I've just been reading through the Daily Record's latest periodical outbreak of "I Can't Believe It's Not The Vow" coverage, and there was one bit that made me laugh out loud -
"In some areas Labour are going further than the SNP by including demands to devolve welfare from Holyrood to councils, starting with the Work Programme."
So Labour are going further than the SNP on devolution...by taking powers away from the Scottish Parliament. Be sure to let us know if they ever propose taking more powers away from Westminster, won't you?!
Staying on that theme, I followed a link on the Record's website to a story I missed a few days ago, about the SNP supposedly "backing down" on the call for abortion law to be devolved. Of course it's dangerous to take any story in the Record at face value, but a quick search failed to find anything that contradicted it. If there's any truth in that, I must say I find it incomprehensible - the only road-block in the Smith Commission on this topic was Labour, and Labour's influence is now at its lowest ebb. There should be no remaining obstacle to an agreement with the Tories (and Lib Dems) on the swift devolution of abortion law, and the SNP should seize that opportunity with both hands.
Setting a measured timetable for full fiscal autonomy is one thing, but on all other matters we should be taking an "everything including the kitchen sink" approach to maximising devolution. A party that believes in Scottish self-government should not be deprioritising anything at all - the presumption should always be that any given power should be held at Holyrood, unless there is a very good reason for that not to be the case. I hope there's no underlying squeamishness about abortion being a "grown-up" issue. If we don't believe that Holyrood is a grown-up parliament capable of taking these decisions, what are we actually fighting for?
Labour's argument last autumn was that they would never allow women's rights to be inferior on one side of the border, which is a complete nonsense. When Rhoda Grant attempted to criminalise the clients of sex workers in Scotland, she claimed (wrongly) that it was about "equality" and "ending violence against women" - so wouldn't that law have meant, according to Labour doctrine, that women would have had their rights protected better on one side of the border than on the other? Labour didn't seem to have any problem with that notion, so how exactly is abortion different? The reality is that any responsible parliament would always take into account the danger of "abortion tourism" before making any changes - a new law wouldn't be introduced frivolously.
As some people have called me an "SNP tribalist" for simply pointing out that tactical voting on the regional list can't work, let me just acknowledge that on this specific issue, if the reports are to be believed, the Greens are pushing harder for self-government than the SNP are. That's not a position the SNP should ever be allowing themselves to get into.
If you cannot find SNP has said anything on abortion, then it is likely that neither did did the "journalist" who penned the article you read (that is assuming he actually looked).
ReplyDeleteI expect that his "interpretation" of this omission is on a par with the rest of his writings - a crock of well polished t@rds.
There was a direct quote from an SNP "source".
DeleteSetting a measured timetable for full fiscal autonomy is one thing, but on all other matters we should be taking an "everything including the kitchen sink" approach to maximising devolution. A party that believes in Scottish self-government should not be deprioritising anything at all - the presumption should always be that any given power should be held at Holyrood, unless there is a very good reason for that not to be the case. I hope there's no underlying squeamishness about abortion being a "grown-up" issue. If we don't believe that Holyrood is a grown-up parliament capable of taking these decisions, what are we actually fighting for?
ReplyDeleteI think the SNP should be pushing for FFA now. Are they scared because of the IFS report, or is there some strategic thinking going on? I could understand if it is the latter.
"In some areas Labour are going further than the SNP by including demands to devolve welfare from Holyrood to councils, starting with the Work Programme."
ReplyDeleteIf Labour lose most of their councils in 2017, I wonder where they'll propose devolving power to next.
Community Councils?
DeletePresumably they would return to their Brit Nat 'No surrender to the evil Scot Nats' position in those circumstances...
Delete"If Labour lose most of their councils in 2017, I wonder where they'll propose devolving power to next."
Deletetheir Next of Kin?
@Martin Wood
Deletetheir Next of Kin?
Dead or alive.
Labour's next of kin is the Tories, I believe?
DeleteThe first time labour came up with this idea of stripping powers from Holyrood and switching them to the "community" was when they lost in 2007. Basically labour has no intention of changing tack whatsoever, it now considers it necessary to run and hide in its council wards and intends to sacrifice its MSPs to achieve this. It's a dumb plan built on the same flawed premise. The premise is that it can never lose to the SNP.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe anything that comes out of the mouth of any Brit Nat Unionist Rag or Media outlet. However I do believe the SNP are back sliding and the approach they are adopting in relation to extra powers is wishy washy. I for one am not enamoured at the offerings of George Kerevan going by what I have read in the National. No I am not happy at all. In fact I would go as far to say that the SNP are being bloody craven on the issue.
ReplyDeleteIf they don't buck up their ideas then they wont be getting my vote even at the Constituency level because right the now I am saying to them - eff you if this is the best you have to say on extra powers.
Off topic:
ReplyDeleteGood to see Greens and SNP and even Labour working together to keep the Tories out:
https://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/blog/green-councillor-martin-ford-on-aberdeenshire-council-changes/
The Record must have been "misunderstood". ;-D
ReplyDeleteFor those who somehow missed it, some truly priceless comedy from the out of touch twits which went something like this...
CCHQ and Cameron to the tory press - I say this to my ministers "back me over the EU or I'll sack you!!"
Various ministers to Cameron - "Fine, we'll quit and look for another leader while we're at it."
John Major Cameron to tory press - "You misunderstood me!! I really meant they could stay in their jobs even if they don't back me."
So it begins.
Entirely as predicted.
ROFL
I think there is just a wee bit over over-reaction here.
ReplyDeleteThe SNP MPs have not even finished making their maiden speeches in WM and yet some are already talking about ditching them??
The rest of WM is already ganging up on the Scottish "upstarts" and the MSM are already targettng Salmond et all for sitting, clapping and quipping - whilst ignoring sleights about Scots and Slavery.
Get a friggin grip, for Christ sake - and give our new MPs time to draw breath at least.
Those who would even suggest "abandoning" a Party after only a few days in-post, are off their bloody rockers.
Talk about headless chickens!!!
Maybe Lamont was right - maybe us Scots are NOT genetically programmed for all this important political stuff in the HoC.
Some of the anger/panic on here and other Pro Indy sites at the moment, is ridiculous.