Friday 16 May 2014

If Scots vote NO Cameron will decide why they did so.

Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday "pledged" more devolution for Scotland if it decides to stay part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum.
During a speech in Glasgow, Cameron warned that a "Yes" vote would dash such plans and would instead bring about an "irreversible separation".
"It is important that people in Scotland know what the result of this vote is, it is either a vote that separates Scotland from the United Kingdom in an irreversible way, or a vote that reaffirms Scotland's place within the United Kingdom," he said."It's very important if you want further devolution, the way to get it is a No vote. A Yes vote is an end to devolution."
The prime minister brushed off criticism of the pro-UK "Better Together" campaign and its leader, Labour lawmaker Alistair Darling.
He said the campaign was "bringing together an incredibly diverse range of politicians and voices who all share the same vision, that we're better off together as part of the United Kingdom.
"All parties are committed to looking at further devolution," he insisted."I have a track record of showing respect of the nations of the United Kingdom and achieving devolution so that our family of nations can stay together and find a settlement with which all are comfortable."
Now just a minute there's obviously s a problem here

There will those who vote NO for a number of reasons

  • They want complete Independence  from the UK and the EU
  • They do not want Independence but would like  a federal Britain
  • They would like DevoMax (however it is defined).
  • They want some more powers but not to the extent that only afew remain at Westminster
  • They favour the Satus Quo.
  • They want the some powers returned to Westminster
  • They want the Scottish Parliament to be abolished.
All of these according to Cameron if they vote No will be voting for his obscure promise of further powers.

During the passage of the Scotland Act 1978 through Parliament, an amendment introduced by Labour MP George Cunningham (a Scottish politician who represented an English seat) added a further requirement that the approval at the referendum be by 40% of Scotland's total registered electorate, rather than by a simple majority.

So those who didn't vote even those who were on the register but who had died were counted in reality as voting NO. and despite the majority ofScots voting for Devolution the measure failed

Now those who vote NO will be apparently to Cameron as backing whatever interpretation he puts on it

Except of courseas  he in reality makes it clear  here  that theres no guarantte that even if he was to get a full agreement with the other Unionist leader (Clegg and Milliband) further devolution for Scotland may not be in the Queens Speech.

Indeed a cynic may well ask that if the NO vote is clear it will be the lower of the option that the Cameron and the other leaders will claim  is the option the Sots have voted for.

He could have had a DevoMax  option on the Independence Ballot in a  choice of options  wanted to but declined probably because that would have been the one most Scots would choose.

I support entirely a YES vote and Scottish Independence  but as a democrat I find it absurd that voting NO can be interpenetrated as wanting more powers but not Independence or that Scotland is content with the way it is governed.













1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Of course voting "Yes" will dash plans for more devolution. The reason is simple: they won't need any further devolution....