Scottish independence: Anti-Scottish jibes boost separation, Michael Gove warns Right
Michael Gove: warned the Right over anti-Scottish comments. Picture: PA
A SENIOR Tory minister has called on right-wingers in his own party to stop complaining about Scotland and look at the bigger picture to keep the UK together.
Education Secretary Michael Gove, who was born in Edinburgh and raised in Aberdeen, called on his Tory colleagues to stop complaining about issues such as Scottish funding and Scottish MPs voting on English matters – warning that they are promoting separatism.
The minister, who is a leading member of David Cameron’s inner circle, gave his warning at a Press Gallery lunch in Westminster on a day when the SNP produced a dossier of new powers, which have been rejected by unionist parties.
Nationalists say this undermines the Prime Minister’s promise last week that a “No” vote on separation would lead to even more devolution.
SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie argued that some of the powers rejected would need to be revisited if Mr Cameron was serious about moving towards a so-called devo-max settlement.
But Mr Gove insisted that Scotland would have to wait to see what the outcome of the independence referendum would be before new powers were discussed beyond those already being put through with the Scotland Bill. He also insisted that Mr Cameron is “an asset” to the pro-UK side of the referendum campaign, although he admitted his party had made historic mistakes north of the Border.
Mr Gove, who is one of many Scottish Tories in English seats, suggested the referendum could be won by appealing to a shared British history and values.
He said: “One of the things I wanted to emphasise is that this is an argument that has to be won on several dimensions.
“Firstly, we have to persuade Scotland that its future is stronger in the UK than it would be if Scotland were to separate. We are stronger as a result of a our common endeavour over 300 years, we’ve achieved amazing things together, we pool risk more effectively, we safeguard the weak more effectively, we project our values because we stand together.”
But he said that the threat from separatists existed not just with the SNP but also south of the Border. He said: “There is a threat from Scottish separatism, but there is also a threat, under appreciated, from English separatism as well. I think there is a specific threat from my own political tradition.”
He highlighted members of his own party who have been arguing in recent weeks that Scotland should be allowed to go partly because the Conservatives only have one seat there.
He said “There are some people on the Right who say the Scots want to leave – let them. That is entirely the wrong attitude.”
And he insisted that grudges on the West Lothian Question and a belief Scotland is better funded through the Barnett Formulas should be put aside for the greater good.
He said: “The country was Great Britain for a reason, because we stood together and stand together. If we turn inwards and against each other then I feel we will undermine something that is precious and our country will be a diminished presence in the future.”
Mr Gove’s intervention came as the SNP released a dossier of new powers which had been rejected by the coalition parties and Labour during the Scotland Bill debate. These included devolving corporation tax, air passenger duty, fuel duty and alcohol duty, as well as control of the Crown Estates properties the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and regulation on all air weapons.
The items were all amendments put forward by the SNP to the Scotland Bill, which is currently going through the Lords.
Mr Hosie said: “There is a long list of powers which ministers in Westminster and Labour have told us are impossible. But if David Cameron was serious last week that a ‘No’ vote in an independence referendum still means more powers then he is going to have to revisit these issues because there cannot be a serious transfer of powers without them.
“What he said is not playing well with voters because people are telling us that they have heard it all before. We need to hear details of what he meant or else his words are empty rhetoric.”
Mr Gove said that no progress could be made on more powers until the issue of the independence referendum had been resolved. “Once that has happened we will need to have a long discussion with the political parties and civic Scotland about how to proceed,” he said.
A UK government spokesperson added: “The Scotland Bill proposed the largest transfer of financial powers from London to Edinburgh since the creation of the UK, and is based on cross-party consensus. The real question is whether the SNP will support that transfer of powers in the interests of the Scottish people.”
Government sources also said that the SNP has yet to detail its proposals for devo-max, the so-called second question in their original proposals for a referendum currently being consulted on. There has also been frustration that the SNP has avoided giving details on the implications of independence to defence, currency and welfare.
A senior government source said: “It is a bit rich of the SNP to demand details from us when it has been going to extreme lengths to avoid giving any details on important issues which will effect how Scots decide.”
