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Calman: Case exists for extra powers at Holyrood



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Published Date: 01 December 2008
By HAMISH MACDONELL
Scottish Political Editor
THERE is a case for control of firearms, broadcasting and some financial powers to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, the expert group looking into the devolution settlement will announce tomorrow.
The Calman Commission, set up by the Unionist parties to examine the powers of the Scottish Parliament, will publish its interim report tomorrow. This report will not make any firm recommendations, rather it will set out the broad areas where the bod
y feels changes could be made.

It is understood that the group has come to the conclusion that there is a case for the control of firearms legislation and broadcasting to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

However, it has also decided that further investigation needs to be done before definite recommendations can be reached.

A source close to the commission said the likelihood is that control over abortion law will remain at Westminster for the whole of the UK.

It is understood that tomorrow's report will leave open the possibility of either assigning individual Scottish tax revenues to the Scottish Government – rather than simply giving it a block of money at the start of the financial year – or handing over the control of some specific tax powers to Holyrood.

But again, no firm decisions have been taken and all of these financial issues will be examined in further detail over the next six months.





The full article contains 235 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 30 November 2008 10:04 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Devolution
 
1

,

30/11/2008 22:57:34
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
2

FrancesP,

01/12/2008 00:16:59
Good grief, Rufus, you hate the SNP and independence, but you also hate Calman, which in case you hadn't noticed is the only other game in town at the moment.

What exactly do you want - direct rule from Westminster on every minute detail of policy? Scotland to drop all pretence and become legally a county of England?
3

UK007,

01/12/2008 00:17:22
#1 What a lot of coherent rubbish.

4

karin.m,

01/12/2008 00:23:35
rufus in case you didnt know it was the westminster government who signed up to the EU minority language treaty and the implementation of it lies with them as the signatories......

it is this treaty that required the setting up of a gaelic lnaguage channel.


so nya nya nya nya nah
5

karin.m,

01/12/2008 00:24:49
I take it then rufus that even english is gaelic to you?
6

Wardog™,

01/12/2008 00:34:12
2 FrancesP, 01/12/2008 00:16:59

Rufus longs after empire, he's part of the raj

7

Wardog™,

01/12/2008 00:39:30
9 Aberdeenshire Scot, 01/12/2008 00:35:56


172 actually

Do they pay you in wurthers originals to be an amateur moderator.

8

Wardog™,

01/12/2008 00:52:03

11. Go ahead my friend....... what the raj has to do with mubai only a the fevered dark receses of a unionist mindset could possibly imagine.

The Heart of Darkness indeed.

9

karin.m,

01/12/2008 00:55:22
6. ooo im shaking in my size 5 stilletos. Can i borrow yours or have you loaned them to your "pet" sheep again?
10

Wardog™,

01/12/2008 00:59:20

13. Karin

I think eberdeenshiite schott wears clogs, more in keeping with the ludite tradition

11

karin.m,

01/12/2008 01:01:46
aye wardog he should try banging his head of a harder brick wall at least if he bashes his brains out he might actually acheive the only good thing he has ever done in his life.
12

Jock Tamson,

Scotland, Caledonia, Alba 01/12/2008 01:12:38
OMG. A conflagration of trolls. Sorry Karin.
13

Jock Tamson,

Scotland, Caledonia, Alba 01/12/2008 01:18:58
Just think. If some external power gave westminster further autonomy England would rule the world.

Hmmmm?

Scary movie 5?

Meanwhile, we just want a fair deal - any chance of that until we stop being the nice guys?
14

Traquir , Alba,

01/12/2008 01:20:01

All very colonial looks like Scotland will
be granted whatever breadcrumbs Westminster
deems worthy.

"Calman evidence 'was tampered with'"

see - tinyurl.com/63wdnq

No doubt the enbobled stooges that
Broon hand-picked to represent the best of
British Empire will simply follow their
masters bidding in the hope of getting some
more shiny honors trinkets. The line up itself
could hardly be more colonial if it tried.

. 5 Lords a leaping.
. 2 Shining Knights
. 3 Commanders of the British Empire
. 1 Member of the British Empire
. 3 Waiting in the wings to be ennobled - including one Big Brother

And the cherry on top the Chief Executive of the most bigoted anti-Scottish paper out there the Telegraph.

To say this smacks of imperialism would be a great understatement. On top of this imposed set of
'elites' the Commission also has orchestrated
invitation only events so that only Unionist
options are heard, but even this manipulation
appears to have failed.

"invitation-only public meeting cancelled due to lack of interest."

see - tinyurl.com/67xv4n

More Democracy British style inflicted on Scotland
without any representation. Westminster and the
British State appear to be terrified of the
Scottish people even having an opinion
never might actually bestowing more power
on them.

No doubt the Unionist sycophants will tell us
we are lucky to get any more breadcrumbs from
the masters table, in fact likely even the
current embarassment of a Scottish Parliament
should just be scrapped and all existing
powers moved back to London where the divine
authority to rule should never have been
questioned in the first place.

Way past time for Scotland to run her own affairs
in every aspect.

Saor Alba




15

a proud doonhamer,

Dumfries 01/12/2008 01:47:55
So glad to see that Rufus T. Firefly has been released from the hospital. Imagine the surprise of the staff when they noticed that what they thought was unionist tights was actually a body tatoo with little butcher's aprons sprinkled up and down his legs.. although they did find it amusing to see the Red Rose tattooed on his ars#.
16

Traquir , Alba,

01/12/2008 02:00:08


Talking of Democracy British Style there was
another interesting example which the Scottish
Press failed to pick up on.

"Labour creates 'Soviet' boroughs where half of residents work for the state"

"Labour's public spending boom has created a series of "Soviet" boroughs across Britain where half the residents depend on the state for work."

see - tinyurl.com/5oocas

The only choices that Scotland is given in this
rotting union is the tweedle-dumb, tweedle-dee
choice of the Schizophrenic Socialist/Capitalist
Labour or an England imposed Tory Government. The British State trades off between these evil
twins in equal measures as the only choices that
will ever be available into perpetuity.
Scotland has an ability to break this mold and
provide the Scottish people with alternate
choices as to how best to govern our nation which
will be much more dynamic and innovative rather
than the staid two party British dictatorship.
If further prove was needed mad Lord Foulkes
confirms the evil of any tinkering of British
Democracy with evil tactics like
proportional representation never mind letting
the Scots actually govern themselves.

"I tell my noble friend, the noble
Baroness and her colleagues that the
introduction of proportional
representation in Scotland has been an absolute tragedy. We have seen chaos,
confusion and cuts. At local government level,
we see the Liberal Democrats in
an unholy alliance with the Scottish National Party. Will my noble friend assure us that, because of this experience, we will stick to the tried and
tested system of first past the post, which has given us stability in this country for decades and centuries?"

tinyurl.com/378suf

The British State fears true democracy more than
anything else, which is what will inevitably
be the death of this rotting union.

17

Pilrig,

Livingston 01/12/2008 05:30:58
1 - such bigotry. Notice you avoided commenting on the Damian Green case, bottle-merchant.
18

Angleland Isover,

01/12/2008 06:36:55
In this english province if you want something then you have to take it. Too many people sitting on the fence thinking "wait and see what the calman commission comes up with".
19

Nevsky,

Moscow 01/12/2008 06:43:18
The Calman commission after having been 'tampered' with by Westminster comes to the conclusion that Scotland cold maybe, possibly (although no firm conclusions have been drawn) have the Irn Bru revenue.

Waster of time, Scotland need control over everything and most of all compulsory Gaelic education for those in Edinburgh, a period of re-conditioning will be required after independence and Gaelic will be a great start along with Scottish history and a long time spent studying the word quisling.
20

,

01/12/2008 06:43:26
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21

,

01/12/2008 06:47:32
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22

Nevsky,

Moscow 01/12/2008 06:53:50
25 sm#

Personally i don't think even among the unionists (Labour party excepted) the Calman commission had much credibility left, it was criticised by the SNP at the start and now members of it's own board are calling it a whitewash.

Just how will firearms control be of any benefit to Scotland and who really gives a s**t?

Calman has bottled it, just another unionists on the side of Westminster than his own people, end of!
23

Thomas1,

// 01/12/2008 07:12:13
So the SNP are correct,the Scottish parliament does need much more powers.
24

,

01/12/2008 07:42:48
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25

,

01/12/2008 08:01:24
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26

Rodster,

Glasgow 01/12/2008 08:08:13
Very amusing re Rufus the truth is even sadder he is an avowed unionist that is 10 times worse than anything you mock in your amusing post
27

Ugly George,

01/12/2008 08:11:01
23 Nevski
"Scotland need control over everything and most of all compulsory Gaelic education for those in Edinburgh, a period of re-conditioning will be required after independence"

Please tell us what you mean by re-conditioning. The reason I ask is that practices of brainwashing used to change attitudes and beliefs have often been called "reconditioning" by their perpetrators. Surely this is not what you envisage so can you please elaborate on what you do mean by it.
28

john z,

edinburgh 01/12/2008 08:25:24
Leak, leak, Leakety Leak.

