Should Scotland Devolve Completely?

If the SNP thought they could win a referendum then they would call it. Cowards pretending that their recent successes where because of a desire for a Independent Scotland when it wasn't.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Damien

If the SNP thought they could win a referendum then they would call it. Cowards pretending that their recent successes where because of a desire for a Independent Scotland when it wasn't.

Erm they do want to. They don't however have a majority in Holyrood and would need the backing of other parties who have told them to sling their hooks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8336726.stm

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott has ruled out supporting a referendum on Scottish independence before the next Holyrood elections.

Originally Posted by Derek S

Erm they do want to. They don't however have a majority in Holyrood and would need the backing of other parties who have told them to sling their hooks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8336726.stm

Opps

[Derek]

It would be nice to have one so we could finally tell the SNP that full independence isn't wanted but I don't trust the politicians not to load the question and get a yes vote.

Originally Posted by Damien

Opps

Sweat not, it's only the same misconception that makes a lot of people in England assume Scotland is on the verge of jumping ship. The SNP runs the executive in Edinburgh because it's the single biggest party in the Scottish Parliament, but it is a long, long way from holding an outright majority and had only 32.9% of the vote at the 2007 Holyrood elections (Labour got 32.2% and has one seat fewer). And that, largely, is due to disaffection with Labour coupled with a long term dislike of Tories, rather than any upswelling of nationalist fervour.

Scotland isn't going to be leaving the Union at any time in the forseeable future.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Derek S

You do know by doing that he'd still be in charge down there and we'd be rid of him.

Devolved powers to the regions - Yes.
Complete independance - No.

Of course, I think we all know that Brown's going to cling to power down here for as long as possible - hopefully that will only be until the next election. After Scottish devolution, however, he and his grubby party would have lost all the Scottish seats (including his own) they've tended to rely upon as safe and a virtually guaranteed buffer between them and the other parties. Brown would then of course be free to tout his dubious political skills in the devolved state north of the Border but somehow I don't see the 'saviour of the world' doing that....

[Russ]

That's conjecture. English MPs DO have a say in what happens in Wales.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

Would be a solution to the West Lothian Question

Why do you think I'd happily vote for devloution in Scotland Come on Alex, give us English the right to help you get what you want..

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Russ

That's conjecture. English MPs DO have a say in what happens in Wales.

Thats because Wales is just another county of England.

Seriously I can't see any argument for English/Welsh only laws being voted on by Scottish MP's.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Russ

That's conjecture. English MPs DO have a say in what happens in Wales.

I think the point being made is that these MP's can still have influence on certain matters in England which their English counterparts don't now have with respect to the rest of the UK.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Derek S

Thats because Wales is just another county of England.

Ah yes, that county with the free prescriptions and hospital parking

Originally Posted by Osem

I think the point being made is that these MP's can still have influence on certain matters in England which their English counterparts don't now have with respect to the rest of the UK.

Do you actually understand the rights and powers of the Welsh Assembly? They're little more than a town council. Your MPs still have a say in the majority of Welsh affairs.

[stewart28]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Complete independance for all, stop giving Englands money to them and stop overseas aid while we are at it till we get ourselves sorted out financially.....

its us who give you the money!!!

where do you think your oil comes from.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Russ

Do you actually understand the rights and powers of the Welsh Assembly? They're little more than a town council. Your MPs still have a say in the majority of Welsh affairs.

Yes I do thanks. I didn't claim that, in the case of Wales, the difference in powers is enormous (or on the scale of what applies in Scotland), just that there is a difference in powers and that's what the poster was referring to.

Originally Posted by stewart28

where do you think your oil comes from.

It comes from a part of the North Sea that is the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom. The international conventions that govern territorial waters, rights over the continental shelf and establishment of national maritime boundaries have all come into existence relatively recently, and none of them existed before the UK did.

'Scotland's oil' is just nationalist propaganda.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Chris

It comes from a part of the North Sea that is the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom. The international conventions that govern territorial waters, rights over the continental shelf and establishment of national maritime boundaries have all come into existence relatively recently, and none of them existed before the UK did.

'Scotland's oil' is just nationalist propaganda.

So it's the "UK's oil" as opposed to England's or Scotland's?

---------- Post added at 12:12 ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 ----------

Originally Posted by Osem

Yes I do thanks. I didn't claim that, in the case of Wales, the difference in powers is enormous (or on the scale of what applies in Scotland), just that there is a difference in powers and that's what the poster was referring to.

It doesn't make sense though. The suggestion that Welsh MPs in Westminster can influence English affairs while the reverse cannot happen is totally false.