The Scary Rise of the SNP
In a meteoric change of electoral scenery, all but 3 seats in Scotland are now represented by the Scottish National Party, who have wasted no time in demanding new separatist powers and threatening to demand for a further independence referendum. Will the new Westminster Government meet their demands, or ignore them completely as an irrelevance to the electoral arithmetic of the new parliament? I'm not sure, but I'm concerned. So I wrote to my newly re-elected MP about it.
Dear Mr Goodwill
Please allow me to congratulate you on re-election. I think you know from previous correspondence that there are many matters on which we cannot agree, but on the crucial matter of the economy, I think the Coalition of the last parliamentary term did a respectable job.
I am writing to you now with a major concern about Scottish devolution in the new parliamentary term.
Provisional autopsy results from pre-election opinion polls suggest that many of the electorate decided on their way to the polling booth how they would cast their vote, and that a leading concern was about what deal the Labour party might make with the SNP. So I think I'm probably right in thinking that my concern over what concessions the coming Conservative government will make to the stratospherically strengthened SNP will make in this parliament and even in the coming weeks.
I have always considered my country to be the United Kingdom; and that England, Scotland and Wales are 'countries' only in a historical sense. So the SNP's rise, the independence referendum and feelings made manifest in the referendum campaign, and the close result of the referendum came as a bombshell to me. Scotland and Scottish people are dear to me, and I was much disturbed to discover the vehement passion in Scotland against rUK as represented by their demon "Westminster".
But I have to say that we're either one country, or we're not. If we are one, then we must get equal treatment. I rather regret the promises made by the three party leaders in the closing days of the referendum campaign, and the idea that they may extract further benefits and autonomy from rUK is unacceptable to me... to the extent that if it happened, I would campaign for Scottish Independence myself, and help to dig a channel freeing them from rUK so they could drift off into the deep Atlantic!
I agree with Cameron's stated position that in exchange for "devo-max" we must have a re-alignment of rights and benefits for rUK. Certainly this must mean no Scottish voting in Westminster on issues of devolved power: so far as that could weaken Scots' position and be abused by the Westminster government, it is the price of their own separatist demands. I would go further: I think it's time to review the Barnett formula and stop favourable financial settlements to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Let's have equality in all things and spread resources equally across the UK. No more powers and preferential treatment to Scotland! And no "Northern Assembly in England" (we have quite enough government already!!).
What is your view, my elected representative? Can you assure me that there will be no bowing to the vocal demands of the SNP, whatever their threats; no further devolution than what's already been (inadvisedly) promised, and a realignment of democratic and fiscal equality?
Kind regards
Dear Mr Goodwill
Please allow me to congratulate you on re-election. I think you know from previous correspondence that there are many matters on which we cannot agree, but on the crucial matter of the economy, I think the Coalition of the last parliamentary term did a respectable job.
I am writing to you now with a major concern about Scottish devolution in the new parliamentary term.
Provisional autopsy results from pre-election opinion polls suggest that many of the electorate decided on their way to the polling booth how they would cast their vote, and that a leading concern was about what deal the Labour party might make with the SNP. So I think I'm probably right in thinking that my concern over what concessions the coming Conservative government will make to the stratospherically strengthened SNP will make in this parliament and even in the coming weeks.
I have always considered my country to be the United Kingdom; and that England, Scotland and Wales are 'countries' only in a historical sense. So the SNP's rise, the independence referendum and feelings made manifest in the referendum campaign, and the close result of the referendum came as a bombshell to me. Scotland and Scottish people are dear to me, and I was much disturbed to discover the vehement passion in Scotland against rUK as represented by their demon "Westminster".
But I have to say that we're either one country, or we're not. If we are one, then we must get equal treatment. I rather regret the promises made by the three party leaders in the closing days of the referendum campaign, and the idea that they may extract further benefits and autonomy from rUK is unacceptable to me... to the extent that if it happened, I would campaign for Scottish Independence myself, and help to dig a channel freeing them from rUK so they could drift off into the deep Atlantic!
I agree with Cameron's stated position that in exchange for "devo-max" we must have a re-alignment of rights and benefits for rUK. Certainly this must mean no Scottish voting in Westminster on issues of devolved power: so far as that could weaken Scots' position and be abused by the Westminster government, it is the price of their own separatist demands. I would go further: I think it's time to review the Barnett formula and stop favourable financial settlements to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Let's have equality in all things and spread resources equally across the UK. No more powers and preferential treatment to Scotland! And no "Northern Assembly in England" (we have quite enough government already!!).
What is your view, my elected representative? Can you assure me that there will be no bowing to the vocal demands of the SNP, whatever their threats; no further devolution than what's already been (inadvisedly) promised, and a realignment of democratic and fiscal equality?
Kind regards
posted by Tsuchan at 8:53 am
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