Are we now going to see Jacqui Smiths' stormtroopers raiding the offices of the Scotsman?????

Fact is, Calman was dead before it even started. It is dead now.

Around a third of people in Scotland consistently say they want independence, yet this nonsense report WILL NOT consider that option. That is a large part of the electorate disenfranchised at a stroke.

The report is a joke.

The authors are a joke.

It is merely a political tool to be used and abused by Brown and his under achieving p(m)uppet Jim Murphy.

More fool the Tories and Lib Dems for getting involved in the first place. I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time.
29

TWC,

01/12/2008 08:26:31
We need control of all our finances and without that we will probably support Independence.

The bottom line is that Fiscal Autonomy is the best option and the more New Labour try to quash it the more people want it.
The Muscatelli group shirked the task, they should have given recommendations on the choices available.
30

john z,

edinburgh 01/12/2008 08:33:00
As regards Gaelic education, I honestly think Gaelic should be a part of the Scottish School curricululm. It is terrible that most Scottish Schoolchildren have NO understanding of a language native to Scotland, yet can speak Spanish or French.

The French take great pride in their own language, and very, very strict laws are in place to protect its status. The same should be done for Gaelic in Scotland.


31

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 01/12/2008 08:34:12
32 john z
"Fact is, Calman was dead before it even started"

Please pass on my condolences to Professor Calman's familiy and friends.
32

TWC,

01/12/2008 08:43:48
35 Ugly George,
Certainly it is dead from a Labour point of view. They kept quoting Calman when they were pressed on Devolution but now they are set against any real power.
Tories and Libdems have a real problem because the Muscatelli white wash and now the tampering by Labour makes it imperative that the Tories & Libdems are seen to be open and Independent.
Personally I can't understand their reluctance,Fiscal Autonomy opens Scotland up to them while the Status Quo keeps Labour in 1st or 2nd place forever.
33

Mr. Lachie Todd,

Edinburgh 01/12/2008 08:46:38
In this debate, an alternative to further devolved powers has been mentioned in the form of a return to Direct Rule at Westminster?

As a last resort, it would be seen as a victory for the Nationalists with only one inevitable outcome!



34

Ugly George,

01/12/2008 08:52:13
john z
"As regards Gaelic education, I honestly think Gaelic should be a part of the Scottish School curricululm."

It is part of the curriculum. There are two forms of Gaelic available at standard grade and Higher - one for native speakers and one for learners.

However the ombined number of entries at standard Grade for both was less than 600 in 2008. This compares with something like 50,000 for maths or 18,000 for geography. This would indicate that while Gaelic (in both forms) is available in the curriculum there is little demand for it.

PS : Entry numbers for all subjects can be found on the SQA website.
35

Number 6,

Germany 01/12/2008 08:53:04
We have already had Cameron admitting Scotland could survive independently and now this report, even after being watered down, gives the same indications.

It looks like we will have to wait until the englanders throw out Liebour and replace them with the hated tories.

No sign of the story that the head of the European Commision has said in an interview in France, that UK ministers (Liebour) are considering joining the euro very soon. Of course, Liebour have denied it.

What kind of mindset has the scottish unionistas that insist on holding on to this farcical mob's coat-tails,
even if it means a tory goverment once again wreaking havoc in Scotland?
36

TWC,

01/12/2008 08:59:53
Darling is a Charlie says that Scotland would be £7.2 Billion worse off if it were on it's own.

Well give us Fiscal Autonomy and use the £7.2 Billion to pay off debt -- it's easy.
37

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 01/12/2008 09:01:02
36 TWC
The UK Tax Payers Alliance which is a Tory minded if not actually Tory group made a submission to the Calman Commission recommending more tax raising powers for the Scottish Parliament and a scrapping of the Barnett Formula even if that meant Scotland getting the bulk of oil revenues.
38

Nevsky,

Moscow 01/12/2008 09:03:28
31 Ugly George#

It was slightly tongue in cheek George, however you make an intersting point when you say this:

'The reason I ask is that practices of brainwashing used to change attitudes and beliefs have often been called "reconditioning" by their perpetrators.'

