I WRITE in response to the letter from the various Yes groups in Saturday’s National. They ask what powers the “Governor General” will want to take over next.
There are many clues. Firstly, there has been much talk of scrapping the Barnett Formula.
Secondly, the idea floated by the Tory/Labour Aberdeen coalition of direct council funding from Westminster met with Tory approval.
Thirdly, Scotland’s health boards are organised in such a way that directly funding each board would be relatively simple (at least on paper).
Fourthly, EVERY aspect of Scottish life can be controlled under the Internal Market Act, particularly when a new regime of funding is introduced to replace Barnett. This could be similar to the replacement of EU funding with the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with total control of spending by Westminster.
Scaremongering? Maybe. But I don’t think so. My belief is that if independence parties fail to win a majority in May, it will be open season on devolution. Remember Cameron’s EVEL about four hours after the 2014 vote was declared? The Tories have an 80-seat majority. They don’t need the feeble six from Scotland. They can just send the ones they want to keep to the Lords, like the Baroness.
They know there would be nothing that Scotland could do in response, as all final decisions on devolution rest with Westminster. And, as Scotland rejected independence, that is what the electorate voted for.
Finally, I fully agree with the group’s conclusion that we have only one answer – independence. Or perhaps to misquote Mel Gibson: “And dying in your beds many years from now, will you regret that that one final chance to tell Westminster that we demand independence was not taken?”
Dave Howie
Dunblane
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