Monaco resident Jim McColl demands those backing the Union must lay out policies if there is a no vote in Scotland in 2014, Salmond’s crony wastes his breath

Dear All

It seems that Monaco resident Jim McColl is in a time warp, he wants political parties opposed to independence to lay out what their policies would be if the country votes no in the 2014 referendum.

In case he missed it, devo max, devo plus, devo whatever is on the back burner, and on a low heat if at all.

The case is, independence or bust; all the eggs are in one basket for 2014.

McColl was a late convert to independence and his intervention is meaningless to ordinary working class Scots.

What is he proposing?

I don’t know and I suspect he doesn’t know either, but he does say that he is disappointed at the "negative" stance taken by those campaigning against independence.

On the issue of clarity from other parties, they have already given it, you know the stance on EU, IMF, Bank of England, NATO, United Nations and all the rest, it is already in the public domain.

It is for those seeking independence to prove the same clarity, the same detail and the same transparency.

McColl said:

"People are asking the SNP what is going to happen in an independent Scotland but it is not just up to the SNP. There are going to be elections after [the referendum] so it is up to all parties to say what would happen in an independent Scotland. Ideally, the other parties should be saying, 'We want you to vote no and here is what we have on offer if you do that. If you vote yes, this is what we will do.'"

McColl is deluded, why should opposition parties to the SNP clarify that when this issue holds no water with them? They don’t have to plan for an independent Scotland because they don’t believe this will happen and given that poll after poll is firmly against it, they would think that McColl’s suggestion is a waste of their time.

And less we forget, the Scottish National Party doesn’t have a plan for an independent Scotland despite being around for circa 80 years.

80 years and no plan, add it to some policies like their NATO policy was bollocks as ‘the clique’ around the leadership festered.

On callingon the cross-party campaign, Better Together, he wants them to say how it will improve life for Scottish people if they vote to retain the Union.

Funnily enough I have just sent ideas in an article to the editor of Toryhoose, Toryhoose is the Conservative supporting website which publishes articles from a range of people, I have had some stuff published myself, and given the credit.

McColl added:

"It is really bad the other parties are not coming out and saying, 'If you vote no to independence, here is what we will do for Scotland to enhance its ability to grow its economy, create more jobs and improve the well-being of all its citizens.' It is a very negative stance that has been taken. I would like the Better Together campaign to come out and tell us how it will be better."

Once the issue is settle in 2014, then unionist parties will come up with further devo, but until that time, they will not be playing Alex Salmond’s game or indeed the game of a resident of Monaco.

A spokeswoman for Yes Salmond (Scotland region) said:

"It is incumbent on all parties to lay out the policies they would favour in an independent Scotland."

Yeah, yeah, yeah, keep flapping!

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University