Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Questions to which the answer is 'just before I answer that question, how about a game of hide-and-seek?'

The latest in Labour Hame's series of "impossible" questions for nationalists is this -

In what way would Scotland be better off in the euro, with interest rates set in Brussels rather than London?

Answer : We would have a direct vote in the decision-making process in a way that we don't have at the moment. And in case you're thinking of mentioning Danny Alexander at this point, don't make me laugh. A Scottish representative in the UK government would be a person chosen by Scotland, not by Nicholas William Peter Clegg.

But as ever, in posing this rather easy question, the admin of Labour Hame has drawn attention to a much more tricky question for his/her own comrades, if they can find the time in their busy schedules to answer. Given that "no issue more clearly illustrates the irrelevance of independence in the modern world than the question of national currency", I can't help but wonder this -

In what sense is the independence of Finland, a country with an almost identical population size to Scotland, an "irrelevance" now that they have joined the euro? Would they really not notice the difference if they gave up the ghost and became an autonomous province of Germany?

No rush, guys - in true Labour Hame style, I won't be declaring the question UNANSWERED for at least six minutes.

5 comments:

  1. I’m assuming that no Nationalist decided to indulge ol’ “East Kilbride Gazette” Harris and his Krazy Gang by attempting to answer their question on there! After all why should the Nationalists answer their questions when they so blithely ignore any that are put to them in return. In the usual lazy blogger way of not publishing tricky responses for hours, or days, or not at all and then if and when they do, by just ignoring it and declaring a unilateral victory for themselves. We could all do that I guess and then by some judicious nominating and voting for ourselves propel “labour hame” up the beauty contest list that is the Scottish blogging awards. James you deserve a medal for bothering to read that codswallop and keep us amused by ripping it up for toilet paper.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Munguin! Not sure what's happened to this year's 'beauty contest' - it's usually underway by now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are assuming of course that an Independent Scotland should enter the EU/Euro, which at the moment would look like sheer lunacy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The "EU/Euro"? I'm quite happy to say that I do not think being a member state of the EU is "lunacy".

    ReplyDelete
  5. Like the devalued pound is in a good state? In many respects it's in a worse position than the Euro.

    ReplyDelete