The House of Lords agrees with me, ...

... Labour's Baroness Jay, said: "We are firmly of the view that any referendum that is held must be a straight choice between full independence or the status-quo".

"A third 'devolution-max' option is clearly something every part of the UK must have a say in as it has the potential to create different and competing tax regimes within the UK."

Yet SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson said Scotland's constitutional future could only be decided by the people who live in Scotland.  He said: "The position is very clear - the Scottish government achieved an overwhelming mandate from the people of Scotland to hold the referendum that is exactly what we will do."

Of course he is correct, but he should be minded that the constitutional future of Britain belongs to all the peoples of Britain ........ not just to the SNP cabal.

Politics and John Swinney, quite illogical at times ...

... as demonstrated by the nationalist government North of the border.

John Swinney, Scotland’s Finance Secretary, delivered a major shock for supermarket giants selling tobacco and alcohol in Scotland by announcing that he would be imposing a business rates supplement on them from next April, he said ...

... (it is) necessary to combat the impact on the NHS and law and order north of the Border of cheap drink and cigarettes.

... his logic doesn't quite reach the rational that the tax will not effect drinking and smoking one little bit, it might alter the habit of consumer choice, switching to a cheaper brand or less than enjoyable wine (it tastes the same after the first glass).

The reality is the Scottish government needs the money raised to fund its largess by means other that the Westminster funding.

The Scottish Retail Consortium director Ian Shearer said "This new tax is a blatant fund-raising exercise ... it will make it harder for food retailers to keep prices down for customers, and makes Scotland a less attractive place to do business, invest and create jobs."

It is predicted the business rates levy would result in major food retailers paying an extra half-a-billion pounds in tax over the next four years.

Naturally John (the mouth) Swinney ...

... will lay the blame for his poor logic on Westminster.

Oops, he did it without taking a breath through that enormous mouth ...

... he described the budget cuts facing the SNP government as "the most swingeing the country has seen since the Second World War" and laid the blame firmly at the door of the coalition Government at Westminster. Scots, he said, were "being held to ransom by a UK Government they did not vote for".

I'm sure Plaid could take note of the strategy, create a crisis and place the blame anywhere but at your own feet, preferably in the precincts of Westminster, pathetic in fact .....

... when you read of the Scots Nats Party calling ...

... for all Scottish assets of the Crown Estate to be devolved what exactly is the aim.

Angus MacNeil SNP Scotland Office ...

"The announcement of these record profits reinforces the case for devolution of the Crown Estate so that Scotland can manage its own marine assets for the benefit of our people.

It cannot be the revenue as The Crown Estate exists to ...

... benefit the taxpayer by paying the revenue from our assets directly to the Treasury; and to enhance the value of the estate and the income it generates.

... therefore Scotland gains all the revenues generated through the block grant, in fact it gets a better deal because the English, NI and Wales taxpayers give the Scots a bigger share of the UK tax-take, so what is the North of the border separatists agenda.


The same SNP politician gives a clue when he says ...

"Yet it is the Crown Estate Commissioners (CEC) who grant leases for offshore projects and there is no obligation on the CEC to work in partnership with our economic development bodies.  Scotland's seabed and marine natural resources are a vital part of our economy and offer the greatest opportunity for growth."

... so it's not the money, its the separation of the UK state, and once one part of the physical State is achieved, the rest follows as surely as "night follows day".


Last month Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, listed the return of Crown Estate assets as one of six demands that his Government wants added to the Scotland Bill ...

... if the separatists north of the border have The Crown Estate devolved, then there is little point waiting for Independence, best give the Scots a nudge ...