The Second Scottish Independence Referendum Norman Harris gives us his thoughts on the Scottish Independence Referendum The second Scottish Independence Referendum is now at the top of the agenda of the SNP. Just like the Tories with a 2020 focus on Brexit, the SNP has the almost single focus of Independence. Yet the party is currently in turmoil.
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he impacts of Brexit on the Union are now beginning. Scotland leads in the demands for independence (they voted against Brexit). Border complications in Northern Ireland could result in a united Ireland and Wales has a Nationalist party. Gordon Brown spoke on 25 Jan to news outlets on why the public has lost trust in how the UK is run and he outlined what should be done, basically more power to regional and national assemblies. We can have too many politicians per capita! The Economist on page 19 of their 30 Jan issue indicated many of the constitutional problems that need to overcome to achieve independence but did not discuss what I outline below.
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SNP has 61 out of 129 seats in the Edinburgh Parliament, they only need 4 more for an absolute majority. A pity Labour handicapped themselves by voting for Boris’s EU Deal. Labour should have abstained on the final EU vote, that action would not have meant a disastrous NO DEAL and the vote should have been left as an entirely Tory deal. By abstaining may have helped Labour in the Scottish elections, nearer to achieving second place in the Scottish Parliament. We can be certain that there will be as many lies in the Scottish Independence Referendum debate and there were in the Brexit debate. Scotland gets more per head out of the UK tax purse than any other region. They will have to make this up from their own taxes for their unique and expensive policies on elderly care and free higher education. With Independence, Scotland would have to decide on a currency and a taxation policy to take over all functions of that remain with the UK government. Defence locations in Scotland are seen as a problem and will need to be repatriated to the remaining UK. Is that a huge problem?
LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE
Barrow in Furness make the submarines and I think The Shetlands (no fan of Edinburgh) may accept the revenue from a RAF air defence and surveillance station. There will of course be a capital cost to the UK, but also a revenue loss to Scotland. When the Scots call for a second Referendum, Boris should not reject it. Instead, if it is possible that even he has learned from Brexit, he should insist that the margin for leave should be stated, say at least 60% in favour with a 60% turnout and that there can no repeat of the exercise for at least 15 years. The Scots legitimate desire to rejoin the EU may well be rejected by the EU because of the border with England. Arguably a more difficult border than in Ireland., where there is a chance that it will disappear in time. If the Scottish people know the facts and still want to separate from the rest of the UK, then let them get on with it. I wish them well. But they should note the squabbles within the SNP their governing party. As a footnote, Gavin Esler, broadcaster, and author in his book “How Britain Ends” published by Head of Zeus postulates that even now it is too late to save the Union. www.lancmag.com
