[Johnstoun]

Ron Burgundy, on Mar 31 2008, 15:11, said:

In which case i'm glad they appointed Burley and not Souness as we are destined for four years of mediocrity....phew.

I would approve of Souness' appointment if he promised to plant the Scotland flag in the centre circle at Wembley. That would be good for a laugh/riot.

[xbl]

Ron Burgundy, on Mar 31 2008, 15:25, said:

which is what worries me...Souness would have cranked up the Trartan Army to 11...yes they go to 11 one more mental than other football fans.

Im not sure about that! Souness would have been a very unpopular appointment IMO, I didnt want him anywhere near the Scotland job, very happy Burleys been appointed.

[Broccoli Dog]

Ron Burgundy, on Mar 31 2008, 12:42, said:

we are paying MSP's to basically act as civil servants which is ridciculous....like the civil service they are geting a budget to spend on certain things and they have leeway to administer this to a certain extent.

but unlike the civil service are elected to the position by the public, rather than be appointed.

Quote

I also see that Colin Fox dick is now allying the SSP to the independence cause in a big way...nothing like catching that wave and getting a free ride.

The SSP, like the Scottish Greens has always been pro-Independence.

[The Old Northerner]

Would the OP envisage the 'return to Westminster' to be the return to the pre-Devolution days or is it a total lack of autonomy that is being asked about?

[xbl]

Von Eldritch, on Mar 31 2008, 18:05, said:

Would the OP envisage the 'return to Westminster' to be the return to the pre-Devolution days or is it a total lack of autonomy that is being asked about?

Essentially I was wondering what the support was like for effectively rolling back ten years of devolution. There seem to be a surprising amount in favour of it.

[ICTChris]

I studied the Scottish Parliament during my time at University and actually wrote my dissertation on it. In terms of political design, openness and modernity it is a very good institution. It's structures and systems are forward thinking and could be used to administer the country very well. However, the issue with politicians is that they are fine until they start making laws - given access to the levers of power most MSPs think that the best solution to the problems of Scotland (and Britain, Europe and the world too) is for more government, for government to extend it's reach into people's lives.

Also, the fact of the matter is that the Scottish Parliament has, as detailed by earlier posters, produced policies that cost millions of pounds that aren't raised in this country's tax bill. Free care for the elderly is laudable in my opinion, but it isn't a long term option for looking after this country's aging population. Students contributing to the cost of their own tuition is not something that has to cause the mythical 'educated working class' to stop being educated - most countries require students to pay some sort of fee. Now we have the local income tax, which leaves a gaping hole in our public accounts and takes control of local taxation away from local government into the centralised hands of Holyrood. If Scotland were fiscally independent we wouldn't be able to afford these things, we would have to make hard choices about where we go as a nation. Perhaps the election of a Conservative government in Westminster might cause the settlements that lead us into the current state of affairs to be re-examined.

The sad thing I think about this is that rather than see the Scottish Parliament as an opportunity to increase wealth, those who govern us have seen it as an opportunity to increase welfare and bossiness. If a Conservative government asked why the English taxpayer should fund benefits in Scotland while not getting a comparable return I fear that the result would be a 'dog whistle' campaign of veiled jingoism rather than our political class looking to reform our state and take the opportunities that exist to make us a prosperous little corner of Europe.

Edited: With regards to the original point, I don't think it's valid. The Scottish Parliament isn't going to be abolished - aside from civil wars Parliaments and Assemblies tend to stay where they are. I believe that we are better off as a part of the United Kingdom, with Devolution or without.

This post has been edited by ICTChris: 31 March 2008 - 17:24