Final opinion polls show undecided voters could swing the result either way
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Cameron, Clegg and Miliband reveal the "Vow" and promise to protect "Barnett formula"
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For
anyone in Scotland thinking about voting “No” in today’s
referendum, there is a very good reason for voting with the “Yes”
campaign. For anyone who thinks that the promise made by Cameron,
Miliband and Clegg in respect of greater autonomy to
the Scottish Parliament including powers over taxation, spending an
even greater devolution, in exchange for a “No” vote, should
consider what has emerged since the three “leaders” went to
Scotland to unveil their “Vow” and plaster the front pages of
practically every newspaper in
the United Kingdom with
the text.
It
has become apparent that not all MP's at Westminster in the three
main parties, and particularly those in the Conservative party, do
not support their “leaders” in the, not very subtle bribe, that
has been dangled before the eyes of the Scottish people. It seems
that there is significant resistance to the prospect of Scotland
gaining more per capita expenditure north of the border than people
in the rest of the United Kingdom. The so
called “Barnett
formula” has
received even more criticism and is now even more likely to be
scrapped.
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In
response to this criticism from MP's and others, the government is
proposing that in the event that Scotland does vote “No” today, a
set of proposals for the detail of the “Vow” will be drawn up and
agreed between the party leaders, provided that they are able to gain
the consent and support of their own MP's and their respective
parties. A “White Paper” will be produced, probably in January
of next year, for consultation and discussion. Following this period
of time, legislation will be introduced in Parliament. Any decisions
or votes on the necessary changes
however, will not take
place or be effected, until
after the next General election in May of 2015, when in
any case, there
is likely to be a new government which may itself have a very
different make up and viewpoint on the whole matter of greater
devolution for Scotland.
The
“Vow” from the Westminster triumvirate
of Cameron, Clegg and Miliband was always nothing more than a
desperate, unconsidered knee jerk reaction to falling support in the
polls. If it were a serious proposition, it would have been included
on the ballot paper for the referendum, as originally proposed but
rejected out of hand by Westminster. Moreover, even after almost 5
years of this ConDem coalition, and many years of the previous Labour
government, it is only now that more devolution and greater taxation
and spending powers
for Scotland
are hinted at.
This
may be coincidence, but I think not.
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