Monday 9 June 2008

An Answer Without A Question

The West Lothian Question does not exist. If the Parliament of the United Kingdom were to enact legislation applicable in Scotland, then that legislation would prevail over any enactment of the Scottish Parliament. There is simply no doubt at all about this, any one who doesn't like it should have voted No to devolution. I bet they didn't.

At present, it merely chooses not to do so. But it should do so, not least to make the point. After all, hasn't Brown any views about such matters in his own constituency? Well, now he has the chance to give effect to those views. He should take that chance.

Meanwhile, the real Scottish Question in British politics is that David Cameron is a posh Scot. Not a borderline case like Tony Blair or Iain Duncan Smith, but the real deal. His English public school, his Oxford degree, his marriage into the English baronetage, and (these days) his Southern English seat are all part and parcel of this.

Therefore, he simply cannot believe that a state school and Scottish university son of the manse from Kirkcaldy has the effrontery to be Prime Minister instead of him.

And Brown very obviously knows perfectly well that those are his views.

10 comments:

  1. "An Answer Without A Question...The West Lothian Question does not exist."

    That'll come as a surprise to Tam of the Binns:

    “For how long could the MP representing Blackburn West Lothian, vote on education affecting Blackburn, Lancashire but not the very same matters in Blackburn, West Lothian? How long could the MP representing Linlithgow in Scotland, vote on local government in Liverpool, but not in Linlithgow? Twenty-two years have gone by, and what answer has there come: none.”

    Did he or did he not ask the question? If yes, it exists.

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  2. Well, answer has there now come: one.

    He was a friend of my father's in the Sixties, and he is one the great parliamentarians. But he is simply wrong about this. If he were right, then that would be independence - the turning off of the financial tap.

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  3. David Cameron was born in London, but brought up at Peasemore, near Newbury, in the English county of Berkshire. If he's a Scot then I dread to think what I am.

    I don't remember being given a vote on devolution, unless the Ken and Boris show counts. (I did vote No to that, but I doubt that really influenced the Tartan Taliban very much.)

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  4. His family home (one of his three mortgage-free houses) is on the Isle of Jura. He's a classic posh Scot, and has repeatedly said as much himself.

    You are right about never being given a vote on devolution. Any referendum on actual secession from the United Kingdom must be held throughout the United Kingdom.

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  5. Not being Scotch myself I'm clearly having a problem with terminology. David Cameron is not a Scot and he's not posh.

    Is "posh Scot" some witty oxymoron?

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  6. He has repeatedly said it himself. And as for not being posh, anyone who can get into the Bullingdon Club is indisputably one of the poshest people in the world, never mind these islands. The present President is our future King's cousin on HRH's much grander maternal side.

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  7. Well, if David Cameron says it... (Actually, has he really? I'm so sure anyone actually believes him if he does, least of all himself.)

    Rubbish! The Bullingdon will take any braying prat - so long as he's loaded and went to the right sort of school. It's got nothing to do with being posh.

    Er... Does that mean HM is part of the evil global neocon conspiracy as well?

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  8. The very idea! Both she and the monarchy are vital bulwarks against it.

    Being a braying prat is not incompatible with being extremely posh. The Bullingdon nearly kept out Osborne because his father was a mere baronet. They are down to four members among current undergraduates because they are so picky. But Cameron breezed in. Which says it all, really.

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  9. Sooo... David Cameron is posh because he was in the Bullingdon, which must be a club for posh blokes because David Cameron was a member.

    Ummm...

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  10. Your are surely not suggesting that Cameron is ... well, what? Lower middel class? No. He is not.

    Yes, the fact that he was ever let into the Bullingdon Club is conclusive proof that he is as grand as can be. Who denies it?

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