Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Salmond's Plan B

In all probability, the SNP government's Independence Referendum bill, due to be published in two weeks, will be voted down- there simply isn't a majority in the Assembly at present and Salmond is fly enough to now that, even if it were to take place, the results of such a referendum could well deliver the final death knell for Scottish independence.

So, up comes Plan B:

But MSPs from all parties say that with the question of independence out of the way, they could find a consensus about whether or not to add powers to the devolved Parliament.

The power grab, set to be discussed at an all-party constitutional convention, would leave the UK government effectively stripped of responsibility for Scotland and confined instead to a few policy areas, such as defence and foreign affairs.


Power-grab, even without the ""s is the worrying expression here.
Westminster devolves all powers, except defence and foreign affairs( and even in those two areas Salmond has been making bellicose noises) - it's independence by stealth, presumably subsidised by the rest of the UK's taxpayers.

A senior Conservative source added qualified support, saying: "Provided this did not become a Nationalist Trojan horse, and that it was a cross-party venture, then we would see this as a sensible way of taking things forward

Of course it's a Nationalist Trojan Horse, you silly man; do you really think the Union will be strengthened by the transfer of almost everything to Salmond's grubby mitts?

No comments: