Britannist

Brian Wilson, the former Labour MP for Cunninghame North who retired from the House of Commons at the last General Election, has criticised the Labour Party over its mistaken belief that devolution would defeat the anti-UK Scottish 'National' Party.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph on 11.5.2008 Mr. Wilson stated: “…the deeply-flawed belief that constitutional appeasement will defeat a separatist movement rather than encourage it. That is the delusion under which Gordon Brown and those around him have operated for the past 30 years – and the net result is an SNP (Scottish ‘Nationalist’) administration in Edinburgh that can play politics with its remittance of £30 billion a year without the inconvenience of having to raise taxes or even legislate. It is a perfect scenario for Nationalists, and one which Labour devolutionists never envisaged.”

Mr. Wilson also wrote: “What is unacceptable, however, is that the fate of the Union – which most Scots want to support – could become caught up in the short-term manoeuvrings of unpopular politicians.”

steve fowler

Well atleast one labour person can admit that the Union has been damaged by the conartists running the labour party now!.

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RULE BRITANNIA BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES, BRITONS NEVER EVER SHALL BE SLAVE'S.

Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
Winston Churchill.

When Labour won the 1997 General Election, Enoch Powell told his wife that the electorate had voted to break up the United Kingdom.

Britannist

Mr. Wilson is to be admired for speaking out.

What a pity that few Labour members of Parliament have spoken out to criticise the devolution problems created by Blair/Brown/Darling/Falconer/Alexander and all the others who backed Labour's devolution plan right from the start.

ANGLO-STAFFS

Why the hell do you think that?

He kept his mouth shut when he was being paid to defend the country.

Speaking out when he was an MP may have been admirable but anyone can spout when they have nowt to loose!

BonnieDundee

And not allowing devolution would have done what? Probably made independence more likely is the answer.

Devolution wasn't done perfectly but it is better than what has come before. Let's face it guys the British empire is over, Scotland et al want more autonomy and complaining about this won't help save the union.

I want the union but I also want democracy and autonomy for the people of Scotland and it will actually strengthen the UK in the long run.

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"It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state."
-Bruce Schneier

How to Overthrow the System: brew your own beer; kick in your TV; build your own cabin and p*ss off front porch whenever you bloody well feel like it.
Edward Abbey

Leopold Kohr.

BonnieDundee

And what do you think the Scottish people are going to feel when devolution were in fact shot down again and again? You might as well repeat the idiocy of the British conduct in Ireland after the Easter uprising.

__________________
"It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state."
-Bruce Schneier

How to Overthrow the System: brew your own beer; kick in your TV; build your own cabin and p*ss off front porch whenever you bloody well feel like it.
Edward Abbey

Leopold Kohr.

Britannist

......Did he?

Britannist

Where (in posting one to this thread) does Mr. Wilson call for Scottish devolution to be ended?

Britannist

What has the British Empire got to do with the issue of Scottish devolution?

What will strengthen the Union of the UK in the long run is an English Parliament - the continuing failure of this anti-English Labour shower in power to establish one will result in support in England for England quitting the UK (independence for England from the UK already backed by over 11 million English voters) increasing.

steve fowler

I meant as in letting Scotland/Wales and Northern Ireland have a bit more control over their areas but making not allowing England the same!! so no wonder the union is almost dead thanks to labour and the other parties.

Plus i wish some people like you Bonnie would give over with the stupid idea that we are trying to hold onto the idea of having an empire! we know the empire is GONE! so stop being picky.

__________________
RULE BRITANNIA BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES, BRITONS NEVER EVER SHALL BE SLAVE'S.

Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
Winston Churchill.

When Labour won the 1997 General Election, Enoch Powell told his wife that the electorate had voted to break up the United Kingdom.