Scottish independence: Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott seeks a Northern Isles devolution bid because “those who care most about the future of the Northern Isles are those who live there and they should decide their future”, code for piss off Salmond!

Dear All

For decades Alex Salmond and the SNP have been screaming that 'it’s Scotland’s Oil’ as part of their grudge, grievance and malcontent against the Westminster Government.

But now, it could turn out that actually, 'it’s Shetland’s Oil'.

What does that mean?

Well, it means that he and Scotland’s unpopular Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon are completely fucked.

No money to even pay for an Espresso! 

Alex Salmond’s disastrous plans for ­independence have suffered a unexpected setback with the emergence of a bid to bring home rule to oil-rich Ork­ney and Shetland.

If Ork­ney and Shetland go their own way, and it is viable, then John Swinney’s finance plans are meaningless and can be ripped up, the SNP is banking on Oil.

Everything in the SNP at present is Oil, Oil, Oil, the reason for this that a secret report showed that under the SNP, Scotland couldn’t afford welfare, pensions and services, there would be huge cuts, massive unemployment and tax rises.

The Scottish Campaign for Independence is dead!

In order to be independent, you have to plan, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon haven’t done the work, they can’t be trusted, and the ‘jolly fat man’ approach by Salmond is waning badly now!

Politicians on the islands are in discussions about how to achieve a new constitutional settlement that would deliver more powers to the Northern Isles.

For them, this is all about self interest and protecting their citizens, and it also allows them to capitalise on the lucrative oil and gas reserves in their waters.

The model being looked at; and this is a serious idea for the islanders is the setting up as a self-governing crown dependency like the Isle of Man.

Shetland Islands Council last week held a seminar looking at options for constitutional change.

Will the SNP back the islanders bid or will they say that they are ‘better together’?

It’s a tricky one; probably refuse to comment as much as possible.

Shetland’s MSP Tavish Scott used a speech at the Lib Dem conference in Dundee to say it was “time to seize the opportunity of Island home rule”, proclaiming: “It’s not your oil Alex, it’s wirs.” 

Quite so Sir!

And with the SNP being run as a one man band, Scott said:

“We are not going to be told what to do by the SNP. Nor by any other government”.

Adding:

“We don’t want more centralising, know-it-all, top-down nationalism. This SNP government couldn’t care less about the outer extremities of the country.”

The SNP care about the East and North East of Scotland, in the West of Scotland in areas such as Glasgow, the SNP don’t even make a decent pretence of ‘standing up for Glasgow’, people have to rely on the Glasgow Labour Party to do that.

Lib Dem activists unanimously passed a motion proposed by Scott and backed by the Orkney MSP Liam Mc­Arthur that the islands should have a separate right to self-determination.

Scott said:

“This debate is about a simple theme – that those who care most about the future of the Northern Isles are those who live there and they should decide their future”.

You may recognise that SNP mantra, now used against them!

Remember George Laird saying that there was a genuine lack of talent in the SNP?

George Laird right again.

Malcolm Bell, an independent councillor and the convener of Shetland Council, said:

“The current government is very centralised. It’s all very well to devolve power a few hundred miles from London to Edinburgh, but that’s no good for us if it then stops at Edinburgh. Powers need to be pushed out.”

With the lack of talent in the SNP now a serious problem, the SNP will have to blank this request, the party is run by a clique for the benefit of a few people.

It seems to me that a ‘deal in the isles’ can be done with the UK Government and the Islanders like the Isle of Man, that would leave the SNP in the position of being forced to be a political party, a proper political party.

Out would have to go cronyism which would be a huge personal blow to Nicola Sturgeon has a large number of her cronies in Glasgow got SNP candidacies as she struggles to build a power base for her challenge after Salmond steps down after the indy defeat.

The SNP in Glasgow is run by outsiders not born in the City of Glasgow, in Govan, every candidate selected was part of Team Sturgeon.

It’s Shetland’s Oil Alex!

And it looks like they are walking; I don’t think these people will want to be part of Police State Scotland under Salmond and Sturgeon.

I know I don’t want to be, I believe in Scottish independence, but in 2014, I will be voting No!

Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon are vile creatures, and their 15 minutes are up!

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University