Leader: Salmond’s slip may have highlighted a glaring flaw
ALEX Salmond, normally a sure-footed performer, appeared to have stumbled yesterday. During a television interview, he argued that if Scotland became independent, there would still be a United Kingdom. The continuance of the UK would be assured, because the Queen would still be the head of the independent Scottish state.
As was swiftly pointed out, this is word-play nonsense. The Queen is head of state of many Commonwealth countries, but none claims to be part of the UK. And it is somewhat implausible to imagine that Mr Salmond, should he win the referendum vote, would promptly tell the world that the people had demanded the continuance of the UK.
The fact that Mr Salmond stumbled became clear when the Scottish Government media machine issued a clarification which omitted the words United Kingdom. The First Minister, the clarification said, meant that there would be not just a continuing head of state embodied by the Queen, but a continuing social union between relatives and friends living either side of the Border, and continuing use of sterling as a currency common to both Scotland and England.
Mr Salmond’s remarks and the clarification are more interesting than just an example of a rare faux pas. They point to a real paradox and problem at the heart of the SNP’s campaign. To win as much support for independence as possible, the SNP needs to reassure as many voters in the undecided middle between committed Nationalists and unionists that there will be no great upheaval and no damaging uncertainty, whether that concerns pension payments or defence forces. But in order to make independence look like a project that is worth doing, the SNP needs to set out what real and lasting change independence will make.
No change and all change, everything stays the same and is completely different – these are completely incompatible and irreconcilable opposites, as is Scottish independence and continuance of the UK. To assert that is to insult the intelligence of the Scottish electorate, as is the blithe assertion that Scotland will carry on using sterling pound notes as though nothing had happened.
Mr Salmond does have a point that the world is full of currency unions. But the eurozone’s problems also underline the fact that for such a currency union to work, there needs to be a central authority capable of enforcing responsible use of the currency in all parts of the union. In a Scotland-England currency union, it means that Scotland would not be able to arbitrarily issue as many banknotes as it wished, nor could it have complete freedom over taxation and borrowing. Lax Greek behaviour with these two matters is what has led the euro to the brink of collapse.
It points to a glaring flaw at the heart of Mr Salmond’s independence project – that Scotland might become independent in name only, having its economic hands as tied as ever before. Is this the real import of his television slip?
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Comments
There are 58 comments to this article
Page 1 of 4
gallorj
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 09:04 PMSalmond is having to rely on jingoism - his arguments just don't stand up to scrutiny. Really disappointing that he is committing Scotland to uncertainty for 2 years on something that all polls say the Scottish people don't want. Isn't he meant to be acting on behalf of the people to develop Scotland rather than trying to persuade them to do something they don't want to do. If he was a banker, I'd be asking for his bonus. He is embarrasing
gingernut
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 01:53 PMsalmond does not Make flaws..it is the people who apparently see flaws were no flaws exist that are flawed ...the matter of independence is foremost in every one's mind and that must be attained at the time designated...after watching the antics of the cameronclegg gang it is very clear that scotland must be free from what looks like complete mayhem and terrible misery that will be felt in England.... cameron's mob are not a goverment ...they are a disease.. that there does not seem to be a cure for ...the scottish people must be inoculated from them by being independant altogether scotland must remove the english albatross from around the neck of the people in scotland
mordor
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 12:11 PMThe treaty of 1603 which created the union of the crowns hence "United Kingdom" is not being voted on in a referendum. The treaty of 1707 which united the parliaments is what is being voted. Hence there will still be a "United Kingdom" but perhaps not a "United Parliament". That is not exactly a complicated thing to understand and one would have thought that the leader writer of The Scotsman would be capable.........but alas. #41 You are correct that it is only Scotland and England that are legally Kingdoms and legally signatories to the treaties in question. I mean no offence to any Welsh person but Wales is legally a principality of England while the position of Northern Ireland is a strange one which befuddles us all.......No idea who has rightful ownership!!!!!!! I think that if negotiations come both sides will be saying "you have it" responded to by "oh no, you have it" leading to the retort "not at all, it is only fair that you get it". No offence to any Ulstermen and women but it may well become the proverbial hot potato.
Harrbrian
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 09:31 PMNumber 52 Grahamski, how about http:eurealist.co.uk?p=918
M78
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 01:01 PMTo all you unionistas and the and the hatesmon hacks--Go and read the header again, you are substituting the word "MAY"by the word "HAS", not my words, and read again, this should ensure that those who can read can then make intelligent comment. Tomorrow's headline could be, Alec Salmond may have eaten my hamster--DOH!!
