Johann Lamont's Devolution Commission Report/Why do the SNP ALWAYS go on about independence at Holyrood.

Straight away, this blog article gets the award for having the longest title so far - not any where near the lengths a 'George Laird Special' achieves right enough - but since I couldn't begin to compete with the logic and erudition he deploys, I mean to say; I know my place.

First up, you'll have heard about this:

Ok, maybe not, but there it is anyway. Akin to finding a dog turd in front of your garden gate - with each item requiring similar levels of thought (if not effort) in its production.

I don't imagine it matters much - regardless of how you plan to vote - but who was on the commission?

The usual throbbers, Curran and Sarwar stick out. While reading, I couldn't help my inner monologue assuming a blood-curdling vocal & visual conflation of Sarwar & Lamont with disturbing undertones of Curran - I mean I had no choice but to stop. Suffice to say, it's complete arse-gravy, all the words are from the English language but they don't appear in any order that makes sense.

In the finest tradition of this blog and keeping within my comfort zone - here's a synopsis fellow idiots can understand:

People of Scotland.

Vote no and we'll gift* the parliament of Scotland the power to raise taxes but only lower them if Westminster does, oh, and if Westminster raises them, you have to raise them too. This is to prevent Scotland gaining any sort of advantage at all or ever while Westminster 'pools & shares' Scottish resources & revenues to benefit parts of the UK that aren't Scotland. 

* Dependent on the UK labour party accepting these proposals (they don't) and on them getting in to Government at Westminster (they won't, see: Ed Miliband) and on Scottish Labour getting in to power at Holyrood (they won't, see: Johann Lamont.)

I suppose there might be other things in the paper, after all, it took them three years to write its 300 odd pages. But for reasons I've already outlined, if you could read it at all - it simply cannot be perused with a straight face, or with out at least a little bit of sick coming up in to your mouth. I'm assuming most of the people who read this blog aren't overly interested in the sordid details, but if you are - there are other far more qualified and better informed sources for information.

My inner monologue this week.

Its easy to be flippant about this, but there is significant support for further devolution in the independence debate - it seems Labour with its tempting claims from last year about devolving corporation tax, Air Passenger Duty (a stifling tax on the Scottish Tourist industry) tax on cigarettes and beer among others - have totally bottled it. The truth is, this is the British Labour party talking, they don't want their power in the UK undermined by giving the Scottish parliament (which they don't control) any more power at all.

At this point, the Tories could actually offer more and make Labour look quite stupid, the Conservatives have no sway at Holyrood - nor are they ever likely to. That said, David Cameron (for it would be he and not Ruth Davidson) could still offer the thin edge of fuck all and still be offering more than Johann's devolution commission did this week.

But that's the whole point isn't it; none of the Westminster parties are offering anything, they managed to get together quick-smart to rule out a Currency Union but when it comes to ruling things in... Despite Scottish Labour's impotent commission and the Liberal Democrat's promise of a federal UK - a promise almost as old & just as pointless (but not quite) as Menzies Campbell himself - a no vote means we'll get nothing except powers stripped away by Westminster Tories high on saving this sham of a union and a trough they're all already baw-deep in.

Anyway, the point is, if you want more power: you'll have to vote yes in September.

And so on to the second thing...

... which is gratifyingly short and sweet; its about Unionist parties forever banging on about - wait for it - the SNP forever banging on about Independence in the Holyrood chamber.

This appeared on the BBC news website today.

From the BBC

It's a 'Question Wheel' and isn't it colourful? It could be found (past tense) this morning among all the murrrrrrrrdurrrrrrrrrr an' fitba' on the BBC's 'Scottish' news section. As you can probably tell, the reason the SNP seem to always be going on about independence is because its all Labour (in red) & the Libdems (in yellow) go on about.

Guess what? Its not there now, its tucked away in the Scottish Politics section, which is visited even less often than this blog.

I wonder what happened to the intern who posted that story...