This referendum stuff

Am I right in thinking that the opposition can’t lodge a bill on a subject that the Government already intends on lodging a bill on? If that’s the case, does that mean that the pro independence Wendy Alexander and her beleaguered troops will have to support the SNP bill on an independence referendum? You really couldn’t make it up.

Yesterday in el Parly, Wendy hosted a press conference on her pro independence stance but is unable to answer a few simple questions.

1. Does she favour a simple yes or no question in an independence referendum or a multi question option?

2. If it’s the former, what is the point in the Calman commission?

3. When does she intend on lodging this bill? Now? 12 months? 2010?

Response to Iain Dale

Here you go Tartan Hero, my thoughts. (I'm doing an awful lot of requests these days)

Have just got round to reading Dale's column in today's Daily Telegraph, a column that can be viewed here.

Dale argues that the Scottish Tories made a mistake in aligning themselves with Labour and the Lib Dems and should instead be putting it to the people to decide on independence, similar arguments are made today by Brian Monteith in his weekly column in the Edinburgh Evening News, which can be viewed here.

There are many arguments in favour of letting the people vote and I fully agree with Iain Dale when he says that the no vote would win comfortably in such a referendum but all along the Scottish Conservatives have said they will not support the idea of an independence referendum and it's a bit of consistency from the three parties in saying they will not support a referendum.

Do the Nats want the whole of the UK to vote on this proposed constitutional break-up?

I haven't really heard of many people up in arms about this so far, it only seems to be the Nat bloggers that are up in arms...

Response to Conversation

Here you go Jeff, my thoughts!!

As everyone that reads this will be aware on Monday Alex Salmond launched the white paper on the independence referendum.

There has been quite a bit of hostility towards what the three unionist parties outlined in the joint statement and while I haven't discussed it before, either personally or on this blog, I thought I would give my thoughts on the statement released on Monday.

Before I go on, SNP tactical voter lays out, what I believe, to be a fine set of arguments which can be viewed here. It's well worth a look.

Right, so we knew all along that in his first 100 days Salmond would launch this white paper and there was various commentators from all sides giving arguments for and against a referendum.

I, as a Unionist, am of course very much against the idea of an independent Scotland, it goes without saying, I am merely mentioning it to pad out this article a bit. Over at SNP tactical voting, two of the three parts of the Unionist coalition argument that are highlighted are:

"We will listen, but we fear this will be less of a conversation than a one-way megaphone."

"The SNP is squandering taxpayers' money in pursuit of their own narrow and failed agenda."

Frankly, I have to agree with both points highlighted here. All three parties stated pre election that they would not entertain the idea of a referendum and the Nat spin doctors can pump out the "it's not very democratic" nonsense as much as they like, but let's face it, the electorate democratically voted for the three parties who were opposed to independence, hell, the three unionist parties total 79 of the 129 MSPs which ultimately would comfortably defeat the SNP in a vote over a referendum with the 47 Nat MSPs gaining the support of the two Greens and I would imagine Margo but who knows, she couldn't bring herself to vote for the Salmond for FM. This white paper is a waste of taxpayers money with the likelyhood of it being voted through non existent.

All three parties are in favour of a discussion for more powers to be devolved to the Parliament but not for independence, a view highlighted best with this quote:

"We are willing to enter into debate jointly about the way in which devolution within the UK can best develop in the years to come and we believe that colleagues in Westminster have a role to play in that debate."

I personally agree fully with the statement that was released jointly on Monday.

Is the white paper on independence a waste of money?

Ultimately, yes it is.

Look at it this way, Alex Salmond has promised this white paper so will deliver it within the first 100 days. This white paper will be a complete waste of both civil servant time and public money as this white paper will be defeated.

Voting yes will be the Nats, Margo and the Greens while Labour, The Tories and the Lib Dems will vote no which is 50 vs 79, a clear victory for the Unionist Parties. This result will cause a great deal of anger in the Nat ranks with many being confused as to why Scotland didn't just become independent as soon as Alex got the keys to Bute house.

Salmond might be still trying to convince the people of Scotland that they are on the brink of the independence he craves but soon his plans will be shot down in flames.