Analysis: David has to chart his own course through the maze

By TREVOR SALMON
Published on Saturday 18 February 2012 01:18

David Cameron knows that he cannot behave like Margaret Thatcher in relation to Scotland, so a lot of this is about symbolism and trying to get the message across to Scottish voters that he is listening to them.

The Prime Minister also knows that he cannot just be seen to say no all the time and that he has to make the anti-independence campaign more positive.

Perhaps by backing tax-raising powers for the Scottish Government and ending the UK’s block grant, Mr Cameron thinks he will be able to offer a positive alternative to independence.

Mr Cameron realises that the campaign has to be Scottish-led and that the main opposition to independence has to be Scottish, as well.

What we saw in Mr Cameron’s speech this week was the Prime Minister trying to come across as sensitive and sympathetic to what he will see as a Scottish way of thinking.

By taking this approach on looking at more powers for the Scottish Parliament, he is going out of his way not to lecture to Scottish voters about independence.

An issue for him is that the farther down the path of devolution he goes, there will be those who ask what the limits of devolution are.

At the moment, Mr Cameron’s position on greater powers is deliberately vague, but at some point he will have to say how far he would go in terms of devolving more powers.

Winston Churchill once said that he did not want to be the prime minister who presided over the loss of India. Similarly, Mr Cameron will not want to be the Prime Minister who presides over Scotland leaving the UK.

He knows the history of the Tories in Scotland since 1979 and how unpopular the party has been for so long. He knows that he is walking a tightrope, in terms of how he behaves during the referendum campaign.

While Mr Cameron does not have a clear picture of what powers could be considered for Holyrood, he’ll have to make this clearer over the next 18 months or so.

• Trevor Salmon is professor of politics at the University of Aberdeen

Comments

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19

neoloon

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:58 PM

Gaffe-prone Cameron,by saying what he did on Thursday,by accident or design,must now come forward with clear and guaranteed "devo-max" proposals before the referendum vote in 2014.To fail to do so will result in the majority of "devo-max" supporters voting Yes for independence. Another victory for Salmond.

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18

oorwulliesma

Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 05:52 PM

6 Wardog. Yes, it is all over and Mr Cameron, bless his wee Tory heart, knows it.

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17

allymax

Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 05:14 AM

"#10, Jolly; Allymax You say Cameron does have a clear picture....How do you know??"................................Because Cameron has told us, ..........wait for it, ................steady, .................., steady! .............'absolutely nothing' of what he is going to offer Scotland.......You can only go on what Cameron has said, and he's said 'absolutely nothing'!

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16

sprog

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 04:57 PM

Westminster PM Cameron visits England's last colony.**Humours the natives by sampling its national dish 'porridge'..**While here he condescends to shake hands with our dear First Minister Brother Alex Salmond,***And after a frank and sincere exchange of views the honourable visiter later, in a speech, repeats the overwhelming argument for maintaining the Union between his country and Scotland ' We are stronger together' a phrase much used in the past by other great leaders of men. To name but a few, James Murphy, Douglas Alexander, Alistair Darling, Lord Robertson,Jack Mc Connel, Iain Gray. All acolytes of the much respected and previous incumbent of No 10, and New Labour leader, PM Gordon Brown.****Which suggests he must have made great efforts to get a sense of the mood of the indigenous population, which in the past has been referred to in anglo saxon circles as the 'Troublesome neighbour to the north' ***. In an editorial in the Guardian, that much respected journal, it recommended that PM Cameron should repeat the exercise again and again. Which suggests 'the porridge must have agreed with him'.

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15

mordor

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 02:48 PM

If he really wanted Scotland to have additional financial powers then he would want a referendum question on the matter surely............. Jam tomorrow and tomorrow never comes I suspect although I would like to be proven wrong.

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14

Tightfisted

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 01:05 PM

Why am I being moderated examined.??? My previous post has NOTHING that isn't true...and it'd be a VERY matronly person that objected to in the content. let's get real here.......it's a frree open forum, and bad language .sectarianism.racism apart....why is there this "need"???

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13

Handsome Scotsman

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 12:59 PM

Post independence Scotland can be a dynamic, low tax, high growth economy with near full employment and a sovereign wealth fund to invest in businesses for the future. Or. It can be short term socialist utopia with lavish unemployment benefits for the work shy and increasingly huge taxation bled from a dwindling workforce.

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12

Tightfisted

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 12:31 PM

Pending Moderation

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11

Reality Check

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 10:41 AM

He [David Cameron] knows the history of the Tories in Scotland since 1979. A reminder, UK general elections returned Conservative MPs from Scotland in 1979 was 22 (71):: 1983 was 21 (72)::1987 was 10 ( 72) ::1992 was 11 (72) :: 1997 was 0 (72):: 2001 was 1 (71) :: 2005 was 1 (59) :: 2010 was 1 (59). (Number of seats available).

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10

Jolly

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 10:17 AM

No 3 Allymax You say Cameron does have a clear picture....How do you know??

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9

samcoldstream

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 10:15 AM

After watching and listening to Cameron and Sarkozy on television, this mediocre duo does not inspire. Once gone, the electorate of both countries will not miss them.

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8

douglas-home rule

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 09:17 AM

I think many in the Tory party and some in Labour ( Tom Harris?) would like privatised health, education and the State diminished as far as they can make it. Because of Barnett, Scotland would have no option ( and therefore no democratic choice ) but to go along with their agenda. This ,to me, is the crux of the matter, democratic choice. If we do not raise our own funding, then we cannot really decide our own spending, whether it is growing the economy or health or education. If we are not able to have autonomy as a "partner" in the UK, then we should dissolve the UK and become self-governing.

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7

Alicia Murray

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 08:23 AM

Westminster politicians save the SNP's are dangerous to our health and well being. Never mind taking what they say with a pinch of salt child should be taught to run away screaming if they even see one.

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6

The Harder They Come

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 05:24 AM

It's over.

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5

Castaway

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 03:19 AM

David Cameron, the MP for the English constituency of Witney insisted there must be only one referendum question - independence, Yes or No, but after his "vote no" (and trust me I am Dave) intervention-----We would have an unofficial silent second question, which won't be included on the referendum ballot paper.

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