So, SNP have grasped power in the Scottish Parliament, and now once agian the debate of Scottish Independency is back in the forefront of peoples minds. Is independency viable? Is it better for Scotland? Will it happen? Should it happen? In my opinion the answer to all these questions is 'NO' and that is what I will mark on a referendum if one ever comes to light.
I don't want an Independent Scotland and most likely you are not going to want it either. In a recent survey done, 58% of the people would like a referendum to be held, this sounds promising to any YES campaign, but only on the surface. Only 38% of the people of those people actually want independence with a majority of 54% stating they would rather stay part of the United Kingdom. So it is more likely that people want this referendum to tell the SNP that they do not want to a State in their own right and enjoy the benefits of being part of the United Kingdom. So why should we sit back and let the SNP dictate what they think they got elected in for?
Scottish Independence was not a serious issue for the SNP in the 2011 elections, it was however an issue for Labour. Scottish Labour stated they where going to fight against an Independent Scotland, this could be the reason why Labour lost some seats as the Electorate where not concerned on the issue at this time. If people wanted Independence they would vote for SNP on a national level, Westminster, not on a local level. People voted SNP to the Scottish Parliament because they wanted an alternative to Labour and to punish Liberal Democrats. The SNP where the better option as they had great success in their performance in office and they readily engaged with the Scottish People in a way which Labour never did.
Independancy is not economically viable, now yes Scotland have all this Oil, and I do not know how many times I have read 'we have water, we could survive on Hydro'. Well yes it may be viable in 10 or 20 years time when Hydro power is providing closer to 100% of its energy rather than the 20% or so it is now. Maybe then Scotland could be self sufficient, but for now, it could not survive. Off-shore oil is in a steady decline and over the past decade has fluctuated between £5 million and £1 million, this does not pave the way for a solid income. Not only that but it is going to cost over £5000 a year on taxes, over the taxes being paid already. A new Scottish Government is going to be facing between £4.4 billion and £8 billion a year less than what it is currently receiving as part of the United Kingdom.
I don't want an Independent Scotland. Polls show you most likely don't want one. SNP didn't actually campaign for it. I doubt most economists want it, but most importantly, none of the three main parties in Westminster want it. All have stated, in one way or another, that if a referendum came to the table they would all help campaign the 'NO' vote. David Cameron has been very vocal in this and I agree why shouldn't he be. United Kingdom is a very special country, being a 'country of countries' and would lose some of its credibility as this if Scotland were to break away. Yes, for Cameron, it is a point of pride, but what is wrong with that? Giving up Scotland is giving up 500 years of British History!
I do not want to lose out on Scotland, who is going to support us in the tennis now....?
i disagree with your opinion - though i value it!
ReplyDeleteAn independent Scotland is exactly what we need. For many reasons. We could decide not to send our troops into ridiculous wars. We could manage our own finances. Other countries less financially better off than us are coping fairly well , we could too. The recent polls suggest English people don't really want us here anyway. Its time for Scotland to stop being spoon fed and walk on our own two feet.