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Playing into SNP's hands



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The splendid array of talent that makes up the Calman Commission on the constitution (your report, 29 April) must really be on a hiding to nothing. It is difficult to see how the SNP can possibly lose politically when its findings are eventually published.
If Calman recommends a transfer of powers from Holyrood to Westminster, it will be treated with derision. If it recommends the status quo should prevail, it will be accused of a lack of imagination. If it recommends a limited increase in powers for t
he Scottish Parliament, this will be attributed to unionist influence on the commission. If it recommends a major increase in powers, this will play right into Alex Salmond's hands.

The lack of business and academic expertise on the body is significant, as is the lack of personnel sympathetic to independence. So, too, is Sir Kenneth's remark that public reports are not always welcomed, or acted upon, by governments.

The timing of the report's publication in relation to the next Westminster election could be crucial. Publication of the Kilbrandon report in 1973 helped prompt a wave of sympathy for the nationalist cause. Whatever Calman recommends is likely to help the SNP towards its aim of 20 seats in the UK parliament, and a chance to advance its aims by holding the balance of power there.

BOB TAYLOR

Shiel Court

Glenrothes, Fife





The full article contains 231 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 30 April 2008 8:10 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Mr. Lachie Todd,

Edinburgh 01/05/2008 08:36:22
The outcome of the Calman Report will have little bearing on the result of the next General Election in Scotland?

To many thousands of Scots, the alarming prospect of a Tory victory in England only serves to remind them of the indigenous party's maladministration at the end of the 20th Century, and will undoubtedly drive many Unionist voters into the hands of the Nationalists!

2

Upbeat,

01/05/2008 11:47:21
This has been pointed out to Mr Todd before.

Things have moved on, while Mr Todd has not.

Those people who head up the Tory party today are a new generation . They may have inherited the party that Mr Todd, in earlier years ,learned to dislike, but this does not imply that the political views of todays Tories would in effect be anything like those of their predecessors. The last Tory administration were themselves a reflection of the state of the economy back then. The British economy was something they put right, causing much pain to the overmanned and uneconomic areas in the process. But it was this which has enabled Gordon Brown to pontificate at length for the past decade about prudence and stability while all he was doing was living on the investment into the " repair" of the economic machine undertaken by the Tories. It has taken 12 years for the wheels to come off the New Labour wagon.

For this reason it can be jutifiable to call for the "repair" party to return. ?
3

Socrates,

01/05/2008 12:58:26
2# Good points. Well expressed.
4

John PM,

Edinburgh 01/05/2008 13:18:39
#2 and #3 The Tories remain a party of the hard right. The fact they have appointed a grinning left leaning boy to front them and pretend they have changed does not indicate their true nature.

Labour moved to the right to ape the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have joined them in the anti Scottish B.U.M. British Unionist Movement.

The choice then is between a Scottish party of the left and a unionist right wing alliance. That's an easy choice to make.
5

Socrates,

01/05/2008 14:09:04
4# To my mind the only anti-Scottish party is the far right SNP.
Nationalism has always been the complete opposite to socialism. The latter is a border-less creed that seeks to eliminate capitalism wherever in the world that exists.
Nationalism on the other hand seeks to fragment real socialism by erecting borders and encouiraging capitalism within its man-made boundaries.
6

Mikey,

01/05/2008 15:38:33
C'mon Socrates, you have a nerve to talk about minds....

The SNP is far right? Methinks your mind is damaged! I presume you'll be telling us that Liebour is socialist?
7

A Better Way,

Edinburgh 01/05/2008 16:25:07
I think Socrates is a prime example of the Tory Party. He lives in cloud cuckoo land if he believes that the Tories fix anything. Their history to date is Hardship for any that do not live in south england. All the Unionist Parties ie New Labour, Tory and Liberals exercise a closed shop to any outsider that comes along. One of them takes a turn to be followed by the other. Its the same old Magic Roundabout thatis merely focussed on the Southern Part of these Islands.

The SNP is by its very nature, the voice of the Scottish People. The rest are merely part of the London Centric Status Quo. Annabel Goldie has a good Scots accent but no one is fooled by the fact. Watching her on telly grovelling to David Cameron on his rare visit to the cemetry with street lights ( a frequently used title by the Londoners for my Edinburgh), was a sickening site indeed.

