Dear Alistair Posted on August 09, 2014 by Robert Moffat I watched your debate with Alex Salmond on Tuesday night with interest. As the debate progressed I began to realise that your task would be so much easier if you simply put forward reasons why the United Kingdom, in its present form, is a positive force that serves the Scottish people and satisfies their aspirations. I’ve no doubt that you’d also prefer to put forward a positive case instead of having to constantly attack the idea of independence and use negativity, uncertainty and personal attacks to achieve your aims. So why are you doing this? I was also intrigued by the amount of time you spent on the issue of a currency union. Surely the debate is much broader and deeper than this one issue? Then it struck me. You spent all that time on currency because the current set-up, where all parties use the pound is, in fact, the only thing that could be construed as a positive case for the union. Of course, many would argue that a currency union by itself is of no benefit to Scotland without the full range of fiscal powers that are needed to transform the country. And others would also argue that a formal currency union is unnecessary for Scotland to thrive going forward. But for the moment and for the sake of argument I’ll concede that our present currency union serves all parties well. However, I’ve been researching the independence question for almost two years now and from what I’ve learned, I suspect that your hands are tied and that you have no other option but to pursue a negative line of attack because otherwise I believe there is not one single solitary reason why the United Kingdom is functioning as a power for good for Scotland. So my challenge to you is simple. Give the people of Scotland one truthfully positive reason why they should vote no in September and remain within the union. Tell the Scottish electorate what single aspect of the union serves them well. Use the political skill and knowledge that you have acquired over decades to articulate a positive case for the union. No slogans, no spin, no negativity. Just come up with one single, solitary example that demonstrates why we should support the continuation of the United Kingdom rather than take control of our own affairs. Why not start with the constitution? The one that encapsulates that proud family of nations that you and your colleagues are so fond of talking about. Surely that’s fertile ground for finding a positive case? Perhaps not. Why would you point out that the UK is one of only a handful of countries in the world that doesn’t have a codified, fully written constitution; a document that sets out in black and white the rights and responsibilities of the government and citizens and sets these firmly within a legal framework? Why would anyone from Better Together No Thanks draw people’s attention to the fact that this situation places power totally and absolutely with the UK parliament who can then use this power, unimpeded and without redress, to do as it pleases, regardless of the wishes of the people? more......................
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 20:44:51 +0000
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