Alex Salmond hails Scots’ ‘hunger for more powers’ in New Year message
Scots have shown a “hunger” for more powers, Alex Salmond stated, as he said he was “confident” the country would opt for independence.
The First Minister said the coming 12 months would “mark a further shift in the debate on Scotland’s future as we move towards a referendum”.
The Scottish Government has pledged to hold the poll in the second half of Holyrood’s five-year-long parliamentary term.
In his New Year message, the SNP leader said: “I am confident that Scotland will decide to take full control of our own destiny and join the international community in our own right.”
However, new Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont urged the Government to “get on” with the referendum.
She hit out: “The longer Alex Salmond delays, the more it suggests he fears the verdict of the Scottish people.”
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie argued in his New Year message that most Scots were “not narrow nationalists”.
He stated: “Nationalists believe that Scotland is not strong enough to stand tall in the UK.
“But I believe, and history has shown us, that Scots are confident, intelligent and able enough to prosper in the UK and beyond. I find that most Scots share these strong liberal values.”
Both Ms Lamont and Mr Rennie took over as leaders of their parties in the wake of the SNP’s landslide election victory in May, when the party secured an historic overall majority at Holyrood.
Mr Salmond said: “The Scottish people have shown a hunger for more powers in order to secure a fairer as well as a more prosperous future, and I believe optimism has been chosen over pessimism.”
In his message, delivered from the newly-refurbished National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Mr Salmond focused on the growing number of Scots who are out of work as well as the constitution.
The SNP leader said: “My priority as First Minister as we go into 2012 is to ensure all Scots have the security and fulfilment that comes from the opportunity to work.
“That’s why we are investing in a range of capital projects to create jobs, guaranteeing an education or training place for every 16 to 19-year-old and delivering 25,000 modern apprenticeships a year.”
But he added: “With greater powers we could do so much more and we would be much less at risk from the UK’s counter-productive obsession with austerity at all costs.”
The First Minister also said that Scotland “once again can be the land that shapes the world”.
He said Scots such as John Logie Baird, the inventor of the television, Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, and engineer James Watt had shaped the modern world, and that others could follow in their footsteps.
He stated: “Our universities, colleges and scientific institutions are working on cures for the illnesses that beset humankind as well as the renewable energy machines and environmental initiatives that will make human progress compatible with the future of our planet.”
But he added: “If we are going to shape the future we must make some changes to the present - and that means taking more control over our destiny.”
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Comments
There are 288 comments to this article
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B Cole
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 09:35 AMIf the English were allowed the vote which they are not,they would vote for seperation from the UK, but as the unionists have arranged it otherwise we have to wait on the Scotch whom I've no doubt will screw us again and again and again. Help end British colonialism vote for an independent Scotland and free England and particularly the English.
Agammemnon
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 07:12 AMMethinks Macbeth had the same desires as Oor Alex.
avsecbostjan3@yahoo.com.ar
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 06:57 AMMILLIONS TO BE ASSASSINATED FOR THE SAKE OF $$$ LIABILITIES(mk-ultra, chip implants, electroshocks etc. performed on them) AND NEW WORLD ORDER(multiculturalism = terrorism) POLITICAL AGENDA KNOWN AS "YOU ARE NEXT"(financial liabilities are 2 expensive for the government and it is cheaper to get read of you instead) !!! IF YOU WERE TREATED WITH ELECTROSHOCKS OR DRUGS USED FOR WIPING OUT MEMORY(numerous Americans and Europeans were and are) AFTER ENDURING FORCED CHIP IMPLANTS(or to simply rethard individual), YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO GO NEXT !!! http:myshortbiography.blogspot.com LEARN TRUTH ABOUT UNITED NATIONS, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AS WELL AS NEW WORLD ORDER(MULTICULTURALISM = TERRORISM) GOVERNMENTS(Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) !!! NOT THERE TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS, BUT TO DENY YOUR RIGHT TO EXISTENCE !!! ABDUCTIONS BRAIN CHIP IMPLANTS BLACKLISTING FORCEFUL UNEMPLOYMENT MK-ULTRA BRAINWASHING AGAINST WHITE(under "NAZI" lie) CIVILIAN POPULATION TODAY IN 20112012 ACROSS THE EUROPE AND NORTHERN AMERICA !!! http:myshortbiography.blogspot.com WHY TO ACCEPT LIABILITIES FOR CRIMES COMMITTED WHEN WE CAN SIMPLY ASSASSINATE OUR VICTIMS(YOU) THANKS TO HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND FREE PRESSMEDIA(most severe censorship of genocide ever !!!)!! This news is related to WHITES AREN’T WELCOME IN AMERICA ANY LONGER !!! http:www.youtube.comuserBostjanAvsec
Bill in Oz
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 06:54 AMThe First Minister also said that Scotland “once again can be the land that shapes the world”. He said Scots such as John Logie Baird, the inventor of the television, Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, and engineer James Watt had shaped the modern world, and that others could follow in their footsteps. And since then the average Scot has sat on his arse and bludged on social benefits handed out by Westminster. What's this average Scot going to do when Sciotalnd gets its independence? Someone told me Salmond was once in the Finance Business? I thank the Lord he never got his hands on any of my hard-earned money
mordor
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 05:46 AMOne does live in hope that those on the pro-UK continuation side will manage to stop their eyeballs swivelling at one point so that they can see sense and make a positive and constructive argument at some point over the next two and a half years. I am beginning to think that this is a hope that will not be fulfilled.
