SNP Tactical Voting: New Holyrood Powers Have Never Been Further Away
The Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy will today address Parliament to discuss transferring further powers to Holyrood, powers that will only be devolved to Scotland after the next General Election.
They will only make it into the statute book if Labour forms the next Government which, call me a cynic, is the only reason they are being announced today mere months shy of the General Election. The attempt to find middle ground between the SNP's call for an independence referendum and David Cameron's intransigence on constitutional change may be smart politics but it may well ultimately prove to be a waste of everyone's time.
Needless to say, given that Labour are distinct second favourites to form the next Government and given that Cameron has already ruled out further changes to devolution in the next term, we in Scotland should not be holding our breath that we will have control over banning airguns or speed limits any time soon, powers that Jim Murphy claims would "close an accountabilty gap".
However, the Scottish Government has helped the Scottish Secretary out by preparing draft orders which could be used to immediately transfer these powers if Mr Murphy so chooses. It is clear that if the Scottish Secretary is serious about boosting Holyrood's remit then he would sign these order papers before the next election whereas if he is merely posturing for electioneering purposes then he won't sign them.
It is, surely, as simple as that. After all, Sir Kenneth Calman himself has already made the point that some further powers can be transferred immediately.
No doubt the Scottish Secretary hopes that his hushed, gentle, placatory tones wash over the Scottish people like a warm, comforting hug but I suspect his electioneering ruse will unravel as the General Election date nears and the SNP presses home the glaring inconsistencies in Labour's stance on further powers for Scotland.
(written by the Editor of SNP Tactical Voting)
They will only make it into the statute book if Labour forms the next Government which, call me a cynic, is the only reason they are being announced today mere months shy of the General Election. The attempt to find middle ground between the SNP's call for an independence referendum and David Cameron's intransigence on constitutional change may be smart politics but it may well ultimately prove to be a waste of everyone's time.
Needless to say, given that Labour are distinct second favourites to form the next Government and given that Cameron has already ruled out further changes to devolution in the next term, we in Scotland should not be holding our breath that we will have control over banning airguns or speed limits any time soon, powers that Jim Murphy claims would "close an accountabilty gap".
However, the Scottish Government has helped the Scottish Secretary out by preparing draft orders which could be used to immediately transfer these powers if Mr Murphy so chooses. It is clear that if the Scottish Secretary is serious about boosting Holyrood's remit then he would sign these order papers before the next election whereas if he is merely posturing for electioneering purposes then he won't sign them.
It is, surely, as simple as that. After all, Sir Kenneth Calman himself has already made the point that some further powers can be transferred immediately.
No doubt the Scottish Secretary hopes that his hushed, gentle, placatory tones wash over the Scottish people like a warm, comforting hug but I suspect his electioneering ruse will unravel as the General Election date nears and the SNP presses home the glaring inconsistencies in Labour's stance on further powers for Scotland.
(written by the Editor of SNP Tactical Voting)
posted by Jeff at
13:18
2 Comments:
Jeff
As you have implied, this is not about implementing Calman. It's very simple really, and very clever.
This is plain electioneering where Labour are trying to drive a perceived point of difference between themselves and the Tories on greater Scottish powers. And if the Scottish people vote in greater numbers for Labour, they MAY be rewarded with Calman's recommendations.
That is, however, if the ten-times-as-many English voters do likewise. And the clever part is how they sell this to these very voters on the back of 'greater financial accountability for Scotland' - another perceived action where Barnett would be kicked out and Scotland would get reduced block grant in exchange for being able to use it's minimal tax-raising power. If this perception is really driven home then Labour could be onto a winner.
A lesson in appeasement that would make even Neville Chamberlain proud.
Some excellent points Andrew, with more width and depth than I managed myself.
It's fair to say that this will be the decisive dividing line at the General Election.
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