UK News
Insights from the UK and beyond
from The Great Debate UK:
The Disunited Kingdom
- Paul Henderson Scott has written numerous books on Scottish history, literature and affairs, including ‘A 20th Century Life’ and its sequel, ‘The New Scotland’. He has been Rector of Dundee University, President of the Saltire Society and of Scottish PEN and a Vice-President of the Scottish National Party. The opinions expressed are his own -
The recent election has revealed more clearly than before the profound divide between Scottish and English opinion. The Conservatives have 297 seats in England but only one in Scotland (plus eight in Wales). As Joyce McMillan said in The Scotsman, “Our pattern of voting increasingly marks us out as a nation apart”.
Both of the two major Scottish papers had headlines like: “The Disunited Kingdom”. Much of the English press, or at least their Scottish editions, drew the same conclusion. "The Daily Mail" said that Britain is now "a nation of two tribes”. Magnus Linklater in "The Times" said that, “England and Scotland may share a boundary, but this weekend there is little common ground between them”.
If the Conservatives form the next British Government they have no moral right to legislate for Scotland where they have only one parliamentary seat.
from Left field:
What are the odds on getting the Six Nations winner right?
![RTR29J26[1]SIXNATIONS](http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/files/2010/02/RTR29J261SIXNATIONS.jpg "RTR29J26[1]SIXNATIONS")
Picking the winner of the Six Nations championship is always a tricky task as the vagaries of form and the fixture list ensure that no two seasons are the same.
France, who finished third last season, are rated 6/4 favourites by Ladbrokes while grand slam champions Ireland are only second-best at 9/4.
Making heavy weather over Scotland
Anyone listening to the BBC radio weather forecast this morning on the first day of Autumn will have come away with a detailed knowledge of how things look likely to pan out in Scotland – heavy winds apparently and not at all a day for going out walking on the hills.
They will also have probably had more than they need about Northern Ireland, with its endless bands of rain.
Liberal Democrats and the balance of power
A senior Liberal Democrat has lifted a lid on the murky world of coalition politics – a touchy subject for the party which last tasted national power in Britain in the brief Lib-Lab pact of the late 1970s.
Leader Nick Clegg says he is not wasting a “millisecond” speculating on the outcome of the coming general election, expected next May.
So farewell then, Scotland?
First Minister Alex Salmond has outlined plans to hold a referendum on independence for Scotland next year.
He told Members of the Scottish Parliament that independence was key to unlocking Scotland’s potential and to give it the best opportunity for future economic prosperity and to deal with global challenges.
Was it right to release the Lockerbie bomber ?
Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, the former Libyan agent convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, has been released from prison in Scotland and sent home on compassionate grounds.
The 57-year-old, who has terminal prostate cancer was sentenced to life under Scottish law for blowing up a Pan Am airliner over the town of Lockerbie in Scotland as it flew to New York in December 1988. All 259 passengers and crew and 11 people on the ground were killed.
Should the Lockerbie bomber be released?
Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, the former Libyan agent convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, seems likely to be released from prison and sent home on compassionate grounds.
The 57-year-old, who has terminal prostate cancer, is to be released imminently according to Frank Rubino, an American lawyer who worked on his defence team during his trial.
from Global Investing:
Is it time for a Scottish wealth fund?
Oxford SWF Project, a university think tank on sovereign wealth funds, is looking at reports that the latest entry in the field could be Scotland. The project has a new post about the Scottish government floating the idea of an oil stabilisation fund to use oil and gas revenues. It cites Scottish cabinet secretary for finance John Swinney looking abroad gleefully:
“We want to harness the benefit of oil revenues now for future years. An oil fund can
provide greater stability, protect our economy and support the transition to a low carbon economy. Norway’s oil fund is worth over £200 billion – despite the first instalment being made as recently as the mid 1990s – and Alaska’s oil fund even gives money back to its citizens every year.”
Should Scotland become independent?
As Scotland prepares to celebrate 10 years of devolution on July 1, the question of whether the nation should gain full independence from the Union refuses to go away.
An opinion poll has found that 58 percent of Scots support the Scottish government’s wish to hold a referendum on independence in 2010.
Rate politicians on grassroots website
If you are among the 51 percent of eligible voters expected not to participate in the European elections you can still cast a ballot of sorts — online and from the comfort of home.
Rate Your Politician, billed as an “e-democracy” website for users in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales by its Belfast-based founders, provides a grassroots voting platform on politicians and political topics.
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