Tag Archives: devo max

Two things about the independence referendum that haven’t made me want to punch a pillow or hide under the duvet

It’s not been a great week in the Scottish independence referendum. The Codswallop Quotient has gone through the roof since word got out last Tuesday night about George Osborne’s plan to rule out a currency union with an independent Scotland.  If the CQ has a similar effect on the human body as the pollen count, there will be lots of people sneezing across the country this week.

It was a huge gamble on Osborne’s part and it will be a while before we know whether it’s paid off. I’m still not getting any sense that it’s doing any more than reinforce …

Posted in News | Also tagged and | 29 Comments

Opinion: Use devo-max to put the positive case for the Union

I have no doubt that should Scotland’s voters decide to plump for independence on 18 September, Scotland would become a functional nation state. For unionists to claim that Scotland isn’t capable of governing itself, or that it would immediately become a celtic version of Greece is insulting, inaccurate and unlikely to marshal any votes into the No column. Though I believe we are better together, unionists need to make a positive case in addition to exposing the SNP’s wilful distortions and wishful thinking.

That is why I welcome the clarity from the Chancellor (pdf), Ed Balls and our own Danny

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 20 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • George Thomas
    Reform and Conservative's opposed the nation of sanctuary policy in Wales which aims to improve integration. These parties, and those who understand and the pol...
  • Jana
    @Nick Baird I think the explanation is more likely down to misunderstanding the difference between the rate of migration and the number of migrants in the coun...
  • Nick Baird
    Part of the problem preventing sensible discussion about immigration is that thanks to scaremongering by the right wing press and political parties, the British...
  • Dennis Delice
    Completely agreed! Liberal Democrats have to realise the importance of positive freedom too. Scepticism of any involvement of state to achieve liberty is mislea...
  • Rob Heale
    Surely people can't have real choices and freedom if they live in poverty. They won't have the decent home or the resources needed to exercise their rights. Soc...