“Devolution will kill nationalism stone dead.”
George Robertson’s famous quote has looked ever more
ridiculous as time has passed. It was quoted in 2007 when the SNP won control
of the Scottish parliament and dug up again in 2011 when they won a majority
many thought impossible. The quote has never seemed more ironic than it does now,
as we head to a referendum on Scottish independence on 18th
September 2014.
Why was Robertson so wrong? Why, after 16 years of
devolution, is nationalism on the Scottish public agenda more than ever?
Of course, the simple answer is that devolution has worked
so well because countries are better governed by their own people. Independence
is the natural next step to a model of devolution which has been successful but
not without limits.
Since 1997, Scotland
has fared best in areas of governance we control within Holyrood. Where we have
been failed is in areas such as warfare – with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars –
and the economy, still controlled by Westminster. Naturally, this has lead to a
debate on winning more power and more control for Holyrood.
Recent polls show that support for full-blown independence
still lacks majority backing. However, it is clear that most Scots want further
devolution; in a January 2012 Ipsos MORI poll, 71% backed the concept of ‘Devolution
Max’.
While Devo Max is not on the table, this shows that there
are a great number of undecided voters who want
more power for Scotland, but are not sure how they want such a thing framed: in
an independent Scotland, or as part of a United Kingdom promising more power
after the referendum.
The challenge for the ‘Yes’ campaign is to convince these
voters that Scotland would be better run with full control as an independent
nation.
The unionists, meanwhile, will have to convince the public
that greater autonomy will be best accommodated as part of the union.
The SNP were formed with the very purpose of winning
independence and in turn more power for Scotland. The unionist parties,
however, will have a job on their hands to convince voters that they truly care
about more power for Scotland.
Promises of more power have appeared only as part of their
campaign against independence, and not as part of any innate desire to see
Scotland with more control of its affairs.
The Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems have all now been
quoted as saying they want to offer more power to Scotland in 2015, after a ‘no’
vote. None are willing to provide full details of those powers, leading to
shouts of “jam tomorrow”
Of course, before the 1979 referendum, Scots were promised
that a future Conservative government would offer Scotland “something better”. This proved to be the reign of Margaret
Thatcher.
In truth, few voters – even those not born in ’79 - will be naïve
enough to believe that in the event that Scotland returns a ‘no’ vote, there
will be anything but a token gesture offered by the unionist parties in terms
of further powers for Scotland.
The only way to ensure that full control of Scottish affairs
is in Scottish hands - that the desire of those 71% surveyed by Ipsos MORI is met - is to vote ‘Yes’ for an independent Scotland.
Westminster control has hurt Scotland time and time again.
In 2003, MPs voted on an amendment to the Iraq war motion –
that the case for war was not established. 52% of Scottish MPs voted against
the war. Overall, 65% of Westminster MPs voted for.
In 2007, 60% of Scottish MPs voted against the renewal of
Trident; in Westminster overall, 72% voted for.
Scotland’s share of Trident costs is estimated at around £163 million
per year - and our share of the replacement costs about £84 million per year
for 15 years.
In January 2013, Scottish MPs voted 11 for and 46 against in
the vote on the benefits cut. In Westminster this was 324 for, 268 against.
In February 2013, 4 Scottish MPs voted in favour of the
bedroom tax, 41 against. Overall, 265 MPs voted for whilst 224 voted against.
Our voice is not heard in Westminster. Only in an independent
Scotland – with a government we elected – can Scottish politicians truly
represent the people of Scotland and have their votes matter.
Nationalism is alive and kicking because devolution has
stoked within the people of Scotland a desire for more control over their own
affairs. It’s clear that the ‘no’ vote will lead only to more of the same for
Scotland; that same lack of control and those same hurtful Westminster policies which
have lead to a clamour for more power in the first place.
If you believe that Scotland ought to have more control over
its own affairs, a ‘yes’ vote is the only decision which will deliver that.