There is no question in my mind that Scots have for generations been subjected to re-conditioning by the British state.

How else could you possibly explain any Scot that would put Britain before his own country, belittles his own culture and heritage (but never Englands or Britains) and refuses to even consider independence for his own country; if that is not successful conditioning then i don't know what is!
39

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 01/12/2008 09:05:33
39 number 6
"No sign of the story that the head of the European Commision has said in an interview in France, that UK ministers (Liebour) are considering joining the euro very soon. Of course, Liebour have denied it."

Personally, I think this was Barroso just trying to stir things up. The reality is that being in the eurozone would strip the UK govt and the MPC of the powers they are currently using in an attempt to deal with the recession so I do not see how current ministers would be in favour of joining the euro.

40

Rodster,

Glasgow 01/12/2008 09:14:15
People the result in Glenrothes determined that Scotland will receive no further powers Claman or no Calman .
Labour won by 6,000+ votes around the same number of unusally high postal votes ...
conspiracy theorist NOT I !!!!
41

Number 6,

Germany 01/12/2008 09:17:23
#43 George,
you are assuming Liebour ministers care about anything or anybody but themselves. As long as Brown Darling etc are offered places at the main trough, ie Europe, then they would sell their own mother's kidneys to the highest bidder.Nothing is below them, they are capable of anything.

We are already looking at a european id card, a card with no place for the union jack, just the european bull.

Liebour are incompitent and cowardly enough to once again lie to the british people and take us into the euro WITHOUT a referendum.
42

Peter,

Same pld, same old Unionist claptrap! 01/12/2008 09:21:25
From the Times:

"Calman Report is £550,000 farce."

Nuff said!
43

,

01/12/2008 09:24:48
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44

,

01/12/2008 09:27:04
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45

,

01/12/2008 09:27:16
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46

Peter,

Same old, same old Unionist claptrap! 01/12/2008 09:29:41
McGee, founder of Creation Records (a donor to Labour of £100,000) told the Times: "I hope Labour get f*****g stuffed the way they have f****d this country up. They are a bunch of retards." He continued: "Labour are monumentally useless. Gordon Brown has had a charisma by-pass. I don't think he'd save a goal from East Fife."

Nuff said!
47

Warden An' All, Reborn,

01/12/2008 09:29:43
I have no problem with broadcasting, but firearms legislation should be under UK legislation. Imagine what the crack pots in the snp asylum might get up to.
48

,

01/12/2008 09:29:50
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49

Number 6,

Germany 01/12/2008 09:39:41
#51 So tell us Warden, what would the SNP policy be ?.

Cue dribbiling from slack jaw onto keyboard.
50

Fred Quimby,

01/12/2008 09:44:25
The UK is "closer than ever before" to joining the euro, according to the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.

Speaking on a French radio show, he said British politicians were considering the move because of the effects of the global credit crunch.

In the RTL radio/LCI television broadcast, the former prime minister of Portugal said: "We are now closer than ever before.

"I'm not going to break the confidentiality of certain conversations, but some British politicians have already told me, 'If we had the euro, we would have been better off'. "

He said that the current poor economic situation had emphasised the importance of the euro and the UK but added he believed a move would not take place in the immediate future.

"I know that the majority in Britain are still opposed, but there is a period of consideration under way and the people who matter in Britain are currently thinking about it", he said.
51

Queen D,

Glasgow 01/12/2008 09:50:07
I take it the attention seeking one is the one being deleted or is it another escapee from the asylum?
I am very naive , I assumed the Calman thingy would be free of cost except for Sir Kenneth himself, the rest were all being paid as MPs were they not?
52

,

01/12/2008 09:51:03
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53

Alan B,

01/12/2008 09:51:35
Calman is a farce if it is not going to give detailed proposals that will be implemented. Talking about broad areas that could be consider tends to suggest the whole thing has been nobbled.