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Comments
There are 256 comments to this article
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Aucthtermuchty
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 06:16 PM@ jOLLY ] I am reporting you for Anti Scottish Activities , there will be a menber of the Salmond Youth along in a minute ;-)
Jolly
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 05:04 PMAuchtermuchty I'm sure your figures have been well researched! They sound quite reasonable to me! I think also every time SNP supporters make similar disparaging comments about unionists and London politicians, 1000 votes move away from SNP. Seems wll balanced out!
Aucthtermuchty
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 12:13 AMEck and Cameroon fighting for the Croon Eck Drew his Battle axe , and slew the Blighter doon
Aucthtermuchty
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 12:10 AMevery time a Unionist calls WEE Eck , fatty or Jowly Puss , or talks down Scotland , or scaremongers . Then they add another 1000 to the YES VOTE
jaydee
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:56 PM248Cynicus... Very drool young man very drool.. but I like it.. ho ho ho
jaydee
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:51 PM249rider000... You do talk rubbish.. First the value if Sterling s not set by the English... or the Bank of England... It is set by world events...and in relation to the dollar It is fourth in peckin order..And whatever that value is will be the value of Scottish pound sterling.. What the Bank of England sets is the interest rate... And that at the moment is set to suit the needs of the subsidy junkies of London. On separation that interest rate will be set by the Scottish government... Until the English pay back there ginormous debt £1.3 trillion and not £1300billion as your previous idiotic post stated, and they do not default, as they nearly did in the 70s this time around they will no be able to afford Scottish sheep..
Cynicus
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:16 PM183 CR7 Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 02:30 PM Michael Moore just ripped Stuart Hosie a new one at Westminster. ====================================================== Back from London, Rufus?
rider000
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:10 PM245 jaydee Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 09:53 PM 223rider000... I have met some silly stupid ignorant people in my time 75% English... but you really take the biscuit... On separation the debt will be paid in English pounds sterling with out the help of the Scottish pound sterling......................... The debt value can be paid with anything, pounds, dollars, gold, silver or sheep. Everything has a value that can be traded. So the Scottish portion of debt will be taken on in English pounds but can be translated into whatever Scotland decides to trade in, be that pounds, dollars, gold, Euro, silver, sheep or anything of the Scottish governments choosing that is backed by the Scottish people. The interest rate paid by Scotland will then be set by the lenders refinancing the debt and defecit in whatever currency Scotland chooses from Scottish pounds to Scottish sheep.
Cynicus
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:06 PM247 jaydee Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 09:58 PM 244Aucthtermuchty.. wee eck ho ho ho ho thats funny ho ho ho.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BUT -and there's always a "but"- is it as funny as Jowly Eck? Ho ho ho.
jaydee
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 09:58 PM244Aucthtermuchty.. wee eck ho ho ho ho thats funny ho ho ho.. Now what did the rest of the rant mean
Ron Greer
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 09:57 PMAnd the Unionist charisma-bomb is?
jaydee
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 09:53 PM223rider000... I have met some silly stupid ignorant people in my time 75% English... but you really take the biscuit... The pound sterling is used by more than a 15 countries world wide... And some not all are related to the UK pound sterling... The Scottish pound was used before 1707... To put it in context the Englsih debt is in English pound sterling now standing at a PSBR of £180 billion every year with England having a debt of £1.3 trillion.. On separation the debt will be paid in English pounds sterling with out the help of the Scottish pound sterling.. The difference being it will make a hole in the pocket of the English, not the Scots or the ofher 15 or so countries who use it... Or in Technical terms the English tax payer...Every body have a cheer, wave the flag the English use money called pounds...jeez get oot ma puddle
Aucthtermuchty
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 09:42 PMWee Eck took Totties and Neeps to China , they bought them , and with the profits ,Wee Eck bought the steel for the Forth Bridge Then awareded a triumph by the Scottish Senate , Wee Eck entered Holyrood on a chariot .=========================================== thats a postive vision for Scotland's future , I would not let him run a bath let alone a country
Aucthtermuchty
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 09:37 PMGood evening Gentlemen and Henrietta =======================================================Wee Eck is a national embarrassment
jaydee
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 09:22 PM228rider000.. How is it going to impact more in Scotland?... You made a statement Scots wee illegal in England... So what difference would it make..But give me one area where it will impact more... I could give you ten right now and have done the other way about
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