David Maddox: Troubled times for Tavish
The Scotsman front page today by my colleague Gerri Peev has certainly caused a stir in the otherwise quiet corridors of Holyrood.
The idea that the Lib Dems are considering backing a referendum has come as a surprise, although the party's vacillating record of changing its mind on various issues means that we should have half expected it.
The interesting aspect here is that Tavish Scott, the Scottish leader, has been adamantly against a referendum in the current economic circumstances. Most people believe that privately he is against one in almost all circumstances bar an outright SNP majority when his party's opposition would make no difference anyway.
What seems to be happening here is that Mr Scott and the Scottish party are being bounced into supporting the referendum by the UK party leadership, in one stroke undermining the supposed autonomy of the Scottish party in the Lib Dems' federal set-up.
Apparently pressure is coming from Vince Cable, the man most people want to be chancellor, who is now the Twickenham MP but was a Glasgow councillor.
What seems to be driving this is that the Lib Dems think a Tory victory will undermine support for the Union in Scotland and they believe that with Labour rapidly disintegrating they are the only party capable of saving the UK. They believe that the SNP can win an outright majority in 2011, which in my view at least, shows a surprising lack of understanding of the consequences of the Holyrood electoral system which mitigates against any majority.
Call a referendum now and you don't have to fight one at a time more convenient for the Nats.
It all echoes former Labour leader Wendy Alexander's ill-judged: "Bring it on!"
But this is bad for Mr Scott. During the late summer he lost the confidence of his Scottish party over his views on keeping Megrahi locked up in Scotland, now the UK leadership seems to question his judgement on a referendum.
The idea that the Lib Dems are considering backing a referendum has come as a surprise, although the party's vacillating record of changing its mind on various issues means that we should have half expected it.
The interesting aspect here is that Tavish Scott, the Scottish leader, has been adamantly against a referendum in the current economic circumstances. Most people believe that privately he is against one in almost all circumstances bar an outright SNP majority when his party's opposition would make no difference anyway.
What seems to be happening here is that Mr Scott and the Scottish party are being bounced into supporting the referendum by the UK party leadership, in one stroke undermining the supposed autonomy of the Scottish party in the Lib Dems' federal set-up.
Apparently pressure is coming from Vince Cable, the man most people want to be chancellor, who is now the Twickenham MP but was a Glasgow councillor.
What seems to be driving this is that the Lib Dems think a Tory victory will undermine support for the Union in Scotland and they believe that with Labour rapidly disintegrating they are the only party capable of saving the UK. They believe that the SNP can win an outright majority in 2011, which in my view at least, shows a surprising lack of understanding of the consequences of the Holyrood electoral system which mitigates against any majority.
Call a referendum now and you don't have to fight one at a time more convenient for the Nats.
It all echoes former Labour leader Wendy Alexander's ill-judged: "Bring it on!"
But this is bad for Mr Scott. During the late summer he lost the confidence of his Scottish party over his views on keeping Megrahi locked up in Scotland, now the UK leadership seems to question his judgement on a referendum.
Labels: David Maddox, Liberal Democrats, referendum, Tavish Scott
posted by Administrator at
12:02
1 Comments:
"Inevitably during a conference the heady sea air, and possibly one or two pina coladas, get a little too much for one or two colleagues.
"The serious point here is that the Liberal Democrats are absolutely united in opposing independence. That's been the absolutely key discussion behind the scenes among all of us."
End of.
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