A Nation Betrayed.

The above is the flag that logically should represent this country were Scotland to leave the union. There is thankfully little chance of this abhorrent Photoshop creation existing – even if as is possible, Scotland does indeed become independent this year.
Yesterday’s article drew our readers’ attention to the plans of the Liberal Democrats – based on Herr Clegg’s hopes of a “hung parliament” or should we now be calling it a “balanced parliament?” Given the monstrous TREASONS that have been perpetrated by these parliamentarians over decades the British Gazette suggests that the phrase, “hanged parliament” would be the most appropriate!
Today the British Gazette turns its attention to the Tories and David “Cool” Cameron. “Dave” as he prefers everybody to call him, is indeed a remarkable man for he has shown by his deep insincerity that he can actually “out phoney Tony [Blair]” which we are sure you will admit has to be an achievement!
Cool “Dave” has intimated that in the event of a “hanged parliament” he will attempt to form a minority government and will put a gracious speech before the Commons on the basis that the British electorate will not forgive those political parties that vote it down and bring about another election immediately upon the heels of this one.
Of course it will all depend on two things:
1. How the numbers stack up and also:
2. Where the numbers stack up.
Media pundits in the Brussels Brainwashing Commissariat have quoted the fact that for a given percentage share of the overall popular vote the Labour party will gain more seats than the Conservative party and many more than the Liberal Democrats. Apart from explaining that Labour’s vote is more concentrated they leave it at that. More explanation is required however. A significant share of the Labour and the Liberal Democrat parties vote lies in Scotland.
Following the setting up of the Scottish parliament, the number of Scottish seats at Westminster was reduced before the 2005 General Election from 72 to 59. At present, despite theses changes, Scotland has on average 5,000 fewer voters per constituency than England and also has its own Parliament. The Conservative manifesto contains a pledge to answer the so-called West Lothian Question by introducing a ban on Scottish MPs voting on England-only issues in the Commons – a move which is supported by the SNP.
In terms of these 59 Scottish seats, the 2005 election returned 39 Labour members, 12 Liberal Democrats, 7 SNP and just 1 Conservative member (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale). Herewith the 2005 election result for the Conservatives’ sole representative north of the border:
Conservative: David Mundell: 16,141 (36.2%)
Labour: Sean Marshall: 14,403 (32.3%)
Liberal Democrat: Patsy Kenton: 9,046 (20.3%)
SNP: Andrew Wood: 4,075 (9.1%)
Scottish Socialist: Sarah MacTavish: 521 (1.2%)
UKIP: Tony Lee 430 (1.0%)
Majority: 1,738 (3.9%)
Turnout: 44,616 (67.6%)
This is clearly a marginal seat.
Alex Salmond of the SNP has intimated that he would be willing to support a party in a “hanged parliament” that could “deliver for Scotland.” Salmond has talked in terms of spending settlements but let us address ourselves to the three elephants in the room.
The first elephant is the little matter of the one trillion pounds debt the UK has.
The second elephant is Salmond’s oft stated desire for Scottish independence.
The third elephant is Cameron’s stated desire to retain the First Past the Post electoral system.
Let us then consider these three elephants:
The first elephant the debt will mean two things:
1. Public spending cuts.
2. Tax increases
At the same time.
The second elephant will be Salmond’s price for maintaining Cameron in office. This will take the form of a referendum in Scotland on independence. Clearly, the Scottish people presented with such a choice will have an obvious question: “Independence, but on what terms?” The Scottish people are not fools. They will want to know precisely on what terms Scotland is being offered independence. This of course brings us back to the first elephant, the debt. This debt is the UK sovereign debt. Not England’s. Not Scotland’s, Not Wales’s. Scotland has 8% of the UK population. Which should mean that upon separation she should take on 8% of the debt. Clearly, if Salmond wants to win the referendum he will have to reach a settlement with Cameron on a figure that is less than 8%. Were Salmond to be able to go to his electorate with say a 4% or less settlement he would be able to offer the Scots a release from a significant degree of the pain that is going to have to be borne. Indeed, if the Conservative minority lies in Scotland, Cameron may well be prepared to offer Salmond an even better deal than 4%! What we do know is that Salmond will be trying to wring as much as he can out of Cameron. This would be for the simple reason that Salmond would be able to offer the Scots a fantastic deal: Walk away from the vast majority of this enormous debt and avoid the painful cuts in public spending and tax hikes! Vote for Independence!
Of course we all know that this “independence” is a chimera as Salmond would want Scotland to leave the Sterling zone and walk immediately into the Eurozone. Scotland would adopt the Euro upon “independence.” This of course would be Salmond’s justification for demanding to walk away from Scotland’s share of the UK debt. Clearly, the Eurozone members would be delighted to offer membership to a state that had little of no sovereign debt – the very opposite of Greece. Of course readers will ask: “Why should Cameron agree to such a deal with Salmond?” This brings us to the third elephant.
The third elephant is Electoral Reform. Cameron has been insistent that he does not want to depart from the First Past the Post system. He realises – as does every single member of the Conservative Party – that ANY variation of PR – and there are many – has ONE INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE – it makes majority government (by one party) impossible – in all but the most extraordinary situations. Cameron and his fellow Tories realise that the issue of electoral reform is well and truly on the agenda with the Labour party now reconciled to and supportive of its introduction. If the electoral numbers stack up, this is the prize Salmond can deliver to Cameron. If the Conservative minority is less than the numbers of Scottish seats that are not Tory – and this could be all 59 of them, than Salmond can give Cameron his majority – without the need for another election. This is because upon the Scots voting for independence and getting it, all Scottish members at Westminster would cease to be MPs.
Of course what will really stick in the English craw would be that much of the sovereign debt has been incurred bailing out the Royal Bank of Scotland! One more thing: Alex Salmond was at one time an economist employed by the Royal Bank of Scotland!