Westminster ignores the Scottish Parliament (what a shock!🙄)

About a month ago I posted about the Scottish parliament voting overwhelmingly against accepting the EU withdrawal bill in its current form as it has a clause in it that will allow Westminster to take certain devolved powers back. Today the bill was passed in Westminster with the power grab clause still in it. They spent a massive 15 minutes talking about Scotland. The Labour party who's Scottish branch had voted against it in the Scottish Parliament and who's leader even called the clause a power grab decided to abstain on the vote (except Dennis Skinner who sticks to his principles). Even the most bitter unionist liar Gordon Brown has condemned it and said they are breaking up the union. I'm furious but at the same time can't help but laugh as I look forward to the newsnight specials and whatever other tv shows ask how did we lose Scotland? After deception upon deception. After taking and taking. How did we push Scotland to leaving the union?

Just seen this and thought I might add it on. The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford asked the speaker what they could possibly do in the House of Commons to show how hated this will be in Scotland. After this a Tory MP can be heard shouting "suicide". What a lovely attitude.

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Burnley123 · 41-45, M

Thanks for sharing.

Constitutionally the UK Parliament is sovereign over Scotland and this bill was never going to pass. I am in favour of more devolved power though on a big national issue like this won't pass, the country has to decide. You will see it as evidence that Scotland should be independent and I will come back to that point.

As a separate issue, both main UK parties have a position on the EU which is untenable. I admit this as a branch campaign's officer for the Labour Party.

Brexit, as imagined for all those who voted for it, is untenable but Brexiteers either don't know that yet or won't admit to it. The politicians (aside from a few cranks like Mogg) know this and are fudging the issue because they don't wanna tell the public what the public don't wanna hear and a gaming for short-term advantage with each other.

May and Davis know it is BS and want a way out but are prisoners to the Brexiteers and their voters. Boris and Gove know Brexit is BS but are pretending to be true believers for their own career. They are happy to gaslight those making decisions and happy to lie.

Corbyn and McDonnel don't want Brexit but accept it has to happen. They don't like the EU, think Brexit is worse but know they can stop it. They are fudging things because a third of Labour voters are Brexiteers and because most Labour MPs are in Brexit constituencies. They don't have the strength to go against their MPs if they wanted to.

The can can only be kicked down the road for so long though. When (not if) the final deal is crap, everyone will be pissed off. The right will blame May for selling out (though she had no power over the EU) and Liberals will blame her for not stopping Brexit.

I think Labour needs to take a more pro soft-Brexit line. They will be blamed whatever they do and they can't stop Brexit but they need to fight for the best result, which is a 1-0 defeat and the Norway model.

I also think Scottish Nationalism cannot deliver what it promises because I think the economics also do not stack up. In a globalised world, you need bigger and stronger democratic bodies to resist the forces of capital. Smaller bodies get eaten up as Greek Syriza salad.

thatscottishguy · 26-30, M

@Burnley123 If only there were social democratic countries about Scotland's size🤔. To go back to the start though this isn't even about the "big national issues". This was about one clause that allows Westminster to take back some of the small devolved powers we are actually allowed. Yes Westminster have sovereignty but to ignore us on this is quite frankly ridiculous. This is yet another example of us being ignored and now we may actually get powers taken from us. This after the vow and the day after the vote us being swept to one side. All the promises that have been broken and now powers may actually be taken away. This is not an excuse for independence from a nationalist, this is a reason that can turn people.

thatscottishguy · 26-30, M

Also yeah all the Labour stuff. I do feel sorry for Corbyn but this was just one abstention too many and he really could use Labour being strong in Scotland right now.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@thatscottishguy Setting up a currency is hard. Also, Norway has a lot of oil. And I mean a lot more oil than you guys had at the peak.

You could keep a shadow pound but would be at the behest of the bank of England. The Euro is not something you could leave and would be a disaster for weaker nations.

I hope I am wrong.

thatscottishguy · 26-30, M

Don't worry you often are😜.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@thatscottishguy You agree with me on all things non-Scottish. 🙄

thatscottishguy · 26-30, M

Not all.