As one Westminster politician screamed out when the SNP Parliamentary Leader tried to raise a point of order about Scotland. WHO Cares was his cry followed by giggles and laughter from the subnormals trying to win Brownie Points with their abomination of a leader.

Only Scots can possibly run Scotland, and I am not talking about Unionist Puppets who await their chance for what they see as the Main Show. The Land of Brown Envelopes and expenses to employ their wifes and two sons at our expense. Yes that was a Socrates Tory MP.

The bottom Line is that there has never been a better opportunity to take our Sovereign Powers back. Everyday Oil nudges higher and higher towards that magical 200 dollar mark. That figure gives every Scot the chance to create a society that we can be proud of and more importantly that will be accomplished by Scots for Scots for the Generations to come. Lets not forget that it was the break down of Scottish Society by Unionist Control, that left us with Kids that have no purpose or dreams to strive for. Sure we can blame the parents but most of them are out working because they cannot su
8

A Better Way,

Edinburgh 01/05/2008 16:41:48
Survive on one wage anymore. Food Prices have risen by 50% over the last 5 years. Oil prices have went through the roof. Roadtax is being sneekily increased to lift the costs even higher. Taxes for the Low Paid are being doubled, which is a great encouragement for them, NOT. Hundreds of Billions are being spent in London by Government and others. The Lottery Fund is being diverted to Coes Olympics and all he could quote was that one Scottish Company was actually getting any work. Coes Olympics will mean nothing to Scots, because many of them wont be able to afford to go down to London,especially the minimum wage Scots who are paying double tax.

I do not know anyone who isnt an SNP supporter, and that includes many friends who were once Unionist Voters. I really do not care what polls say and that goes for them that compliment one party or the other. What I do know is that many Scots are better informed than ever before. They are not willing to be left sucking a high one anymore. They know they make a difference and are not afraid to use it for their kids future. The real shock will come at the next opportunity to Vote in an election, and it wont be the Scots that are Shocked, thats for sure. Independance is a reality that has its own momentum now. It is just a matter of time.
9

Martinh,

01/05/2008 17:29:02
#8. I simply don't believe you when you say that you don't know anyone who is not a SNP supporter. If the party is so popular it would now have a mass membership, instead of the 10,000+ it actually has (they will never say). OK the same could be said of all the political parties, and it would be more correct to say that nearly everyone is suspicious of the whole damn lot of them. Nor do I see a gathering momentum for Independence, people are just not interested in politics that much. If I had a pound for everyone who started a conversation saying "If only we had Independence" I'd be living in abject poverty!!
10

Upbeat,

01/05/2008 17:41:55
7 & 8

You gave yourself away when after a long "rant" against all the perceived ills of any other political persuasion - other than the SNP- you then said : " I do not know anyone who isnt an SNP supporter".

Game set and match to the opposition. !

If you really consider that everyone either does support the SNP in Scotland or cannot be a ttryue scot if they don't, you should be sadly disappointed at the next election. It is also very unlikely that should a cross section of people be lined up before you in the street you would be able to pick out or differentiate at first glance which was Scottish by birth, which chose to have a home in Scotland, which were here for their work from elsewhere, and which had chosen Scotland as their holiday destination .

You simply could not tell.

So let's have less of this parochial cringe against things of which you admit you have no up to date modern experience ( eg: "I do not know anyone who isnt an SNP supporter". ) and lets have a open and fair debate about what each party today will represent for the electorate. Not based on 20 year old suspicion and stereotype, but on actual reality, based on policies and ideals outlined in manifesto and party pledges.

Finally to the person above who considered the Tory party to be 'far right'(,# 4. ). There is an obvious need here to really study what is meant by right wind, far right etc, ....actual definitions that exist to define far right political thinking. Neither the Tory party in 2008 nor the SNP -for that matter -are anywhere near to being similar to real far right regimes ( so often dictatorships )around the world. To attempt to pretend that they are can be regarded as spiteful and naive , if not bigotted, wishful thinking.
11

Upbeat,

01/05/2008 17:44:30
Freudian slip : sorry !

" ...what is meant by right wind...."

should read

'wing' .... ;-)

 

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