Just a short post, because this is a very simple point. In the immediate aftermath of the Smith blueprint being published, the UK government and the unionist parties said that the proposals would give Scotland "one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world", or more specifically "the third most powerful devolved parliament in the world". There was a very good reason why the claim was not "the most powerful". I draw your attention to this summary of the powers held by the devolved parliaments of the Basque Country and Navarre -
"The four Basque Provinces which are part of the Spanish State enjoy considerable fiscal autonomy, comparable to that of any EU Member State."
Self-evidently, the Smith package does not clear that bar. So when David Cameron changed his language after the election, and explicitly started promising "the most powerful devolved parliament in the world", it was impossible not to reach the logical conclusion that he must have decided to go considerably further than Smith. Curiously, though, David Mundell insisted yesterday that Smith was the right package for Scotland.
Something doesn't add up here. Either we're going to have the most powerful devolved parliament in the world, or Smith is the right package for the Scotland. There's no possible way in which both of those statements can be true.
Incidentally, the Spanish autonomous communities have powers over broadcasting as well.
I've been wondering when someone will challenge this. Danny Alexander said the two most powerful were the Swiss cantons and Canadian provinces (which of course add up to several parliaments). The media should ask, so we can check, what metric is being used?
ReplyDeleteI thought the get-out clause for the Canadian comparison might be that the provincial parliaments are not technically 'devolved'. If all sub-state parliaments are being included in the comparison, Smith falls light-years short of the claims made of it.
ReplyDeleteWe have 56 MPs and I am sure this question is on their list.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the Tory voters in the SE of England knew about this.
Powers over broadcasting would have us independent in no time!
ReplyDeleteThe prospect of McQuarrie&Co appearing before the new Scottish Affairs Select Committee - Chaired by someone like Pete Wishart with other SNP members joining in the cross-examination - is mouth-watering.
DeleteEspecially if Professor John Robertson, G.A. Ponsonby, Mike Small, Iain MacWhirter, and young James Kelly are also on the witness list !
Cameron's country is the UK/England and he has been consistent in claiming that fiscal autonomy,in his view,is "inconsistent with being part of the same country".
ReplyDeleteAs far as he is concerned,we have had our referendum (a one off in his mind) on independence and decided that we want to remain part of his UK so no need to agree to anything which threatens that position.
Central to all of his thinking is the sovereignty of the Westminster parliament and the concentration of all UK power in that institution.
Devolution for him and the rest of the Westminster establishment is just a buzz word to try and pacify the restless natives because they have no intention of decentralising their "unitary" state.
They will fight tooth and nail to block Scottish aspirations but at least,this time it will be done out in the open for all to see.
The Basque government does not set tax rates or collect taxes - the individual Basque territories do. Technically, therefore, what is proposed in the Smith package does give the Scottish parliament more power than the Basque parliament.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cuatrecasas.com/web/en-ENG/PDF/careno_santo_tomas.pdf
Cameron quote was "one of the most.." very different than "the most..." Kelly you should hold yourself to a higher standard.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Mr Bravely Anonymous Tory Troll. As you believe in such high standards, I presume we can look forward to some sort of proof for your claim? In your own time.
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