Scottish Independence: Alex Salmond says EU membership clarity to come; it seems the public have a right to know after all, George Laird right again!

Dear All

There always certain landmark events that show the decline and downfall of a Government, in this case the Scottish Government led by Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.

Yesterday; saw Braveheart Alex Salmond having to go through the humiliation of a public climb down and publish the EU advice that he sought to withhold from the people of Scotland.

The issue of trust in government must be absolute for the public and the fact that Alex Salmond tried to belittle the Scottish people by saying their right to know wasn’t in the public interest speaks volumes.

I was there when the Scottish Government was put back into power and I will be there when they collapse.

Salmond says that EU advice would be made clearer next year, that’s not good enough, its time to publish now.

The advice will be included in a Scottish government's referendum white paper to be published in 2013.

I used to think Alex Salmond was bright, but now I realise he isn’t that all the hype suggests by a very long margin. If by next year he doesn't publish this legal advice, but tries to give a version, we will all know that trust has completely gone between him and the public.

Salmond has lost my personal support and I call on him to resign since he has made that statement public previously, if you aren't going to act like a leader, you have no business being the leader of the SNP.

Why did you refuse to act on discrimination?

The Scottish Government is heading in the wrong direction under his leadership, independence is already lost, the strategy seems to be that independence can be bought hence we see the attempt to buy the Hall’s plant using public money to try and prevent 1,700 job losses.

Only really stupid ignorant people would think independence can be bought.

Labour leader Johann Lamont said that the delay was not good enough and it isn’t.

Johann Lamont made the point he had so far failed to provide "a single shred of evidence" on the subject.

The Labour leader raised EU membership after President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso told the BBC:

"A new state, if it wants to join the EU, has to apply to become a member of the EU, like any state."

That means if Scotland leaves the UK, it doesn’t carry any part of the UK treaty with it, and that means Scotland would be forced to join the Euro which is an unstable currency.

Given the SNP claim that Scotland would be a rich country, our wealth could end up paying for bailouts in southern European countries. That means austerity for working class Scots beyond belief.

Next year sees a white paper, it takes a whole year to write a white paper, is this the most incompetent government ever to be formed since the creation of the Scottish Parliament?

Mr Salmond has always said that Scotland would remain a member of the EU if independence became a reality which is now regarded as fantasy politics.

When it came to publication of the legal advice Salmond said he would be breaching the ministerial code by disclosing legal advice on the issue.

As Alan Cochrane of the Telegraph aptly put it, Salmond will say anything to get independence.

All polls show that support for independence is dead, it has been killed off by the Scottish Government, when the history of this period is written, close examination of the policies and actions of Salmond and his government will take place.

That will show how he lost the trust of the Scottish people, he really is yesterday’s man.

Someone in the SNP once said:

‘it isn’t where you come from that is important, its where you are going’.

Someone buy Alex Salmond a ticket to political oblivion, he has paid that himself in full and in advance.

I used to wonder why so few members of the Scottish National Party were willing to come out for the party, now I know, and I am glad to join the majority that have better and more important things to do.

Alex Salmond isn't worth my time, I don't even see him as a leader of anything other than a clique.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University