The Scottish Parliament MUST be Closed - A Red and Blue Tory Dream

On the 11th of September 1997 there was a referendum with two simple questions. 74.3% of those who voted on the first question backed a Scottish parliament, and 63.5% of those who voted on the second question were in favour of it having tax-varying powers. The turn-out was 60.1% on the first question and 60% on the second question respectably.  A lot has changed from that time but never the less this was the start of Scotland believing in itself once more.

The areas of devolved matters are agriculture, forestry and fisheries, education and training, environment, health and social services, housing, law and order, local government, sport and the arts, tourism, economic development and many aspects of transport.  

Reserved matters are benefits and social security, immigration, defence, foreign policy, employment, broadcasting, trade and industry, nuclear energy, oil, coal, gas and electricity, consumer rights, data protection and the constitution.  You can clearly notice a big difference between the two.

The Scottish Parliament has been under attack and undermined by Westminster with the help of the right wing media for many years. Tory Lord Frost recently called for some aspects of devolution to be reversed, basically taken back and to be under Westminster control.  How would this give confidence to Scottish voters regarding their own Scottish Parliament and the democratically elected parties within it?  It would appear that Westminster is only looking after its own interests.  

Rishi Sunak’s speech in Glasgow in April 2023 clearly shows he is not a supporter of Holyrood. He dismissed any suggestion of the Scottish Parliament being handed more powers and also described the parliament as a “devolved assembly”.  This clearly shows ignorance and disrespect towards the Scottish parliament and the Scottish people, yet there are so many here in Scotland that still flocks to the Tory party knowing how they treat this country and its people, you have to ask the question why?   

On September 2014 the Scottish people voted no to independence on the belief that the Scottish parliament would get more powers. In an act of desperation the NO campaign pushed Gordon Brown to announce a timetable for what they call “more powers/devo max”.  However research from Business for Scotland has identified that according to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution, 24th Report of Session 2010–12, Gordon Brown’s timetable would be unconstitutional. 

The House of Lords’ report states that any further powers for Scotland should be subject to a UK wide constitutional process, including the possibility of a UK wide referendum.  Why is it up to the rest of the UK to decide if Scotland deserves more powers to better herself?   Should it not be for the sovereign people of Scotland and only the sovereign people of Scotland opinion that matters on how to better their country through their Scottish Parliament and not the permission of other three countries? 

In Oct 2020 the Tories published the Internal Marketing Bill, which allows them to legislate in devolved matters.  The Scottish parliament voted against this but was ignored by Westminster.  In December 2021 The Internal Market Act became law and formalising the start of a power grab.   In January 2022 The Tories introduced voter ID.  The Scottish parliament voted overwhelmingly against this; however Westminster once again ignored the vote.  In May 2023 the Tories obstructs legislation to help Scotland meet its climate targets in a devolved policy area.  There are many other examples; however a pattern should be emerging here what Scotland has to face yet so many here in Scotland accept this.  Again, we have to ask the question why?  

There is clear evidence that show Labour also no longer care about devolution, only power at Westminster.  Labour MP Michael Shanks has indicated Labour would not reverse a Tory veto on Holyrood legislation despite Labour MSPs backing those laws.  At the Scottish Labour conference MP Ian Murray who always claims to be a proud Scot suggested Scottish Government overseas offices would be curtailed.  What benefit would this have to cut back and restrict these Scottish offices overseas?  Are they trying to hide Scotland’s identity and voice in the world?  

Labour Lord George Foulkes has had a recurring campaign to stop the Scottish Parliament spending money on constitutional matters, despite voting for that himself in 2007. A campaign Labour MP Ian Murray has added his support to.  Why the people of Edinburgh South continue to vote this Labour MP I will not ever know?  Why are Labour Hell bent on destroying devolution with the help of their Tory colleagues?  Is it they do not like seeing when another parliament outperforms their own in many areas and it is actually working for the people by trying to better their lives?

We have to remember for Labour and Tory nothing else matters, it is all about power and Westminster rule over the other three countries in the UK.  As Boris Johnson once said ‘a pound spent in Croydon is of far more value to the country than a pound spent in Strathclyde’.  His belief and many others down south is that London and the south-east are the only productive parts of deindustrialised Britain left, and the income they bring in keeps the rest of the UK afloat, which is nonsense.  The Scottish Parliament is under threat and we the people must stand together to oppose what has happened recently and what is about to occur under Starmer.  We can move productively and progressively as a nation with independence or backwards under red and blue Tory UK rule.  Please make the right choice.

References

https://www.parliament.scot/about/history-of-the-scottish-parliament/the-path-to-devolution#topOfNav

https://archive2021.parliament.scot/visitandlearn/12506.aspx

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/opinion/suspicion-lingers-tories-would-gladly-29843918

https://www.businessforscotland.com/uk-to-get-veto-on-gordon-browns-devo-proposals/

https://www.snp.org/timeline-westminsters-power-grab-on-scotland/

https://www.snp.org/now-keir-starmers-labour-threaten-scottish-democracy-higher-taxes/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/apr/30/boris-spending-london-economic-woes