Below you will find the response I have sent to the UK Government's Scotland Office in answer to their public consultation exercise on Scotland's constitutional future.
The e-mail address is: reply@scotlandoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Feel free to cut and paste any parts of the below response.
I strongly encourage you to make a response, whether like me, you are a defender of the Union, or you wish to see Scottish independence. Get your voice heard.
In response to the consultation exercise conducted by the Scotland Office of the UK Government, I offer the following:
Date of Referendum
I believe that the referendum should be held at the earliest possible opportunity. Given that the referendum on the devolution of powers to the Scottish Parliament was started by the UK Government, following the election of Labour in May 1997 and was concluded by September 1997 with the questions framed, organization and administration established and functioning and, the count made and declared. We have missed the opportunity to conduct the referendum alongside local elections in May but I believe this could be conducted and completed by end of October 2012. In order to promote the fullest possible participation, I suggest that the polling day be a national holiday in Scotland.
The Question
This can only require a simple Yes or No response. Nationalist parties in Scotland posit that there is such a clamour for independence for Scotland, from the United Kingdom and as such clarity is called for.
- Do you want the Scottish Parliament to enter into negotiations with the government of the United Kingdom, to lead to Scotland seceding from the United Kingdom and conclude an equitable distribution of assets and liabilities, to effect the same?
The Electorate
Use the same criteria as apply in all Local Authority, Scottish, General and European elections, within the UK and within Scotland. That is, those on the latest electoral register within Scottish constituencies. Explicitly, the franchise not to be extended to those not currently qualified nor to exclude any persons on the basis of their country of birth.
Authority and Administration
The authority to conduct any referendum on independence, clearly rest with the UK Parliament. It follows that this would also apply to the question to be asked and the 'terms and conditions', including the timing of such a referendum. As a consideration to the Scottish Parliament, I suggest that a short parliamentary bill be proposed and passed that devolves this power, for a single instance, to the Scottish parliament for the Referendum to be held under the administrative auspices of the Electoral Commission.
The Question and Devo-Max
As stated earlier, my view is that the position to be put before the electorate of Scotland should be a simple Yes or No question. The issues surrounding so called 'Devo-Max', which include a suggestion to significantly increase the powers of the Scottish Parliament, create an impact on the whole of the United Kingdom and as such, can only be addressed through the forum of the UK-wide electorate.
I submit the foregoing on the basis that my views are not confidential and should the Scotland Office wish to publish them, then they are free to do so.
Tom, Thanks for your continued efforts to break the 1000 year tyrannical grip over Scotland from London more quickly than is currently scheduled. However, we can wait another two years.
ReplyDeleteSince the Union has only been in existence for just over 300 years, I am not sure where you are coming from with the 1,000 years.
ReplyDeleteI haven't yet heard anyone explain why something like the initial Scottish Referendum can take 5 months to complete but this one is going to take 2 1/2 years. Of course, the UK organized the last one and the suggestion is that the Scottish Parliament are organizing this one. Maybe that has something to do with it? Didn't the Scottish Parliament building also arrive late (and VERY significantly over budget)?
I want haste so that the UK can concentrate on the real issues facing us, in the 21st century rather than being distracted by romantic delusions from the past.
It's hard to see how we vote on such a major issue in a short space of time with little time to understand the implications and have a meaningful debate. For example, how of the national debt will Scotland get, what currency will we use, who will be responsible for setting Scottish interest rates, will we join the EU, what happens to the revenues from the oil and gas assets off Scottish waters and will their be a Scottish defence force?
ReplyDeleteHow can we be asked to vote on independence if we aren't in full possession of the implications.
People were asked to vote on the referendum which established the Scottish Parliament without knowing all they they were getting into.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I doubt that the answers, to the very valid questions that you pose, will be forthcoming prior to the Referendum. I don't think Alex wants them because they may cause Scots voters to say 'well maybe this might not be such a good deal'. The non-answers around these questions suggest the usual SNP arrogance on the issue.
So, SNP, what about the currency after a Yes vote?
"Well we will just use Sterling and of course that means we will have to have representatives on the Bank of England."
Like that will happen. Why would the rest of the UK have someone from outside the UK who chooses (your an independent country, remember) interfering in our currency? If we wanted that we could join the Euro disaster and be told what to do by Germany and have them impose non-elected governments!!
I have posted elsewhere on here about the divying up of the National Debt. You might want to explore the site.