The three unionist parties at Holyrood have launched their own commission looking into Scotland's constitutional future.
They refuse to take part in the government's National Conversation. This is because that has independence on the table, while their commission is limited. The commission though is part of the national conversation whether they like it or not - because it's in response to it.
The result will be more powers to the Scottish Parliament. When launching the National Conversation, the First Minister challenged the other parties to join it and justify where our powers should end. And now they have risen to this. It will be fascinating to see what they conclude.
Labour are hinting strongly that they are in favour of tax raising powers. I remember Cathy Jamieson being asked by Gordon Brewer on Newsnight Scotland at the time the national conversation was laucnhed whether they would back fiscal autonomy. She said "no" because it's was "just another word for independence".
If we are to have responsibility for our economy, then why not broadcasting? Why not energy? Why not foreign policy? All this confuses me about the unionist position. There doesn't seem to be any coherent thinking, apart from what London wants. Earlier this year they were telling us that Scotland was too wee and too poor. Now they're talking up the possibility of us actually being successfully financially. But why can we run our economy but not our media arrangements?
If the Labour Party are looking for a revival, a plausible narrative is vital. For years, they have got away with winging it, playing whatever tune public opinion wanted. They're doing the same now. It must be depressing to be in a party that just follows rather than ever leading or persuading.
In London, they got to power by taking clothes off the Tories. In Scotland, they want to win back votes, not by beating the SNP's message, but by copying it. The establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 was in itself a form of triangulation, giving away limited powers, while claiming nationalism would be killed "stone dead" by it.
The effect of these tactics in England though have been to move politics firmly to the right. In Scotland, the battleground is all about independence. There isn't a left-right split, because it almost doesn't matter till you have a Parliament that can implement the policies.
The SNP can't be outflanked by the other parties. They have a position which is an inevitablity. 60% of Scots also think that we're going to be independent in the next decade. One by one, Labour, Lib Dem and Tory will come on board with the only logical and natural position. It's just a matter of which one will be first.
It's an exciting time to be Scottish just now. We're in the process of imagining and fashioning a new country.
I think the most fascinating thing is the way in which labour try to cover up the fact that they used to call devolution an event rather than a process!
It is rather laughable that they want to set up a commission to look at our constitutional future but don't want to include the option that is the policy of the largest party in Scotland. How can anyone take this idea seriously?
It's narrow minded, lacking in vision, uncosted, inward and backward looking and a reactionary piece of tripe!
To be taken seriously it has to include all positions of the parties in the parliament and that includes the stance of the party of government; Independence!
The most normal option for any nation!
Posted by: Stewart McDonald | 09 December 2007 at 06:47 PM