If unionists are serious about scotland remaining within the union they need to understand that is by enhanding the scottish parliament so scotland can play a constructive and positive role and not by trying to undermine scotland and the concept of devolution.
54

Nevsky,

Moscow 01/12/2008 09:54:15
55 Queen D#

I think the unionists will consider £500,000 as a bargain to prevent any more powers coming to Scotland. Calman took the Westminster shilling and has done exactly what was asked of him.
55

John S,

01/12/2008 09:54:36
#54 Fred Quimby.This was also mentioned in Oct 2008
Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Luxembourg Finance Minister Jean-Claude Juncker told German newspaper Rheinischer Merkur the U.K. will consider adopting the euro once the credit crisis abates. ``The British prime minister had to beg to be let into the room in which the euro group was meeting,'' Juncker told the newspaper in an interview published today. ``I'm sure that when the storm is over, the British will think about whether they shouldn't become an equal in all decision-making bodies.''
56

Warden An' All, Reborn,

01/12/2008 09:55:37
53-Number 6-My knowledge doesn’t stretch to the workings of the insane on cloud cuckoo land, also known as snp headquarters, so go on and inform us number 6. Please do?
57

Alan B,

01/12/2008 10:03:09
Good to see an economic expert giving evidence as part of calman has said the report has been tampered with to appease the labour party. Interesting that the scotsman does not allow comments on that thread.
58

Tom R,

01/12/2008 10:09:33
So when will Sir Kenneth Calman be elevated to the Lords for services to unionism???
59

,

01/12/2008 10:18:43
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60

Guy Wersh,

eccy byde 01/12/2008 10:45:43
I don't think that Britain would qualify for joining the euro: From the NY Times

"Under the Maastricht Treaty of 1992, which laid down the ground rules for the single European currency, governments are supposed to keep their deficits to less than 3 percent of a country's gross domestic product"
61

Nikostratos,,

01/12/2008 10:46:19
Good report from calaman only one criticism they were to soft on giving more powers to the snp.

and the term Unionist parties really should be the parties of Democracy within the law and loyalty to the true one and indivisible British nation. As opposed to the one party snp state who without consulting the British nation would try all and any ways both legal and illegal to bamboozle the majority into the destruction of a nation.

they have thus far due to the inherent decency of the scottish people failed and will fail again..
62

TWC,

01/12/2008 10:53:07
65 Nikostratos,,
It is not only SNP who want more power, Mr Darling says Scotland would have a £7.2 Billion defecit so why doesn't he give Scotland Full Fiscal Independence. That would give him £7.2 Billion to spend on the rest of the Union and defeat the SNP Independence claim at the same time.
It is so easy.
63

Number 6,

Germany 01/12/2008 11:03:32
#60 Warden, We all know how limited your knowledge is on
all matters. That being the case, what on earth was your post at number 51 about. Just another childish pathetic swipe at the SNP. Your liebour handlers will be pleased.
64

,

01/12/2008 11:03:52
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65

Warden An' All, Reborn,

01/12/2008 11:05:33
66-TWC-Just a thought here, what if Mr Darling actually cared for the well being of the Scottish people. Would it then look worse for a politician to gain brownie points from the suffering of his own people?

66

subrosa,

01/12/2008 11:11:16
# 65

Good morning niko. I see you're in full flow this morning.

'and the term Unionist parties really should be the parties of Democracy within the law and loyalty to the true one and indivisible British nation.'

Really you could do better than the above. Go back under your union jack duvet and have a wee rethink about the word indivisible.
67

Number 6,

Germany 01/12/2008 11:14:27
This is how much Liebour "Care":

THE expert group examining new powers for Holyrood has "tampered with the evidence" to suit the Labour Party, one of its own economic advisers suggested last night.
Professor Andrew Hughes Hallett, one of 11 economics experts tasked with examining tax powers north of the border, said its final report did not have "much legitimacy" because it was skewed towards preserving the status quo.

Hughes Hallett said he had wanted the expert group to look at whether the Scottish Government should be given the power to borrow money but claims this was glossed over in the final report.

He told Scotland on Sunday: "Had it been a criminal issue, you would call it tampering with the evidence by not considering all the options."

Dirty underhand and cheap, there's no other way to describe them, but STILL scottish unionistas, including much of the scottish press, will continue to support this dreadful party.

Only in Scotland would you find so many people who feel they are "Uniquely incapable of looking after their own affairs". How humiliating.

68

sm753,

01/12/2008 11:21:50

Lots of red "comments removed" today.

I see my sad little stalker Spanners has managed to get banned again.

I missed it - what did he do this time?

Anti-semitism again?
69

Warden An' All, Reborn,

01/12/2008 11:22:23
67-Number 6-I wouldn’t know what you mean about how limited my knowledge is, though I would be interested for you to tell me how limited that is.
If you are right about my knowledge being limited on all matters how would I know? Though in case my knowledge runs a little further than you would like people to believe I will endeavour to enlighten your position. Broadcasting is generally a regional affair within the UK, whereas arms and the legislation would have ramifications for the whole nation.

