Friday, February 7, 2014

Must?

I don't know why the Tories are insisting that Scotland remains part of the UK, it's not like they are loved up there and there would be definite advantages to the Tories for simply telling them to go.
Still we have Cameron using the 'must' word to try and encourage us all to tell the Scots to stay...
Telegraph.
English, Welsh and Northern Irish nationals should all urge Scottish voters to reject independence, David Cameron will say on Friday, exhorting people throughout the UK to join together to “save the most extraordinary country in history”.
The Prime Minister will use a speech to encourage people not to stand idle as the Scots debate independence before their referendum, beseeching them to “do whatever it takes” to maintain the Union.
Before the vote later this year, the rest of the UK should send the message: “We want you to stay”.
Unless the Scots can be persuaded to remain part of the UK, everyone will “wake up in a different country” after the referendum, the Prime Minister will warn.
Personally I reckon the Scots will stay, if only because it's easier to blame the English for all their troubles. However as for encouraging them to stay, I'll do no such thing, this is their decision to make, not mine and if I had a casting vote on them staying or going, it would be bye bye Scotland. Even the Sun tried it on saying that 54% of the UK wanted them to stay, that's not exactly encouraging for what Cameron believes is an extraordinary country. It gets worse when 86% turned around and said we'd be well shot of them if they cost us any more money to bribe them to stay.
So it's up to the Scots, not the rest of us, I rather think they'll do well on their own but I might be wrong as their figures are somewhat suspect as to what they'll have if they do leave and I rather expect the rest of the UK will want them to take their fair share of UK debt with them. Nor do I believe they'll like the cost attachment for paying back the UK investment in North Sea oil come to that.
Still it may be that Cameron is playing a double bluff here by encouraging them to stay knowing what the vast majority of Scots think about Tories. It might just be that he wants them to go and that's the best way he can think of to make sure they do...

3 annotations:

Anonymous said...

Cameron is the son of a Scot, Brown was a Scot, Blair was a Scot.

Independence from whom?

Kath Lissenden said...

My husband is a Scot, we live in the UK but intend eventually to return to Scotland.
Salmond is a clever man, but not in a good way he is very twisted and has his own agenda.
I don't know what the Scots will do. what I do know is that Scots not currently living in Scotland will have no say in the vote, however foreign nationals residing in Scotland will, personally I believe this is an attempt to swing the vote in favour of the Yes, as Salmond and his ilk's thinking is that Scots living in England want to remain part of the UK, which is actually utter nonsense.
Of course Salmond is brushing over some of the most burning questions with rhetoric and his constant attempts to get Camoron to debate with him over Scotland are silly, he needs to stop.
However I do see the point that debating Alastair Darling (who heads the NO campaign) is a bit of a waste of time as he is not even in the political party in power so is unable to speak for the government at all.
To me that is a strong indicator of how Camoron thinks the vote will go, as he is really not taking it very seriously.
I do wonder will Scots living outside any newly formed independent Scotland (IF it were to happen) have to apply for Scottish citizenship and will they have to have a passport, also applied for from Scotland if they want to retain their Scottish birth right.

Kath Lissenden said...

I should also mention that Camoron is very worried about oil revenue and trident if there were to be a yes vote, it would make things very sticky in many areas.
Salmond's figures are at best highly suspect and at worst fantasy, as are his comments about the EU and what would happen to Scotland within the EU framework.