Scottish referendum
November 2024 › Forums › General discussion › Scottish referendum
- This topic has 7 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 12 months ago by alanjjohnstone.
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November 26, 2013 at 1:38 pm #82494ALBKeymaster
Alex Salmond has just unveiled his plan for an "independent" Scotland. What a fuss about nothing. He thinks the problems facing people in Scotland are due to them being governed from London not Edinburgh. He's wrong. They've got nothing to do with where the decisions to put profits before people are made. They are caused by the capitalist economic system which exists all over the world and would continue to exist if Scotland got formal political independence.
So the referendum is an irrelevance. Even if there's a "yes" vote it won't make any difference to the problems people there face. Not that there's much chance of one. I suspect voters there will prefer the devil they know to the devil they don't. Socialists there will of course be writing "World Socialism" across their ballot paper.
November 26, 2013 at 6:51 pm #98486rodshawParticipantThey'll be wanting their own football team next.
November 26, 2013 at 7:01 pm #98487AnonymousInactiveHa Ha ! You have upset a few members. What you should have said is a 'proper football team'
November 26, 2013 at 11:51 pm #98488alanjjohnstoneKeymaster" What you should have said is a 'proper football team' " Scotland will get one of those when England does The Socialist Courier blog has carried numerous posts on Scottish independence and the referendum. The latest being yesterday http://socialist-courier.blogspot.com/2013/11/no-way-nae-chance.html But use the search engine for the extensive list of the anti-nationalist articles, tackling the issue from various angles. We have a year to produce a pamphlet (or least a substantive leaflet) explaining our case. The betting may be that the No vote vote will prevail but who knows what may happen in the run-up which may sway many voters to say Yes. Does the World Socialist Party of Scotland sound good , or will we be the Socialist Party (Alba)? Maybe The Free Access Movement of Scotland – FAMS. If independence does come we will have to register a party name(s) to stand in elections.
November 27, 2013 at 12:31 am #98489rodshawParticipantHow about The Real McCoy?Presumably Great Britain would no longer exist – time for a name change south of the border as well?
November 27, 2013 at 2:20 am #98490alanjjohnstoneKeymasterSocialist Party of England and Wales is already taken. We do have an alternative already registered World Socialist Movement with the electoral commission. Adopt for all the regions of the former UK?
November 27, 2013 at 10:20 am #98491ALBKeymasterJust read the details in today's papers. Part of the White Paper reads like an election manifesto, i.e is full of empty vote-catching promises:
Quote:The Scottish government White Paper sought to attract swing voters with a lengthy list of political promises. The most eye-catching pledge included an extension of childcare provision for two, three and four-year-olds. Also on the list are an abolition of the bedroom tax, an end of the Universal Credit programme, a promise to raise tax allowances and credits in line with inflation, a guarantee to return thé Royal Mail to public ownership and a vow to increase thé minimum wage.Voters in Scotland will be mugs if they believe all this. As we've always said: governments propose, but capitalism disposes.There's also this:
Quote:The new military would have a small fleet of warships. including two frigates, an Army brigade and a squadron of 12 Typhoon jets at an annual cost of £2.5 billion, Mr Salmond hopes.What a joke.
November 27, 2013 at 11:49 am #98492alanjjohnstoneKeymasterIt is indeed a wish-list of an electioneering party. Independence but same monarch, same currency and same central bank, same membership of the EU, and same membership of Nato and the same bloody BBC!The B of E will determine bank rates etc for an"independent Scotland, English trade performance will still determine the sterling exchange rates, not the periphary performance of an independent Scotland.There will be promises that some in Left Unity will latch on to…such as the no nuclear weapons…but it will in practice be a don't ask, don't tell policy concerning those, they will still be nukes in Scotland but an independent Scotland will turn blind eye. The relaxed immigration rules – a points system – still means that only the educated, with skills, who speak English will be welcome, the barrers will remain for the poor. The end of the bedroom tax , well even Thatcher saw the flaws in the Poll Tax in the end. Re-nationalise the Royal Mail…since it has doubled it profits and it is going to cost a bit more in compensation. I was always taught that the concentrated population of urban centres subsidised the delivery to the rural areas and since the % of urban and countryside is wider in Scotland , the cost of mail has to go up – and who will pay that extra…either in price of stamps or the employees will in pay freeze. The retirement age at 67 is only a promise of a review not a promise to lower it. Meanwhile corporation tax on businesses will be lowered. A guarantee that one, i am sure. But i do get two passports and my price of flights will be cheaper with a passenger tax reduction!!Hopefully, Shetland will go for some sort of Channel Island/Isle of Man status, claim most of the oil revenues, and i'll be eligible for nationality of it on my mothers side…3 passports
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