Q: Isn’t the Scottish Parliament going to get more powers anyway if Scotland votes No? Answer: The only way for Scotland to get all the powers needed to make Scotland a better place is through independence. The last time political parties opposed to Scottish independence proposed new powers for the Scottish Parliament was in 2009 when the Calman Commission reported. In 2011 the people of Scotland re-elected the current Scottish Government on a platform which proposed significant improvements to the Commission’s proposals. Westminster rejected the Scottish Government’s proposals, however, and the result was the Scotland Act 2012, which falls a long way short of full devolved powers in Scotland. There has been consistent support in Scotland for the Scottish Parliament to have responsibility for taxation and the welfare system. However, none of the parties opposed to independence seem willing to offer this degree of devolution. Whatever offers of more devolution might emerge during the referendum campaign, they are likely to fall short of full powers in these vital areas of Scottish life. Nor is it clear that even limited offers of more powers would be in place by the time of the next UK General Election in May 2015 or taken forward after that.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 21:09:10 +0000
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