I've been unable to see much of the SNP conference in Inverness, but I've kept up with the goings-on as much as possible.
Yesterday Angus MacLeod reported in the Sunday Times that a split had emerged at the top of the SNP over whether there should be a referendum on an independent Scotland joining the euro. At long last I thought - a political party which debates matters. Having watched some of the unionist parties conference broadcasts, it was tedious, wearisome and most of the time downright uninteresting.
Will has attended the conference and denies there was any argument. What a shame, because I think the SNP policy of insisting on becoming a full member of the EU once we are independent should be revisited. Too much has happened since the last referendum on the Common Market and we are falling into being part of a vastly bureaucratic European superstate.
I would prefer if we examined, for example, the Norwegian and Swiss positions regarding Europe, as the present EU is a far cry from what we were originally sold by our politicians.
Since the SNP has voted, very sensibly, for a referendum on joining the Euro, perhaps the debate will widen during the referendum campaigning. I can but hope can't I?
To start the ball rolling the following, sent to me by one of my readers, is a comment from Fraser Nelson's blog (I admit as yet I've not read the Lisbon Treaty so at present I can't give a response to it):
drakes drum
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Rob C. I read with interest your contributions. You are obviously an intelligent man so I pose to you this.
Cameron has won the general election. Unfortunately the Lisbon Treaty has been ratified as the Czech President signed the documentation some months before the general election.
Cameron, during the campaign promised that he would re-negotiate certain parts of the treaty and people believed him.
At the first meeting of the Heads of Government which is presided by the new President of the European Union, Anthony Blair, Cameron is told in no uncertain terms that he cannot re-negotiate anything.
He is reminded that all former nations are now citizens of the United States of Europe and if Cameron continues to cause problems he will be refused permission to attend any future 'Heads of Local Administrations' meetings (as the new body has been re-named!) President Blair may call. He will also be told he will not have a seat in President Blair's Cabinet.
He is reminded that the EU has the authority, signed by Her Majesty the Queen after Prime Minister Brown had signed the Treaty, to force a local general election in the former United Kingdom to be held, and because of their opposition to the EU the Conservative Party, Ukip, BNP, are all banned from standing in that election!
Far fetched? read the EU Constitution as allegedly ammended by the Lisbon Treay!!
I believe that you, Rob C, like so many people have been conned by Cameron and both Labour and Liberal Democrat Parties.
Once the Czech's sign then our fate is sealed and nothing can be changed! End of story. End of England.