“The Westminster parties are practising a cruel deceit — pretending to support change, while opposing the smallest degree of progress.” - Mike Russell SNP MSP.
The Scottish tories and the other unionist parties are playing games with Scotland in the wake of the Calman report. David Cameron has decided a future tory government would have more important priorities, such as rebuilding the UK economy and getting public finance in order, than re-opening the Scotland Act.
This means the recommendations of Calman will be shelved until 2015 at the earliest.
Cameron is also said to be unwilling to give MSPs greater power to cut taxes until the Barnett formula is replaced with a needs-based system. So when will he begin to consider a needs-based system? I suggest possibly sometime after 2015.
He is also wary of creating circumstances in which Scotland could opt to introduce lower taxes because he doe not want to upset English voters.
Labour are now saying they won't implement the Calman drink-driving recommendation before the next Westminster election.
The libdems have not said anything this weekend, they'll be doing their usual fence sitting I presume.
So, an expensive commission was set up by the unionists and it looks as if it may well be out of date before the unionists consider any of the proposals.
A cruel deceit to the Scottish people right enough.
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16 comments:
I sense a period of fierce hand to hand combat in the near future.
Bring it on.
I see that LibDum guy with the great honker is on the tele pontificating that people who had their telephones hacked could pursue legal redress in Scotland, if they were Scottish, could have been in Scotland, if their Granny had a pint of McEwans Export etc.
What about the Calman stitch-up you fence perching bird you!
Well it's certainly dented the tories' chances of getting more votes bugger lugs.
That wouldn't be the man who represents Shetland by any chance bugger lugs?
Of course they'll sit on the fence, they always do.
Cut taxes? Have I missed something? The biggest recession in years with Scotland having a bigger than average public sector and somebody's talking about cutting taxes?
Ok, I've been busy with other things lately. Has somebody seriously been talking about tax cuts?
Hello Alan, good to see you.
The tories were talking about tax cuts not so long ago but now they're suggesting, if Calman is implimented, Scotland would cut taxes.
Like you I must have missed that bit from the SNP government.
If Calman is to be ignored, could Gordon Brown please refund the monies that it cost us to pay for it all?
Whenever he sees a report that doesn't completely agree with what he thinks should be done, he scraps it.
Time after time, regardless of how much it costs for the time of all these Lords and Sirs and what have yous.
This time it's Scottish pocket money he's been spending. Give it back you big ugly bully!
Just so you're aware of where I'm coming from - I have no particular axe to grind over independence. I favour local government where possible, but not multi-layered government. So for me the question of independence is one for a referendum and I'll be happy with whatever the majority decision is.
However, I'm not entirely comfortable with the SNP's route to independence. Having failed to win the argument in Scotland, they've resorted to stirring up resentment in England. The so-called free health care for pensioners is an illusion with barely anyone actually qualifying for it. The abolishment of student fees hasn't led to a lessening of student debt from those I've talked to. But they are two policies widely trumpeted in England as Scots being free and easy with tax money. They've provided many a column inch for the Daily Mail to whip up English outrage. Given that they've had a negligible impact in Scotland, a cynic might think that was the real intention.
So Sunny D is probably right to be wary of giving Salmond an opportunity to stir the pot a bit more. As I said earlier, it would be crazy for any politician to be talking about tax cuts in the present economic climate but it's the kind of thing that Salmond might do to wind up the sense of English outrage and hell mend the consequences for Scots. What are a few extra cuts in public services if Salmond can fester the Scottish victim mentality a little more?
There are other planks of SNP policy I'm not convinced of. They're wedded to the EU for one, which makes a nonsense of their raison d'etre. A union of four countries can't work but a union of twenty eight will? How will 6 MEPs have a stronger voice than 72?
For me, an independent Scotland would be far better joining up with Switzerland, Norway & others in their economic alliance - working with the EU when it suits them but retaining sovereignty and control over key issues. What's the point of achieving independence after 300 years then instantly signing it away to Brussels?
Tris, many of us knew Calman was a front to attempt to counteract the National Conversation, but still we hoped something would come out of it.
It's just been an expensive distraction and you're right, Westminster should pay.
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Westminster will pay, big time.
Bugger lugs, I don't want anyone to pay more then they're due. Fairness is the name of the game, but I doubt if that's a word which Westminster would associate with Scotland.
I suspect Cameron doesn't really care what happens here. With litle prospect of getting to double figures in Scotland, we can't really punish them any more than we already had.
However if the SNP turn the next Westminster Election into a defacto referendum on the union, Cameron will have to play his cards.
I think that may well be the scenario Allan. The SNP have to play it that way don't you think?
Post devolution, i would have thought the SNP would have run their Westminster Campaigns as referendums on the Union. They might not get the 30 seats required to force independence talks, but it would provide debate, and take the focus away from English issues (which dominate Westminster Elections now anyway)
Yes Allan it surprised me too but it seems the 'steady as you go' group won in this regard and decided it was better to show an ability for good governance first.
They've done that so I'm hoping for some real debate now.
Aye Allan, DC may well have shot himself in the foot here. Certainly he hasn't done the tories any good - even the true blue ones I know.
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