The Scottish Question

[An Fear Dubh]

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article4678194.ece

If Scotland gets enhanced powers in tax laws. Surely it follows that Stormont could also get greater tax powers. The problem for middle class unionism is that while such powers help the local businessman to maximize profit and maybe reduce his tax levy, it also has implications for ties with London and the 'British Union'.

But it looks like Brown has to change to fight the threat of the SNP and the gradual erosion of the Labour party vote in Scotland. In the north there was never a Labour vote to protect. Unionists might find themselves with more catch 22 problems that help to weaken their own foundation.

[earl]

As the article states, most Scots would be happy with higher control of tax, but with EU regulations in place forbidding states from having differing tax regimes in different locations, these powers will still be limited to what is going on at Westminister. Those Scots who are happy to leave it there will find out that they will have to go a lot further down the independence/devolution road to get what they need. This is a gradual process as the article states. Another stepping stone towards the end game.

[An Fear Dubh]

And do you think Alex Salmond will leave it there? As he and his party are the driving force behind this. We see through vaious EU treaties and proposed constitutions that EU regulations can be changed. If the London admin find themselves in a situation I am sure the regulations will be bent to help the London central admin. But as Scotland moves in one direction and while this suits Irish nationalist we will see how close ulster unionism wants to maintain its close relationship with Scotland.

[Jim]

His party will only go so far until they start to make people feel uncomfortable, a lot of Scottish people (I'd say at least half) will entertain the idea of scottish independence but arent too sure about the reality of scottish independence, not yet anyway, and he will have to be careful not to go too quickly. The tax thing is not a real problem because it can be negotiated and changed as you said fairly quickly if there is a proper argument put forward, but it isnt going to come from London, it needs to come from Edinburgh, from the SNP itself, they wont get support from any mainstream party for it either.

Browns doing a fine job of alienating his voters especially in Scotland so he will be instrumental to Scotland achieving more independence from London

I dont think it suits Irish nationalists that much because if Scotland was to suddenly break from the union it doesnt necessarily mean we can, not legally anyway. I think ulster unionism has closer links to Scotland than it does to London but it will definitely be interesting to see how they accept a new union without their cousins and best mates in Scotland, it could break unionism and turn it into ulsterism.

[An Fear Dubh]

I agree with the gist of that Jim and I am unsure how it will pan out but I can see many dilema's for Unionism being created by Scotland's push for greater automony.

[earl]

Sept 8, 2008 19:26:56 GMT An Fear Dubh said:

And do you think Alex Salmond will leave it there? As he and his party are the driving force behind this. We see through vaious EU treaties and proposed constitutions that EU regulations can be changed. If the London admin find themselves in a situation I am sure the regulations will be bent to help the London central admin. But as Scotland moves in one direction and while this suits Irish nationalist we will see how close ulster unionism wants to maintain its close relationship with Scotland.

Regardless of where Alex Salmond leaves it, he can only go as far as where the majority of Scots want to go and on bending EU tax laws, eh, no it's not going to happen. Scotland will have to become it's own sovereign nation to have full control of it's taxes under EU law. The whole tax issue in Europe is sensitive enough as it is with many big states wanting to harmonise taxes universally. Allowing states to have differing tax regimes in differing regions is going in completely the opposite direction. That's why NI will never be able to compete with the ROI on this unless the UK as a whole starts to compete with our rates.