70

TWC,

01/12/2008 11:22:54
69 Warden An' All, Reborn,
New labour only care about the New Labour party. They are the worst party at Holyrood or Westminster. They have nothing to offer Scotland and they have ruined a great party.
They are allowing SNP to steal all the socialist policies including the Devolution process.
71

Nikostratos,,

01/12/2008 11:23:45
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/education/01scotland.html?_r=1&ref=us

Going Off to College for Less (Passport Required)

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Isobel Oliphant felt she was making an offbeat choice when she graduated from Fox Lane High School in Bedford, N.Y., and enrolled at the ancient university in this quiet coastal town of stone ruins and verdant golf courses.

I thought I was being original,” said Ms. Oliphant, now in her third year at the University of St. Andrews. “But my high school class president came here, too. And when I got here, it was all ‘Hi, I’m from Massachusetts,’ ‘Hi, I’m from New York.’ ”

St. Andrews has 1,230 Americans among its 7,200 students this year, compared with fewer than 200 a decade ago.

The large American enrollment is no accident. St. Andrews has 10 recruiters making the rounds of American high schools,

Stephen Magee, the vice principal at St. Andrews, sees no problem with admitting Americans who may be marginally less qualified than the European students.

“Am I wrong to say I don’t care if they can’t get into Harvard?” Mr. Magee said. “If a Scottish parent asked why their very talented child did not get in to St. Andrews, when so many Americans did, I would tell them to ask the government, which encourages us to take international students, but caps the number of local students they will pay for.”

Mr. Magee emphasizes that Americans are not displacing homegrown students, since St. Andrews would not be allowed to admit additional applicants from Scotland or England if it cut back American admissions.

"I would tell them to ask the government, which encourages us to take international students, but caps the number of local students they will pay for.”


That's what the snp do for the people of Scotland..


'We're bought and sold for American gold'--
Such a parcel of rogues in the snp!
72

Arfur,

01/12/2008 11:25:28
Who cares, it has been tamper with by the new labour and corruption party. It should flung in the Forth.

Can see it now.

Calman - "so mr brown what do you want me to write in this here document"

Brown - "oh give them some nothing powers"

Calman - "broadcasting"

Brown - "Sound good. Also give them something they have been asking for"

Calman - "control of firearms"

Brown - "Excellent. That will do"

Calman - "Will that be enough to keep them happy?"

Brown - "Your right. Add SOME financial powers"

Calman - "Your going to allow them financial powers?"

Brown - "Well once they have voted for me like the gullible twonks in Glenrothes we will just specify that they can control the tax on highland fudge"

Calman - "Excellent boss. I will get it typed up right away"
73

TWC,

01/12/2008 11:40:51
75 Nikostratos,,

That is bad news
So it grew from 200 to 1200 in ten years while Labour were in power for 9 of those years. I don't really see this as only SNPs problem.
It is unacceptable whoever allows it.
This happened when there were two different university enrolment organisations years ago.
One organisation controlled the Better Uni and one controlled entry to the less prestigious Unis.
You got an offer from the lesser one first because the better ones could be sold to Foreigners.
74

Number 6,

Germany 01/12/2008 11:45:19
#73 Nope, your still clueless. The question was, how would the SNP deal with gun control, you brought the subject up . I fail to see what your drivel is supposed to mean .
75

Warden An' All, Reborn,

01/12/2008 11:48:00
74-TWC-The snp have no interest in devolution as a destination and most people know that.
So new labour only cares about new labour, do you care to elaborate?
They are the worst party at holyrood or Westminster, again please will you elaborate?
They have nothing to offer Scotland and they have ruined a great party, please inform us all your reasoning behind your insights?
76

Warden An' All, Reborn,

01/12/2008 11:56:16
78-Number 6-I think you mean you’re still clueless and not “your still clueless” right.
Your answer to the question would be: badly. There are already problems now, Scotland having separate control will just make it easier to run weapons.

77

Number 6,

Germany 01/12/2008 12:03:33
#80 As you are so fond of asking people for their reasoning, I wonder if you could provide yours, for stating gun control would be worse under the SNP.

Why would it be "easier to run weapons under the SNP".

I hope your labour handler's got an answer in his handbook.
78

Tris,

01/12/2008 12:04:40
#75.... Erm, well, duh....

"1,230 Americans among its 7,200 students this year, compared with fewer than 200 a decade ago."

