Two articles on Lib Dem Voice caught my eye today - both from the so-called 'Better Together' campaign who are effectively the political wing of the Scottish Labour party.
One is written by Kirsty O'Brien, who fails to mentions she is a London based Labour hack - looking to become a Scottish MEP next year. Confusingly titled 'London is not a foreign country' - er no because it is a city - she raises the bizarre spectre of her poor wee son having to get his passport out when visiting his Granny.
If you couldn't think it could get any more bizarre - we then have an article from Willie Rennie - who should know better - fantasising about in/out EU referenda with Scotland staying in and the rest of the UK leaving.
I'm pretty relaxed about the outcome of the Scottish vote - but the result will be determined by which side can inspire the most confidence in Scottish voters that they represent their longer term interests and will provide optimism for their economic futures. Not this sort of hypothetical scaremongering.
One is written by Kirsty O'Brien, who fails to mentions she is a London based Labour hack - looking to become a Scottish MEP next year. Confusingly titled 'London is not a foreign country' - er no because it is a city - she raises the bizarre spectre of her poor wee son having to get his passport out when visiting his Granny.
If you couldn't think it could get any more bizarre - we then have an article from Willie Rennie - who should know better - fantasising about in/out EU referenda with Scotland staying in and the rest of the UK leaving.
I'm pretty relaxed about the outcome of the Scottish vote - but the result will be determined by which side can inspire the most confidence in Scottish voters that they represent their longer term interests and will provide optimism for their economic futures. Not this sort of hypothetical scaremongering.
Dan, I'd like the debate to focus more on what we want Scotland to be like - and I think a liberal Scotland can be delivered by both independence and staying in the union. The debate so far has not been the greatest quality, but questioning SNP policy is not scaremongering, especially when they've been caught out in obfuscation and inaccuracy so many times.
ReplyDeleteThe last thing they want to talk about is the nitty gritty of how independence would work, to tell us exactly how our pensions/passports/driving licences/benefits would operate. So, they talk about the Tories, and Better Together funding and you get Humza Yousaf going to Dubai and tell an absolute whopper about the UK Government wanting to leave the EU.
I certainly would think twice about choosing between a Scotland in the EU and a rUK outside it so I think Willie was right to tell us that that would not be a bed of roses either.
I think Better Together needs to up its game on a number of fronts, not least a more positive and optimistic message. Actually, you get that more from Mike Moore than you get from Danny and Darling. But, yes, in that respect you are right. But someone also has to nail the SNP independence jelly to the wall - and when you try they really don't like it.
I think it would be better if the polls were a bit closer because I'm worried about complacency setting in on the no side and a certain reversion to type from certain elements of Better Together.