Lord Kilclooney, aka former deputy leader of the Ulster Unionist Party John Taylor, has made yet another stirring 'contribution' to our own independence debate in a letter to the Scotsman -
"As an Ulster Scot I am obviously anxious about the possible outcome of the independence referendum next year."
As shall we all be, for as long as one or two of your fellow Ulster Scots are running around demanding an Ulster-style partition of Scotland should the vote go 'the wrong way'. Oh wait - wasn't it you who suggested that, Your Lordship? (And naturally, this would be a get-out-of-jail-free card only available to the No campaign - if Scotland votes No, then Yes-voting regions wouldn't get the consolation prize of their own little statelet.)
"In reply to my parliamentary question this week the Treasury confirmed that some £30 billion of block grant was sent to Scotland in each of the past three years. Of course, an independent Scotland would lose this £30bn with resulting reduction in public funding for education, health, social services and transport. That is unless supporters of independence have a proposal to overcome the loss of this £30bn. I await their answer."
Await no longer, Your Excellency! You see, independence has upsides as well as downsides. On the one hand, we will no longer receive a block grant from Westminster, but on the other hand we will stop sending billions of pounds of tax revenues to Westminster - which is, after all, what the block grant is there to compensate us for at the moment.
Glad we could clear that up so quickly for you, Your Eminence, and please don't hesitate to ask if you have any other nagging doubts (for example, how Scotland will overcome its loss of latitude after independence). Mind you, I do hope you can actually see our answers, what with the Scotsman adopting a Labour Hame-style moderation policy of late.
And I fear that if you seriously think you have a personal stake in these matters (because Northern Ireland would "have to decide" after Scottish independence "whether to remain with England or remain with Scotland"), you may be labouring under something of a misapprehension. You see, we'll be becoming independent from the United Kingdom - and, as you remind us so often, Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom. Not wishing to be unkind, but we'll be becoming independent from you, Your Highness.
So let us put this in context.
ReplyDeleteFrom Wikipedia:
"He (Baron Kilclooney) remains the only active politician to have participated in all levels of government in Northern Ireland, from local council, the Parliament of Northern Ireland, Westminster, Europe, all previous failed Assemblies and Conventions and the current incarnation of the Assembly."
And currently he is a member of the House of Lords and is still able to take part in the creation and scrutinisation of legislation in the UK.
And he doesn't understand how independence works.
He thinks that the sum total of the financial consequences of independence for Scotland in the end just comes down to no more grant from Westminster.
How did he get so far in his political career?
The depths of his ignorance are comparable to the Mariana Trench?
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder if people like this are merely ignorant and can be persuaded by the presentation of conflicting information to the contrary. Like many proponents of Unionism I'd guess it's willfully spouted black propaganda.
I suppose if you live all your life in the political bubble then actual facts are not necessary.
ReplyDeleteI hope that when you wrote that you were on your knees, with your head suitably inclined forward.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you cleared it up, because you see, I was a bit worried myself about what we would do with absolutely no income whatsoever.
It's a relief to know that when we lose our entire income from Lord Whatsit and his mates in London, we will at least be able to hang on to our own taxes, which it seems are... oh yeah, considerably more than £30 billion a year.
It's hard to imagine that anyone could be quite that thick, never mind a magisterial personage such as his elivatedness.
Thick as mince from a Mad Coo
ReplyDeletePerhaps he is ignorant, but it is also perfectly possible that he knows exactly what the truth is, but also hopes that some less well informed people will be taken in by his misleading 'question', which manages to avoid being an outright lie.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between stupidity and dishonesty.
The price of wrapping yourself in the union jack? A career ruined.
ReplyDeleteAndy Murray admits his Davis Cup heroics were fuelled by a fear of critics doubting his commitment.
Andy Murray has revealed that the fear of being branded “unpatriotic” led him to risk his vulnerable back during the Davis Cup tie in Croatia in September — and thus move further down the road to surgery.
people might be interested in the post and discussion on
ReplyDeletehttp://ansionnachfionn.com/2013/11/03/british-unionism-in-ireland-anyone-but-the-irish/
For more information about the unionists and Orange order's activities in Northern ireland please do have a look at eurofree3.wordpress.com