Scotland and the Pound

Generally speaking I try to be neutral over the issue of Scottish independence. It will be a matter for Scottish voters come September the 14th this year. 

Alex Salmond

 

I guess I would like them to stay a part of the UK. But I am a naturally anxious person who doesn't like change an awful lot. Mostly. There have been a few moments when I was determined on change, 1997 for instance. I can not tell you how good it was to see the back of a Conservative government that had held power for 18 years. I wasn't much keen on Thatch and her monetarist cronies and was quite frankly flabbergasted we could elect John Major who must be the least charismatic and unedifying politician to ever hold office!

Still back to Scotland. 

If nothing else I hope the election has a very high turnout and a result that is not in any doubt. It is such a question that failure of one side or the other to a vague vote could leave the nation divided. A significant proportion of the country would have an unwelcome policy imposed on them. I hope for a landslide result. I just don't mind which way it goes.

There are a few issues though that intrigue me. 

she's a beauty!

The SNP want to be free of London control and yet they want to keep the pound. They will never be totally free of Westminster interference. It seems to me that if they keep the pound but have the right to raise and spend taxes as they please all they have is Devolvement 2.0.

It remains to be seen what Westminster will go for in light of the SNP trying to pull out of NATO and close military bases and then ask to keep the currency.

An argument in the Guardian goes that the economies are so closely interlinked a new currency could penalise Scottish companies as it would be likely a Scottish currency would have a high exchange rate (as an oil producer). So it could be argues that independence is not achievable because our economies are so intertwined.

It seems to me that if they want independence they should get it currency and all. Any thing else is not real independence. And maybe Scottish independence is a bit of a con. 

We in Europe have had to cede control of many parts of our national lives to Brussels. Perhaps all the Scottish would be doing is changing the capital to which they feel is holding them back.