Brit-free
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 01:19 AMi know the history of Scotland from riperian culture to River City , i love the national narrative like its a close relation of mine .....but i am not exclusively a cultural nationalist .....you would have to be a continuing economic illiterate to fail to see the advantages to Scotland of controlling its own resources.....i should be as glad as anyone to see the social exchange that is natural among good neighbours continue .....but the old analogy about surly tenant versus good neighbour seems to be one that true blue unionists like yourself cannot find any truth in ...i pity you your closed mind
Brit-free
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 01:08 AMif that doesnt answer your question you must be expecting a different answer ......i'm afraid i cant help you further than that ....the English ...i like them .....i dont want their government ...which incidentally nobody much voted for here ....telling Scotland what they should or shouldnt do ....but as a people i have a lot of time for them y'know good and bad ....what is it you dont get .....do you want me to moon you or something ....? O K.. but i'm not painting it blue
Brit-free
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 01:00 AMtrue scut ....are you for real ? ....you seem to have a very shaky grasp of political facts on the ground .....we might be laughing at you but you are providing the punchlines yourself .....look i will make it simple for you .....simple is as simple does....S N P are the unassailable winners .......the unionist losers are just that ...whupped, tanned , gubbed .....you down there ...us up here .....can hardly see you for the distance at which you trail us ....insults wont help you ........only votes will make you feel better about your selves ......you didnt get enough .....we got loads and loads .....laughing at ya HA HA HA
True Scot
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 12:51 AM#277 - that's not answering the question. What do you think of the English?
Brit-free
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 12:50 AMO K i married an English girl most of my nephews and nieces would consider themselves English ....i was active over many years in trying to get an English G P elected to the Scottish Parliament .....and was very glad when he finally achieved that , i have just returned from the mill towns of N W England where i met up with many life long friends and shared a very nice family holiday in the beautiful wooded hills of the Forest of Bowland
True Scot
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 12:50 AM#275 wardoggy - you'll never know, you bitter and twisted specimen of humanity. here's a couple of dog biscutis, now run along.
Brit-free
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 12:49 AMO K i married an English girl most of my nephews and nieces would consider themselves English ....i was active over many years in trying to get an English G P elected to the Scottish Parliament .....and was very glad when he finally achieved that , i have just returned from the mill towns of N W England where i met up with many life long friends and shared a very nice family holiday in the beautiful wooded hills of the Forest of Bowland
Brit-free
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 12:42 AMyou are of course right Tartan , was the great big NO you recieved last May followed by a full stop or merely a comma ? why dont you stick to refering to the Great Tactician as FAT ? you never know it might persuade even one of the masses of voters who endorsed the record of the S N P in government to change their minds and switch back to a unionist party .....i think they see Sandy as cuddlesome ...you seem to think they should view him as gross ....so far my theory is being rewarded with ABSOLUTE MAJORITY GOVERNMENT ......your theory that FAT is bad , is going massively unrewarded ....go on call him Benito again we got such a laugh last time
The Harder They Come
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 12:34 AM273. What makes you proud to be scottish?
Exiled Leither
Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 12:34 AMJust watched Hangover parts 1 and 2,,,,Proper funny films!! However in all that time I notice that no single cybernat has been able to give a single positive reason for separation based on anything other than Blind Harry's poetic version of history? OK good night all, No point hanging round here tonight if the Cybernats cant answer the questions!
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