As many of you probably don't know the Scottish Nationalist Party now has a majority in the Scottish Gov't. One of their biggest platforms is a call for Scottish independence. In the short term this might seem like a good idea. Scotland does have the North Sea Oil, after all. Problem is, that's only going to last for about another 10 years. Where does Scotland get their money after that? And if they pull out of GB does that mean they lose EU member status as well (which would be tragic and detrimental to their economy).
I know that Scotland has wanted to be free of the English yoke since Edward I, but come on! I feel like they're only going to hurt themselves here.
Check out part of the SNP's manifesto and tell me what you think about them pulling out of GB.
I agree with a lot of what it says (like pulling out of Iraq), but doesn't some of it sound a little ambitious (cus yeah, they'll be like Norway in no time!)
passionate about independence and equality for our nation.
The 300-year old Union is no longer fit for purpose. It was never designed for the 21st century world. It is well past its sell by date and is holding Scotland back.
The SNP believe Scotland and England should be equal nations – friends and partners - both free to make our own choices.
Scotland can be more successful. Looking around at home and at our near neighbours abroad, more and more Scots believe this too. Independence is the natural state for nations like our own.
Success for Scotland
Scotland has the people, the talent and potential to become one of the big success stories of the 21st century. We can match the success of independent Norway – according to the UN the best place in the world to live. We can do as well as independent Ireland, now the fourth most prosperous nation on the planet.
With independence Scotland will be free to flourish and grow. We can give our nation a competitive edge.
Peace and Prosperity
Together we can build a more prosperous nation, a Scotland that is a force for good, a voice for peace in our world.
Free to bring Scottish troops home from Iraq.
Free to remove nuclear weapons from Scotland’s shores.
Free to invest our oil wealth in a fund for future generations.
Peace and prosperity - equality and opportunity.
These are some of the best reasons for independence and why the SNP trust the people of Scotland to decide on independence in a referendum.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I always felt like the Scots were better off as part of the United Kingdom but the SNP makes a good point with the Ireland and Norway examples. I bet an independent Scotland would be a member state of the EU (although they might have to be readmitted and that might take awhile). Maybe Scotland will become part of Euroland.
Hmmm... I wonder if the desire for independence has anything to do with the record oil prices of today? After all, it's not like it costs Scotland more money to get the oil than it did when oil was $30/barrel, except now it's three times that amount.
1. In the Scotland Act 1998, the legislation that created the devolved Scottish Parliament, Oil and Gas are reserved matters as specified in Section D2 of Schedule 5 of that Act. The Scottish Government does not have access to the revenues received by the UK Treasury from the production of oil in the Scottish Sector of the North Sea.
2. The suggestion that the oil is 'only going to last for about another 10 years.' has to be treated with deep scepticism. In the 1970's the British Government continually insisted that the North Sea would be dry by 1980.
3. There is no question of Scotland 'pulling out of GB'. Great Britain was created by the implementation of the Treaty of Union of 1707 between Scotland and England. When Scotland regains its independence Great Britain will cease to exist and the Treaty of Union will effectively have been dissolved.
4. The question of whether or not an independent Scotland would or would not automatically be a member state of the EU is one that will continue until independence (personally I think Scotland will automatically become a member state of the EU - after all Scotland is currently part of the territory of a member state). Let me try to put this question in the context of the United States. If the State of California was to decide to split into two parts would the resultant States (albeit the same territory) be pulling out of the United States? - (I don't think so).
i'm not sure how it would work if soctland pulled out. if they become their own country they might have to reapply for eu member status, nobody is sure what will happen.
and, as far as the oil only lasting for 10 more years, that's not my estimate. that's what the scots are saying. my husband is scottish and his parents and friends are all convinced that that's what they have left.
and let me rephrase. they wouldn't pull out of GB. they would cease to be a member of the united kingdom.
and i do have to say, mr follon, that you know more about this than most scots who are actually voting for the snp. too bad you can't go and educate them.
nola32 I think that there is a widespread misunderstanding about what the United Kingdom really is - even in the United Kingdom. The origin of this misunderstanding goes back to the Union of the Crowns in 1603, which is a misnomer. Here is an extract from the book 'Scotland: The Shaping of a Nation' by Gordon Donaldson (ISBN 0 7153 6904 0, Library of Congress Card Number 74-15792) -
'...on 25 March 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England. It was a purely personal union. There were still two kingdoms, each with its own parliament, administration, church and legal system.'
At her coronation in 1953 at Westminster Abbey the current monarch was crowned as Queen of England, she had to go through a separate procedure, being crowned with the Scottish crown, before she could be Queen of Scots. When Scotland regains its independence it will not cease to be a member of the United Kingdom as that union will continue to exist until the people of Scotland decide otherwise in a referendum. It is only the Treaty of Union of 1707 which the SNP seeks to bring end.
As someone who has been an active member of the SNP for over 33 years I realise just how much control and influence has been exerted by the Labour Party in Scotland to suppress Scottish history. The SNP victory at the Scottish Parliament elections in May this year finally broke the stranglehold on power which the Labour Party has had for 50 years (in some parts of Fife it is nearer 100 years). I recently submitted comments to an item, in the British History 101 blog, the title of which is 'Acts of Union 1707'. This is the URL - http://bh101.wordpress.com/2007/07/19/acts-of-union-1707/.
Post a Comment