OK, given that I assume you know that a decade is 10 years....remind me, who was in government for most of that time? Was it:

a) The SNP
b) The Tories
c) The Lovely Labour Party or
d) Little Bo Peep

Answers on a post card.

Honestly, if you want to make a point about how awful the SNPO is, try looking at the facts before you present them.

Muppet.
79

Nikostratos,,

01/12/2008 12:14:42
#82

What no change then eh? we wuz told the snp were for the people of Scotland.
80

Arfur,

01/12/2008 12:24:44
#83 Nikostratos - you are a tool. Take a long look at your argument then go sit in the corner.

Someone please pass the dunce hat to Niko (shakes the head).
81

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 01/12/2008 12:28:21
75/77/82
There is no great mystaery about the number if US students at St Andrews. US students (as with any others outside the EU) pay the full fees (probably well over £10,000 per year)

The University treats non EU students as a source of income to supplement the money it gets from the Scottish Govt. That is why the places taken by US students would not be able to Scottish students.

My son is at St Andrews and he told me that out of the 12 people in his corridor in the hall of residence only 3 come from Scotland. There are students from Canada, Sweden, Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands in his corridor, 4 from England and one from Wales.
82

Hugh Roscombe,

01/12/2008 12:29:42
84 Arfur

"Someone please pass the dunce hat to Niko (shakes the head)"

I'd shake my head if Niko's post was out of character.
As he invariably posts mince, it's a waste of a shake.
83

Rasco,

01/12/2008 12:36:22
What do Gray and Goldie and all unionist think of the report on the BBC about the Breadline Poor Scots over the last four decades.
84

Buckpool Loon,

Cheshire 01/12/2008 12:38:56
#79. Nu Labour have adopted the policies and positions to the right of the Conservatives in order to get in, then remain in power.

Scotland exports around 59 MP's of the 650 odd to Westminster. Of the 59 the vast majorities first allegience is to their party and to it retaining or gaining power at Westminster. By implication they're tools of Westminster where the affairs of their country and the people they represent become subsidiery to the requirments of Westminster.

On the demgraphic front the Scots are about 8.6% compared to the 85% represented as English. Such an imbalance of logistics needs a totally different formulation and style of government, if the potential of the lesser demographics are to be realised.

Given the large disparity in population, resources and geography, for any majority to claim no inequality exists is a pure oxymoron.

As to elaboration; open your eyes and do your own research. Or would England have to be under threat of sinking below the seas before you would pick up your shovel and help dig a ditch between Solway and the Tweed?
85

Ugly George,

01/12/2008 12:45:55
88 Buckpool Loon.
"Nu Labour have adopted the policies and positions to the right of the Conservatives in order to get in, then remain in power."

Massive increases in govt spending, increased taxes on those earning over £150,000, taxes on pension funds, insurance premiums, foreign dividends etc.

These can hardly be described as measures to "the right of the Conservatives."

Labour are really just what they have always been - a tax and spend party

86

Nevsky,

Moscow 01/12/2008 12:52:51
88 Buckpool#

More important is that out of the 650 at the next election Scotland will have 2 or 3 Conservative MPs.

That is 2 or 3 MPs out of 650 to fully represent Scotland within the Government!

Democracy?
87

Fred Quimby,

01/12/2008 12:54:10
Seems like Nick Clegg has blown it bigtime on a flight to Inverness, when he was overheard to slag off individual members of his front bench.

What next, Tavish for Westminster or bring back Charlie K?

http://tinyurl.com/5nzm7s
88

Fred Quimby,

01/12/2008 12:56:52
#64
Guy Wersh,
eccy byde 01/12/2008 10:45:43

I don't think that the £ STG would qualify to get into the Zimbabwean Dollar group, although Hen Broon is doing his damn best to get us there.
89

Fred Quimby,

01/12/2008 12:58:58
# 83
Nikostratos,,
01/12/2008 12:14:42

The prize for the most imbecilic post of the day, unless you do some more.
90

Fred Quimby,

01/12/2008 13:02:55
I see that The Steamie, Scotland's Political Blog (see above) has been underwhelmed by readers interest.

Wonder if they are trying the Herald gambit of withdrawing the raw meat comments facility and substituting the Bowdlerised (joke there) highly controlled and censored comments section?
91

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 01/12/2008 13:04:40
90 Nevski
That is why I feel that a Tory govt is more likely to give Scotland more fiscal powers than a Labour one. The Tories might well say - OK we will give Scotland more fiscal powers on the basis of Scotiish MPs not being able to vote on issues purely affecting England.

