The Scottish Government

Surely we can't still beleive that the SNP are the true voice of Scotland? This is a party engaging in the worst kind of confrontational politics instead of finding solution to age old problems such as how our elderly are being treated in care homes etc.

Mr Salmond continually ducks the hard questions preferring instead to engage in some kind of guerilla war of words with Westminster - what a let down for us all.

Holyrood is a second division parliament for a nation which, disappointingly, so far seems unable to aspire to promotion to the world premier league.

In response to Ellis Sims, missive 271

Can I start by asking you what is wrong with countries like Greece etc?

The days when 'being British' carried some special kudos and importance have long gone. You may get a thrill out of hanging onto the USA's coat-tails in conducting an illegal war in Iraq, but I fear the majority of the British people and certainly majority of Scots were against it.

Is everything to be measured in terms of the size of your economy, the size of your guns or nuclear arsenal?

If this is the kind of 'benefit' we get from being part of Britain then frankly you can stuff it. Switzerland hasn't had a war for 500 years and they have one of the highest standards of living in the world.

Having a 'big economy' doesn't translate to individual wealth. Economically Scotland would be better off, and even if it weren't it would be good to get away from the 'biggest bully in the class' philosohpy associated with being British.

You also say our problems are to do with the complexion of the government in Westminster. So we wait until the views of the UK government coincide with the Scots' best interests ? - well we could wait, it might be a long wait. We could vote for independence however, that would be a lot quicker !

Can I also say I welcome comments from all those living in Scotland and those intending to return - clearly they have a stake in the argument.

I have a little more skepticism over those commenting from afar and unlikely to return.

I am unclear which category you fit into - why not come back to Scotland so you can truly experience our national rebirth first hand rather than pitching up from so far away ?

Awrabest

to stewart in Stirling - you are NOT free: you are governed by a Westminster government in a different COUNTRY. That government has consistently sold Scotland and Scots short and would happily continue to do so ad infinitum.That government has never asked you for your opinion and never will. T

This consultation is excellent - I hope the government will consult in the years ahead on a whole range of issues such as welfare and taxes etc.

Regarding independence - I was always unsure about it and still feel we need to hear more about it. However I do feel we need to have a chance to vote for or against it. The problem with Labour and Lib Dems proposals are that they will only calm the independence argument down by giving more powers to the parliament BUT all that will happen is that the independence issue will crop up again a few years later.

We need to have this vote or referendum so that it will answer the independence question for the final time. Until that happens we will be talking about this for years and years and years.

I've got a family member who's not long back from Iraq, he was fighting to help bring democratic freedom to the people of that country. It's a shame that on his return he comes home to scotland, a peacefull country but with no real democracy either. Even greater the shame that all it would take to bring democracy here would be a simple stroke of a pen in the correct box. No one needs to kill or be killed to bring this about.

The current BRITISH government contains 5 Scots, 4 of whom, including the PM, represent Scottish seats. Real political power lies with the government not MPs, so with so much power in the cabinet it seems Scottish electors have most influence over how the UK is run.

No problem in that for me - I’m a Unionist.

But it is a little tiresome listening to some nationalists complaining about the lack of democracy in Scotland. Comments such as “that government has never asked you for your opinion and never will” from Ruth in West Lothian are factually incorrect.

Like ALL governments including Alex Salmond’s Executive, the Westminster government asks for our opinions (I assume Ruth actually means ‘support’) via elections.

For the last decade Scottish people have returned a Labour government to Westminster, in which Scottish MPs have been over-represented both in the parliament itself & the cabinet.

Support Scottish independence by all means but lets stick to the facts.

It's about time we Scots stood on our own two feet again. We are no less capable than any other nation on earth and yet many of us choose to believe the lies spouted by the unionist parties that we are somehow incapable of governing ourselves properly without descending into poverty and recession. This is utter nonsense. With the resources this country has at her disposal we could prosper.

Now's the day and now's the hour. Let us have a referendum and decide for ourselves whether we want independence, rather than let the other major parties decide for us by denying us that referendum.

gavin thompson! Hello!

A reply to your message.

I never said i wanted to be hanging onto the United States coat tails with Iraq. Was the counter attack on the Falkland Islands in America's interest? Kosovo? Err no.

When you say about the Size of your Economy, armed forces and nuclear stockpile doesn't really matter. It WILL matter if the Chinese or Russians decide to have a 'merry old time' and invade other countries. Now you may be thinking thats a bit far fetched, but is it really? If/when China becomes a Great Power on the World stage, they won't give a dogs b**locks to the Independent views of Scotland/England/Wales ALL seperated.

We would be just an easy target for their Nuclear missiles and rather large armies.

So wouldn't an Independent Scotland falter on its first steps?

Oh and about the 'best interests of scotland' thing, well let me rexplain it to you in another way. If a sector (Scotland) of a large Cooperation (UK) had more devolved power to it so it could perform tasks easier (Devolved Legeslature) which would produce optimum output (Best Interests of Scotland), then in turn the Output of the WHOLE company is increased (Best interests of the UK)/

Thats what i meant by that.

Plus, do you mean the special 'kudos' which will magically reappear once Scotland has left the UK, just like the special 'kudos' of Ireland when it left?

Im done :)

NO,Mike in Birmingham i meant exactly what i wrote: "opinion" as in what we are giving in this national conversation. Correct me if i'm wrong, but i don't recall the Labour party in Scotland opening up an national conversation to hear our opinions!