apart from war, never work together. I believe that it will literally take a 'war mentality' for the Tories, Libs and Labour to get together and work in tandem, to defeat the SNP's plans for a self governing Scotland. Yet, I would not put it past them because the stakes are so high. So, this is the first of many attacks that will occur on the SNP and Scotland and it remains to be seen if the Scots can be scared into keeping the status quo. I suspect that it really depends which side is more scared of change.
I must admit it’s been rather an interesting few days. Not only has Cameron come across as high handed in his attitude to Scotland but this morning’s newspapers have been warned him to ‘tread carefully’ except, of course the Telegraph - but what else might you expect of this paper? The damage has been done north of the border. I hope that he has found himself in a hole and is silly enough to keep digging.
ReplyDeleteI was interested to note that the plans for the new proposed high speed train link are being put forward today. It will only go as far as Birmingham. Clearly anywhere to the north of Birmingham is of little interest to this London-centric government.
Later today we are going to hear what plans Labour have for our future. All indications predict it will promise little more than belt tightening and some minor plans for wealth redistribution. Certainly nothing radical will be proposed and Wales would once more be at the bottom of the pile should we not be independent by the time Labour gets back in to government in London (if ever).
On a different point which to some extent is linked with the above. Obviously Scottish oil is one of the reasons why Cameron et al want to hold on to Scotland. But there is a new technology on the horizon which could the Welsh equivalent of Scottish Oil, i.e. ‘coal gasification’. Licences have been granted for pilot studies in 18 locations around England and Wales, one is being undertaken in Swansea Bay whilst most other sites are in the North of England.
This technology would enable our coal resources to be accessed and the energy produced would be much cheaper than any other form.....the question, of course is who should own it? Will Wales be asset stripped once more? The point I’m making here is that Wales is sitting on massive coal resources which could finance us in the initial phases of our independence. Should this technology become fully developed we would be a very rich little country. I note that the South-East of England has only one pilot, in the Thames estuary linked to the Kent coalfield. The rest are mostly linked to the coal fields of the North East.
Maybe it will dawn on our good friends in the North that they ought to start considering their future links with the asset hungry South-East of England.