Monday 18 March 2013

Tavish Scott comes over to the Yes Campaign...

...just not the Yes Scotland one.

In the world according to Tavish (he's the Lib Dem MSP for Shetland and widely rejected ex-Libdem leader in Scotland,) in a speech he gave to the Libdem conference in Dundee, among other things, he said to Alex Salmond; 'its not your oil, its wirs'.

Although I can't be certain, I don't think Alex Salmond ever laid claim to Scottish Oil, Westminster certainly did, the SNP did run a campaign headed 'its Scotland's oil' because it was and is, and continues to be a true reflection of reality, although not according to Westminster where most things that don't belong to it, do - and at times; on a grand scale.

Tavish, while deriding the notion that Scotland would be able to benefit from its oil reserves if independent (we're the only country to have reserves but not be enriched by them,) has decided that Orkney and Shetland on the other hand; would.

Only it wouldn't, if Orkney and Shetland were to vote for independence or autonomy, something the Scottish government are looking to put into a Scottish constitution (more power for all local authorities) and Tavish is mentioning to stir things up, it would be an enclave within Scotland's Exclusive Economic Activity Zone with oil rights out only to 12 miles, in terms of oil wealth; it would have none. Orkney and Shetland would benefit from landing oil, but then, they already do. This is a straightforward case of international law laid down in something called UNCLOS, (The UN Convention on the law of the Sea... The things you learn...)

How many lies are people prepared to accept from unionist politician before they realise the paucity of positive arguments for the Union?

How craven do you have to be, that you'd recommend for one group of people the same thing you condemn for another in order to gain political capital. More over, Scotland and England are countries joined together in a Union, despite what Westminster's legal advice suggests, they are still distinct countries; Scotland prints its own money, has its own justice systems, health infrastructure and government entirely separate from England. Yet Tavish Scott, in order to save his beloved Union is suggesting partition of a nation state, an entirely different proposal from dissolving a Union of nations.

He'd suggest, in place of allowing a country its internationally recognised right to self determination, that it be broken up instead? 

What a horrible little opportunist.*

Sorry, I should have said, this was another political post, I know it bores a lot of people, only, it is important because, in wider terms; its your money and your kid's future (if you have any or if you don't yet) which is at stake and lets be honest, nobody likes being taken for a mug.

* I've heard this same charge being laid at the door of Alex Salmond in terms of Scottish Independence, it would be true if you ignored international law, increasingly illiberal and right wing governments Scotland doesn't vote for being returned to Westminster  and the fact Scotland has been an independent country existing outside of any union agreement with any other parliament or country for longer than it has been in this particular union with Westminster.


4 comments:

  1. SNP LINE ON ORKNEY & SHETLAND:

    1. In response to the Calman Commission Shetland Islands Council (17th
    September 2008) wants oil revenues devolved to the Scottish
    Parliament.

    "A key contributor to the Shetland economy over many years has been
    oil and gas. The regulation of oil and gas is reserved almost entirely
    to Westminster and consideration should be given to the issue of
    devolution of control over oil and gas perhaps by means of giving the
    Scottish Parliament control over oil and gas within Scottish waters."

    "The country has changed and Shetland has changed, so I suspect that
    these are arguments are not as relevant now as they were.
    Proportionality and the extra member, I believe, will assuage these
    fears," he said.

    2. The 2001 census shows there is a greater proportion of people in
    Shetland & Orkney who opted for Scottish identity than in some
    mainland local authorities. The options of "Other British" or just
    "Other" were available.
    85.18% of people in Shetland declared themselves as Scottish – more
    than Stirling, Highland, Dumfries & Galloway, Borders, Moray, Argyll &
    Bute and Edinburgh.
    84.15% of people in Orkney declared themselves as Scottish – more than
    Dumfries & Galloway, Borders, Moray, Argyll & Bute and Edinburgh

    3. Shetland voted yes to both questions in 1997 – and with a greater %
    of support than some mainland authorities.
    62.40% in Shetland for a Scottish Parliament. More than Dumfries &
    Galloway, Perthshire & Kinross and East Renfrewshire.
    51.60% in Shetland for tax raising powers. More than Dumfries &
    Galloway, Borders, Perthshire & Kinross and East Renfrewshire.

    4. In the 2011 election the SNP came first in the combined regional
    vote for Shetland & Orkney with 5,594 votes (32%) – 557 ahead of the
    LibDems.

    5. On 12th March 2012 Lord Peter Fraser’s response to the referendum
    consultation argued that Orkney & Shetland could remain part of the UK
    with Scapa Flow in Orkney becoming the base for Trident.

    Shetland Island Council is also a member of the nuclear free authority
    organisation KIMO.

    6. Orkney & Shetland became part of Scotland in 1472. This followed
    King Christian I of Denmark and Norway pawning his personal interests
    in 1468 to the King of Scots in 1468.

    I really like your writing style Pa... you should do more politics.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't actually like doing politics, I feel other people do it much better, but I'm aware there are those who read this blog who don't read yours (I mean to say, the cheek! ;-) or Wings, so I comment on the obviously daft unionist tripe that gets vomited up by better together etc.

    Your info above just bolsters what I've clumsily said in the post, to be fair, reading around some Libdem blogs, they're not overly impressed with Tavish's comments either.

    Its not necessarily what Tavish and his ilk said or say, its that he or they think people will blindly accept it, its such an obvious misrepresentation and so easy to uncover as such.

    He may as well have given everyone a pat on the head as he left the hall, it couldn't have made the exercise more patronising. I say every one, I mean of course the half dozen Libdems there are left in Scotland.

    ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well, first of all, you don't say it clumsily at all. Your style if flowing and humorous, and I love reading it.

    Secondly, you are bang on there. The patronising wee twerp is no full of hate for Alex Salmond, he'll say anything to stump him. He either can't see or doesn't want to see that independence isn't about Salmond or the SNP.

    It's about rescuing our country.

    Thirdly....who is it that doesn't read my blog? I'll see them....

    PS: I don't know where they held the conference, but it looked like a very small hall.

    Anyone know?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dundee got the dubious pleasure of the presence of the Libdem conference, I heard the population soared by at least 6 people for the duration...

    ;-)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for comment as always and I apologise if you have to jump through any hoops to do so. Its just that, I'm still being spammed by organisations who are certain I can't get it up or when it is up its not big enough or that I don't have anyone to get it up for.

Who knew blogging could be so bad for ones self-confidence?