Denying Scots the vote

There are two articles in the MSM today (Little Scotland demands vote in independence poll - Telegraph , Who gets to vote - BBC) both addressing the anti-democratic plan to redefine UK citizens nationality without their consent - because its "impractical". ( I bet the SNP would have no problem answering the same question when handing out passports when it suites them - the little antidemocratic bigots ).

I've made the argument on twitter and in this blog that those who would be allowed or forced to take Scottish nationality should all vote - but the SNP knows that would lose them their referendum they've tried so hard to gerrymander.

Corby - home of many Scots in England - wants a vote, as do many other individuals. But what we see is the establishment's causal willingness to remove the franchise and fix questions that they claim to be putting to the public.

This bodes badly for any EU referendum and a likely post 2014 UK constitutional settlement.

PS I think the term Little Scotland is unfair when used to describe Corby - as the only real little Scotland exists between the ears of Alex Salmond.

By the way I'll be in Scotland watching the self obsessed Scottish media this week - especially the Glasgow Herald. 

The United Kingdom Sovereignty Bill (2010) - solution to the Lisbon ratified issue

The BBC are repeating their 2005 line with immigration in every interview right now, except its the Lisbon Constitution ( obligatory reminder here of how Labour sold the country out and lied in their 2005 manifesto due to the cowardice of the leadership and preference for deceiving people and distorting the truth instead of holding a referendum. Lets never forget Labour were the traitors and the liars who sold their country out.)

However the what to do if the Poles and Czechs can't hold out is still a very real question. ( Though perhaps the BBC should note that it is one that would be answered in a Conservative manifesto once the election is called and unlike Labour we would stick to it ).

So here's my answer, which borrows a little from ideas I heard before from other Conservative politicians.

Her Majesty's Government (and won't it be great to hear those words again after all the years of Labour's stealth republicanism ) should bring forward a bill which will declare that UK sovereignty as invested by our sovereign in the UK Parliament can never be permanently transferred to other bodies without a referendum and then only for a period of 15 years after which such permission will need to be renewed. ( This would force a referendum on EU membership, NATO membership, maybe even the UN every 15 years ).

Shorter term agreements would only remain legally enforceable whilst the Parliament that had voted to lend the sovereignty was sitting and would expire automatically every general election.

Labour have sort to sell out out country on the sly, and no government of any political complexion should ever be allowed to use it temporary authority in such a way again.

That would make the subject of a great referendum !

Will the Scottish "Nation" get to vote on independance or just those who live there ?

Since the SNP seems to still be gearing up for an independence vote I've been doing a little thinking.

With the devolved assemblies its been a fairly logical choice about who votes in their elections, those people who live in the geographical locations to be administered, easy.

But what of a referendum on Scottish Independence ?

An independent Scotland would have direct affect on the nationality of more than the people who live there.

My wife is Scottish, but she lives in Surrey. Should she get a vote ? I would argue yes, she's as Scottish as Alex Salmond is, and has probably spent less time in England than he has.

I've heard various estimates of the number of Scots in England, but somewhere between 2 and 5 million must be about right. They would all be eligible for Scottish nationality and could lose British nationality - so logically they must be allowed a vote.

Even worse - there will be many UK citizens married to Scots, who could also take up Scots nationality and should perhaps also vote. Though Alex I could be persuaded to reduce my tax bill by granting you your "Freedom(TM Mel Gibson)".

My guess is that this approach kills Scots Independence stone dead.

What's odd is that the Unionists parties don't pursue it, or perhaps some of them are not as opposed to breaking up the Union as they claim ?

Nick Clegg: The deceit and the conceit

Nick Clegg adopted Ming's ploy to deceive the British electorate by asking for a referendum on being a member of the EU.

It allows shallow Lib Dems (by no means all of them) to claim I want a referendum - just not the one which they promised ....

Nick Clegg was on Radio 4's Today programme this morning trying to call black white. He clearly learnt a little from his humiliation on Newsnight last night where the pure conceit of his position was laid out for him. He tried - and because he wasn't a Conservative - was allowed to talk out the time allocated. ( This was clearly his intention as at one point he even mentioned there's not much time left so let me explain .... Meaning if I talk long enough you won't have a chance to expose my rank hypocrisy any more ).

Newsnight gave him a rougher ride. Working on these lines - So the Lib Dems are being ordered to break their election promise and not vote one a proposal for a referendum on the EU Constitution ( which is what it really is ). That after the manifactured rage about not getting their own measure through - the only reason for which is the naked politics of trying to deceive their electorates that they "wanted a referendum".

The public can see this rank hypocrisy and deceit for what it is, and whilst some Lib Dems may not be able to break their word and will vote with the Conservatives today, the public have seen their party for what its is: dishonest, unreliable, hypocritical and deceitful.

It is also a party that's policies are dismantling the United Kingdom and handing its people over to an alien state where they will always be a small minority and from whom they may never recover their freedom.

In the short term Lib Dem MPs can expect to be rewarded not with 20 pieces of silver (the going rate for this sort of betrayal) but with P45s.

Update: Iain Dale watched Newsnight also and thought :

"I defy anyone to watch last night's Newsnight interview with Nick Clegg and tell me they think the Lib Dem position on an EU Referendum is anything other than a fiasco. Watch it for yourself HERE. It's about 15 minutes in."

Guido picks up on the discipline hole Nick Clegg has dug himself - there are shades of William Hague and his then leader of the house of Lords about this. In particular the elephant trap Paxo offered Clegg on if he'd asked for Lib Dem front bench resignations if they didn't refuse to vote as he told them to. Clegg's answer where evasive and paxman repeated the question to try to gain clarity. If in fact Clegg has asked for these letters then his credibility with his own MPs will have been destroyed by this interview.

Norfolk Blogger - whom Iain Dale quotes - deserves much credit for calling it the way he see's it - even though he's currently a Lib Dem. If more people interested in politics refused to be dragged along by party loyalty and spin when something that really matters comes up then perhaps the people's faith in politics could be restored. Well done Nich.

What you are not meant to see in the EU - dissent.

See http://devilskitchen.me.uk/2007/12/how-liberty-dies.html for further details .....

Did anyone see/here of this on the BBC ?

So where are our democratic and traditional rights then Mr Brown ?

As Gordon Brown starts spinning that he's reigning in the Unions ( yeh - right) the Irish are getting a referendum on the continuing dissolution of their state into the European Union.

In the UK we are getting no vote on our state being sacrificed on the bonfire of Tony Blair's legacy or having Gordon Brown appointed to a party that is too timid to put up two candidates for election as leader.

So what's it to be Gordon ?