This would strengthen their power and weaken Labour's. As I said in an earlier post the Tory minded UK Taxpayers' Alliance has already called for this.

Labour depends too much on the votes of Scottish and Welsh MPS and moves to give either more fiscal responsibility weakens their power base.
92

janeshore,

England 01/12/2008 13:15:43

Not entirely true, UG 85 The SNP do treat some EU students as an income supplement. Welsh & English students now have to pay Tuition Fees at Scottish Universities. Ta very much Mr Salmond, quite discriminatory & likely to be declared illegal by the EU in near future.
93

English Bob,

England 01/12/2008 13:21:11
Any danger of Mc Labour giving any powers to England? Or even recognition?

Zero chance. England to be split into Euro regions against our consent.

I tell you northern chums - there is going to be trouble.
94

Observer. 1,

Glasgow 01/12/2008 13:32:19


The Calman commission is a vehicle for standing still, it is not going anywhere, and we all know it. How long is this farce going to continue.
95

The Federalist (the poster formerly know as NAUON),

01/12/2008 13:35:40
Calman could have been radical in its alternative to independence but it now looks like a damp squib.

What these fools don't understand is that the status quo is not an option - tinkering at the edges is just playing right into the SNP's hands.

It seems to me that Brown thinks that his win in Glenrothes shows a fundamental weakness in support for the SNP - therfore he does not need to pursue the decentralist agenda any further. That is idiocy in my opinion - if he's not careful he is going to drive many of those who do want real further powers for Holyrood into the nationalist camp.

I have said before that there are one set of circumstances where I could see myself voting for independence.

If a simple yes-no vote goes ahead in 2010 (or some other date) and the No campaign indicated that if they win there would be no further dentralisation of power, then I would seriously consider voting yes in a referendum.

It now looks like Calman is going to make that prospect even more likely.
96

The Sprucer,

01/12/2008 13:51:48
Guys,

Can we not react to Rufus because he's clearly just being an annoying tw*t. Ignorance is bliss! Well it certainly is in his case as well.

#97 English Bob, I hope there is. I hope you do get seriously annoyed about this because if we can complain about the Thatcher years here then you have an argument regarding Brown et al. I wish you well in your pursuit of independence. It's only fair on all sides (Northern Ireland and Wales included).
97

Observer. 1,

01/12/2008 13:56:24
''Calman could have been radical in its alternative to independence''

Wishful thinking, as soon as Westminster took control (and they did) any prospect of radical change was neutered straight away.

98

Nevsky,

Moscow 01/12/2008 13:58:00
95 Ugly George#

I think this is the whole point isn't it? Whether the Tories or the Labour party are in power in Westminster it is the right of the Scottish people to assume more powers if that is what they want.

It is not, in my opinion, the right of Westminster to deny the Scots anything they want with regard to consitutional reform especially when the decision affects the future prosperity of the country.

Even unionists must see that Calman is Westminster at work on Scotland and has nothing to do with what the Scots really want!

That decision rests with the head quisling!
99

sm753,

01/12/2008 13:59:35
99

"What these fools don't understand is that the status quo is not an option - tinkering at the edges is just playing right into the SNP's hands."

If you want any changes made quickly, they can only be relatively small ones.

Anything fundamental opens up cans of worms across the UK - Wales, NI, England itself. One sees words like "Royal Commission", "years of delay" and "long grass".

I would say it looks quite likely there will be some sort of assigned revenue solution. It's done overseas, it would be an improvement on the status quo, there is just the matter of picking a particular solution which works pragmatically.

Will anyone particularly care? I think folks have more pressing worries.
100

Number 6,

Germany 01/12/2008 14:00:10
#97 Sorry Bob, no is the answer.Do us all a favour and vote tory down there. This is the best immediate option for both countries.

You get rid of the "Scottish mafia" and we get rid of the biggest obstical to Scottish development.

I can't for the life of me see how things could get any worse under the tories, especially now their Leader has admitted that Scotland could survive on it's own.

If the tories decided to play "hardball"
with Scotland, it will only substantially increase
support for the SNP as Liebour will by then, be reduced to an irrelevance.

The regionilisation of England is a directive that has
come from Europe, and which the Liebour party will be only too happy to implement if it guarantees them a place at the European trough once everywhere south of the border