ALEX SALMOND is set to take the biggest gamble of his political career by placing independence at the heart of his bid for a second term of office.Two issues being mangled there by the Express, the Referendum and independence; in Salmond's own words:
The First Minister has conceded his Referendum Bill is "likely" to be defeated at Holyrood and will now build the SNP’s strategy for next year’s Scottish election around the party’s flagship policy. In a frank and revealing interview with the Sunday Express, Mr Salmond said he wants to "let the people decide" at the ballot box if there is an appetite for independence by backing his party.
"I’ve always said that if the other parties don’t pass the bill – and that doesn’t look likely now, does it? – the people will have their say as to whether they want that opportunity in the election next year....i.e. force the issue of a referendum?
"People can take the decision to force the issue.
Whichever of the two issues, there is a gamble at this present economically turbulent time to be making it central focus of the SNP campaign.
But in reality, he hasn't much choice, has he?
Promises on populist increased spending are going to be seen through by the electorate; again, in his own words:
Everybody understands we are moving into financial circumstances the like of which we have never seen before, but we can say we have the answer to part of this problem.More importantly, it appears that Labour in Scotland (through no real effort of their own) now is being regarded by the electorate as the most effective Scottish opposition to the Coalition government at Westminster; a Labour administration at Holyrood coupled with Labour being the official opposition in the UK would be perceived as having more bargaining power.
Leaving only the referendum/independence factor for the SNP to claim as its own.
3 comments:
I give you a wee bit of advice in an earlier thread Oneill regarding being unhappy with party line.
At last we are going to go for it! Fantastic!
The media here is shocking but I can't wait to engage people (outwith my own circle) with the interesting facts that the unionist media do not want them to know.
1) Whilst we wouldn't immediately be stinking rich the potential is there in the medium term........even klutz's like the labour party couldn't fuck up stewardship of our economy.
2) Labour sold them a pup on "vote labour to keep the tories out" despite the fact that every man wummin, wean and their dugs could vote labour but if the English want the tories then that is who we get.
3) The only sure fire way to escape most of the upcoming swingeing cuts is to go for independence.
Sad postcript to this is that a close work pal of my missus had herself commited last week due to the stresses of the impending cuts that are going to fall on them soon.
'there is a gamble at this present economically turbulent time to be making it central focus of the SNP campaign'
I wouldn't completely agree with this. The issue of independence is always a core issue but it is particularly potent at times like this.
It is blatantly clear from the last Westminster elections that the Tories have no mandate to govern Scotland and therefore, although the people of Scotland did not elect the government they will have to suffer the cut backs and neo-liberal policies of that government. Is that Democratic? On a human level is that even fair?
However, independence can never be seen as a stand alone issue. It can only be explained with the effect that it will have on the country economically, culturally and socially. To achieve independence it must be shown that - apart from the fact that at present there is a massive democratic defecit - it will benefit the people of that country as a whole. Personally I think the SNP white paper does that pretty well.
Tony,
"Sad postcript to this is that a close work pal of my missus had herself commited last week due to the stresses of the impending cuts that are going to fall on them soon"
It is a timely reminder what 'restructuring" and the like can mean in human terms. I'd argue that it's the collective fault of the political elite over the last 2decades which didn't take advantage of the good times to push a more entrepreneurial less public-sector orientated economy which would have meant a lot less pain now
...but arguing whose fault it is doesn't really help the lady in question.
Re what both you and Lucas have said, I've a post in the pipeline which argues that the various tightening of the belts in Scotland (wales and NI) may prove advantageous to the SNP,PC etc *if* it means that the public sector dependence is managed away to something like that seen in ctries like in the more economically successful parts of the EU. Off to one of the more successful places (Slovenia) tomorrow, so I'll try to do some kind of report on it when I get back
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