Intervention
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 09:06 AMPending Moderation
grahamski
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:11 AM47 " I am sorry you dismiss data and argument as "dreary propaganda" - perhaps it is because you are unable to refute any of it?" OK let's start with a statement in your first paragraph. You claim: " Blair was pushed into devolution by the EU". Have you a verified source for this assertion?
furian
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 02:03 AMO dear ------- Freedom of Speech is limited in UK !!!! But let's try again without fear that opinions are oppressed for political reasons !................................................................................................. Again......... We must be grateful that Scotsman care for the readers and is willing to enlighten us about the many countries in Commonwealth not claiming to be part of UK !! .................................................................................................. It should be pretty much obvious for most of us, but the guidance is appreciated, however unnecessary. But lets look at the arguments : Certainly it is implausible to suggest that an independent Scotland still is part of UK. Without doubt, Salmond has stumbled in his own argumentation. If Scotland goes for independence and break with UK in a referendum, then future relationship has to be bilateral, between 2 independent countries...................................................................... It is fair to suggest the many independent Commonwealth countries have similar political reasons for not claiming to be part of UK, as Scotland has for breaking up UK. A shared ceremonial head of state with no power to rule is fair enough if accepted by the population. The Queen should insist on being accepted by the majority of Scots in a referendum if she is be head of state for an independent Scotland ........................................................................................................ The currency issue should not worry any citizen in Scotland as joining the Euro in the future is only one option. An independent Scotland is fully entitled to have its own Scottish pound if necessary. No reason to keep pound sterling or try to scare Scotland with so-called Lax countries like Greece, Italy ,Spain or Portugal. Certainly the debt crisis is serious in the Euro zone due to years of overspending and no fiscal control, but EU is fully aware of the problems and the euro zone will not collapse. The situation in UK is far more serious as the country will have to rely on the so-called "emerging" markets, not EU. Cameron has called for a more competitive and deregulated single market to promote growth and jobs, but that is not going to happen. It is a free market already, but also regulated to guarantee fair and free competition for all. UK without Scotland will not stand a chance in a competitive European market, and certainly not in the emerging markets. Scotland however would an attractive export nation and investment destination due to renewable energy, oilgas reserves, fisheries and natural resources. What is left in UK is London as a financial hub, but financial industry cannot feed 50 mill people, and financial services tend to go where the markets are. The situation is really gloomy for UK, but an independent Scotland will prosper. So why bother to keep pound sterling as currency? ................................................................................................................... Is Scotsman insinuating that social and cultural relations between Scotland and rest UK would broken if independence? This is supposed a peaceful break up, not a scaremongering scenario like North and South Korea unless some one has got visions of war, violence and conflict ! Certainly SNP has been clear about good and positive relations between neighbors.. .............................................................................................................. The bra-selling Scottish business woman has made a living and gained celebrity status by promoting herself and her products- but it would be unfair to call her a political heavy-weighter. The Ukrainian FEMEN group of political female activists has a clever strategy by using so-called topless performance to promote quite legitimate political issues. And certainly they get a lot of attention !!! It is hard to see any substantial difference between the two as they both focus on the same- on or off- to get a political message through. It should not be an offense to suggest that the newly established consortium would have a fresh look at more radical strategies to engage the public. FEMEN might not be the best option, but some would say the consortium's campaign is already "topless" and focused on dirty laundry and personal attacks on Salmond.
furian
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 11:20 PMComment removed by moderator
flyinngscott
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 10:41 PM#47, had a swatch at your post#15,on 48 recommendation. Ever thought of a career in journalism? If this was written off pat, it is brilliant, if youve been working on it, its still excellent. Think i will just stick to insulting the lying unionist mouthpieces. Well done sir.
Lawnman
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 10:23 PM15} Harrbrian, BRILLIANT if only we had more posts from yourself and Huntlyloon perhaps this rag could become more enjoyable,
Harrbrian
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 09:27 PMno 22 Grahamski. Three points. 1) I have posted this (no 15) under Harrbrian and under my own name Brian Harrison, in various papers and 1 person has asked me if they can use it to which I have said yes of course|: so no plagiarism. 2) I am sorry you dismiss data and argument as "dreary propaganda" - perhaps it is because you are unable to refute any of it? 3) I am not "a separatist" just someone who worked in Germany for several years and started to make the comparisons. Any danger of a fact based reply?
samcoldstream
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 08:44 PMA Federal State?
Vote 'NO'
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 07:50 PMIt increasingly looks like the true El Presidente should be Salmond's chief bathwater drinker, Master Pringle. For as Salmond stumbles from porky to porky, Master Pringle appears to be nowhere to be seen.
rider000
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 05:42 PM41: Last I heard the union is termed 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' so it will not be an issue continuing to refer to a Scotland less entity as the UK.
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