"Even that figure is likely to be generous given the SNP’s volte face on oil and gas and its much-publicised opposition to new licences in the North Sea, which would make Scotland’s notional deficit at least £4billion higher."
This is a really good point which isn't often highlighted enough. It captures the transactional nature of nationalist politics. It's not about governing philosophies being a guiding prism through which policy comes out. It isn't even about 'doing what works' in a managerial technocratic sense either.
It's promise X if it means the electorate will view SNP more favourably come the indyref.
That is how the SNP can go from 'no NATO, no nukes, historic Euroscepticism and Scotland's oil' to 'stay in NATO, allow nukes in our waters, pro-EU and jump the black gold' in the space of 17 years. It's finger in the air territory. Cultural mood du jure leading nationalist politics by the nose.
It's also, incidentally, why its only now that they realise indyref2 jig is up that they'll be preparing to make the hard choices and volte face on 'free' tuition and 'free' perceptions'.
The next SNP budget in Holyrood really will make for interesting reading!
Salmon was offer DevMax (by David Cameron) as an alternative to independence in the 2014 referendum. He refused because he thought he could win independence despite never getting over the 50% approval level. If he had accepted DevMax Scotland would be 10 years into managing its own affairs, with a shared currency, shared diplomatic corps, shared British Army and Police Force. It is difficult to understand the arrogance of Salmond and his advisors at the time when they couldn’t even guarantee the pension obligations of British pensioners living in Scotland.
Great analysis , thank you. Although for many reasons it pains me , credit must also be given to George Osborne , who set in train the sequence which culminated in the collapse of anything remotely resembling a coherent case for separation. When Osborne said in Edinburgh , there was no guarantee a separate Scotland could be part of a currency union using the pound , the dream died right there. It still astonishes me to this day , that Salmond who bored anyone who would listen , with his (rather over egged) economist experience , didn’t see it coming….
SO So true never got round to a plan B on anything currency border pensions defence and they have had 10 years Thank goodness there are no brains in the independance movement
"Even that figure is likely to be generous given the SNP’s volte face on oil and gas and its much-publicised opposition to new licences in the North Sea, which would make Scotland’s notional deficit at least £4billion higher."
This is a really good point which isn't often highlighted enough. It captures the transactional nature of nationalist politics. It's not about governing philosophies being a guiding prism through which policy comes out. It isn't even about 'doing what works' in a managerial technocratic sense either.
It's promise X if it means the electorate will view SNP more favourably come the indyref.
That is how the SNP can go from 'no NATO, no nukes, historic Euroscepticism and Scotland's oil' to 'stay in NATO, allow nukes in our waters, pro-EU and jump the black gold' in the space of 17 years. It's finger in the air territory. Cultural mood du jure leading nationalist politics by the nose.
It's also, incidentally, why its only now that they realise indyref2 jig is up that they'll be preparing to make the hard choices and volte face on 'free' tuition and 'free' perceptions'.
The next SNP budget in Holyrood really will make for interesting reading!
Salmon was offer DevMax (by David Cameron) as an alternative to independence in the 2014 referendum. He refused because he thought he could win independence despite never getting over the 50% approval level. If he had accepted DevMax Scotland would be 10 years into managing its own affairs, with a shared currency, shared diplomatic corps, shared British Army and Police Force. It is difficult to understand the arrogance of Salmond and his advisors at the time when they couldn’t even guarantee the pension obligations of British pensioners living in Scotland.
Great analysis , thank you. Although for many reasons it pains me , credit must also be given to George Osborne , who set in train the sequence which culminated in the collapse of anything remotely resembling a coherent case for separation. When Osborne said in Edinburgh , there was no guarantee a separate Scotland could be part of a currency union using the pound , the dream died right there. It still astonishes me to this day , that Salmond who bored anyone who would listen , with his (rather over egged) economist experience , didn’t see it coming….
Brian Wilson has an excellent article in yesterday’s Scotsman highlighting the dishonesty and incompetence of the SNP.
It’s a must read —- “incompetent chancers who overplayed their hand”.
SO So true never got round to a plan B on anything currency border pensions defence and they have had 10 years Thank goodness there are no brains in the independance movement