A letter I don’t think will be written on the Bard’s day, but probably should be…
Dear Mr Salmond,
We have had significant debate thus far on the timing and nature of a referendum rather than on the actual issue of Scotland’s constitutional status. I am sure we can both agree, although we take opposing views on it, that it is in fact the constitutional status we should be talking about.
We understand also that the issue of Scottish independence is for the residents of Scotland themselves, alone, to determine. That is why we will shortly be publishing legislation clarifying that the right to call such referendums will be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
I wish to explain to you why a referendum with anything more than a single, yes/no question would in this case be pointless. It is the UK Government’s intention, and has always been, to pursue greater localisation of decision making across the UK, and thus significantly greater devolution to Scotland. You have thus far been unclear about what you take “devo max” to mean, but let me be clear about what the UK Government would intend to do should the people of Scotland vote to remain within our Union.
We will publish proposals within three months of a referendum based on many of the recommendations of the Calman Commission, which will include but not be limited to:
- the devolution of welfare;
- the creation of a Scottish Civil Service;
- the creation of a Scottish tax collection authority; and
- the replacement of the Barnett formula with a system based mainly on tax and revenue collection within Scotland funding services within Scotland.
Naturally, should the people of Scotland decide to remain within the Union, they would continue to enjoy all the benefits influencing our common monetary policy, our common defence policy (with the full range of jobs available to Scots, as to other UK citizens, in our armed services), and our common diplomatic corps, one of the most extensive in the world.
To be clear, therefore, I am not proposing a three-way referendum because for the UK Government, the “do nothing” option does not exist. We are committed to expanding devolution while maintaining, for Scots, all the opportunities that come with being part of a larger Union.
Aefauldlie,
David Cameron
What a sensible letter. That would call the bluff. Have a referendum, then come what may, Scotland raises its own taxes and then funds its own expenditure. Though, what happen if a spendthrift Scottish Government, without any oversight controls, got itself head over heels in debt or otherwise caused financial instability, and the whole set up was part of the Sterling zone?