Analysis: Peer sticks to his guns as the unionist parties shift their focus to devo-plus

By DAVID T0RRANCE
Published on Monday 20 February 2012 00:00

THERE is a school of unionist thought that every time the UK government grants more powers to Scotland it is a step along the road to independence.

The former Conservative Scottish secretary Lord Forsyth falls firmly into that camp.

But Forsyth’s antipathy towards the Scotland Bill has been widely misunderstood. He opposes it because he believes it will result in a poorer financial deal for Scotland (due to its proposed cut in the block grant). It therefore comes as no surprise that he isn’t thrilled about David Cameron’s apparent desire to rethink the devolution settlement if Scots vote No in autumn 2014.

Yet Forsyth’s critique misses, I think, the subtlety of where not just the Prime Minister, but Unionist parties in general, are heading with all of this.

Yesterday, Alastair Darling said devolving complete control of income tax to Holyrood would be “relatively easy to implement”, while Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie repeated his desire to “see a parliament that raises what it spends”. Taken together with the Prime Minister’s speech on Thursday, the direction of travel seems clear.

It amounts to what has been termed “devo-plus”; that is, devolving most taxes (except VAT and National Insurance) to the Scottish Parliament, as distinct from “devo-max” (under which all taxes would be transferred), which the Unionist parties – and particularly Lord Forsyth – view as independence in all but name.

One part of Forsyth’s critique is difficult to refute. Ruth Davidson was elected on the basis of the Scotland Bill representing “a line in the sand” in terms of the devolution settlement. Her own UK party leader has now indicated his intention to cross that line, which undermines Davidson, although not irretrievably. Amid continually shifting constitutional sands, Lord Forsyth has at least been consistent: he’s never liked devolution, and doesn’t want any more of it. In that respect, he’s an increasingly lonely voice, but also an articulate one. Although he’s on good terms with the Prime Minister, he could cause him a lot of trouble from the House of Lords.

Those occupying the middle ground will most likely decide the outcome of the current constitutional debate. Poll after poll shows most Scots want neither the status quo nor independence, so the unionist parties are simply playing catch-up with majority public opinion. Lord Forsyth might well get left behind.

• David Torrance is a biographer of Alex Salmond and has written a book on Margaret Thatcher’s relationship with Scotland

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samcoldstream

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:26 PM

The impotent Scots Tories must be dreading the forthcoming debate on an Independence Referendum, especially when they have friends like their last Secretary of State, continually reminding the Scots Electorate about the Thatcher years. Next thing, this sycophant will bring Thatcher up to Scotland on a campaign to save the Union?

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12

neoloon

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:11 PM

Gaffe-prone Cameron,by saying what he did on Thursday,by accident or design,must now come forward with clear and guaranteed "devo-plus" 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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11

Brond

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 02:58 PM

Give up your support for change and we'll give you small change. If anything, Cameron's speech last week split the unionists. Today we have Alistair Darling saying Scotland should have fiscal powers and Lord Forsyth (and the Telegraph) saying nothing more should be given. These unionists who have differing opinions on how Scotland should be governed agree only on two things: that they shouldn't tell voters what they believe, and that they should both stand shoulder to shoulder in support of a NO campaign. Would we really expect to go into an election being told: "We'll tell you what's on offer after the election, so long as you don't vote for the opposition?"

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10

zippitydoodaa

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:53 PM

The Tories will never concede anything close to Full fiscal autonomy......................................................................................................... They'll offer to devolve tax on air gun pellets, or control of Porridge revenues, or some such trivial nonsense................................................. Vote Yes, and lets be done with this cap in hand nonsense for good

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zippitydoodaa

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:52 PM

The Tories will never concede anything close to Full fiscal autonomy......................................................................................................... They'll offer to devolve tax on air gun pellets, or control of Porridge revenues, or some such trivial nonsense................................................. Vote Yes, and lets be done with this cap in hand nonsense for good

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8

Sneeky

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:48 PM

Yes Yes... Forsyth cared so deeply about us he instigated the Poll Tax! This article is nothing but an attempt to polish a T**d.

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7

zippitydoodaa

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:45 PM

Torrance: Another Tory weirdo that for some strange reason wants to see Scotland remain controlled by a bunch of unelected, unnaccountable London politicians......................................................................................... These people should tour Scotland after independence, like a circus freak show - Torrance, Monteith, Davidson, Carlaw and of course, the head line act - The unhinged Forsyth................................... Why don't these people just leave? Everybody would be happier

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6

Danielrober2

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:37 AM

# 4 glassbenmhor ......................... So are you SNP, SDA or just BOO,N,ERS?

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Alicia Murray

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 08:33 AM

What's to analysis Forsyth is a man in terror of losing his tax payer funded lovely life style. Since yesterday all Darling has done is repeated we need referendum sooner than later and he keeps repeating it because he has nothing constructive to say about the union. If Darling really wanted to give of his best to his constituents he will vote Yes in 2014.

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glassbenmhor

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 04:12 AM

Lord Forsythe = Quisling alternatively, Quisling = Lord Forsythe, really there is not a lot more to be said.

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3

Angus McLellan

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:59 AM

David Torrance knows better than to say that Michael Forsyth "never liked devolution, and doesn’t want any more of it". He liked devolution - administrative devolution of the "one man, one vote" variety where the Scottish Secretary was the man with the vote - just fine when he was in St Andrews House. And as for more of it, I'm quite sure that if one fine morning in 1996 John Major had summoned him to break the news that additional powers were being devolved to the Scottish Office then Forsyth wouldn't have turned them down.

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2

Michael

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:38 AM

I think you'll find 'poll after poll' show an ever upwards increase for the support for full independence. In fact, did that last poll not show a pretty even split between the For and Against camp, with around 20% undecided? Agreed, around 70% at least want devo max. But what is never asked of this 70% is "would devo max or independence be your first option?". No matter how much we all debate the issue, one thing is clear. Demand and support for full independence is on the rise, while support for the Union is moving over to the 'Undecided' camp. There are no more Aces up the Unionists sleeve; no more bones they can throw that would make this archaic settlement, or anything short of full independence, seem attractive to Scotland.

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1

Proud Doonhamer

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 12:08 AM

Apologist for Forsythe..;. nothing new here, move along.

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