en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/5643766 Comments by Angus_Loon https://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2019/08/post-ruth-politics-the-battle-over-her-legacy-will-shape-the-future-of-the-scottish-tories.html#IDComment1080136836 Robert the Bruce was a Norman. Thu, 29 Aug 2019 19:27:46 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2019/08/post-ruth-politics-the-battle-over-her-legacy-will-shape-the-future-of-the-scottish-tories.html#IDComment1080136836 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2019/08/andrew-laird-the-prime-ministers-devolution-drive-will-protect-public-services-from-brexit-chaos.html#IDComment1079876260 London, the South East and to a lesser extent te East of England are "subsidising" everyone else. In terms of budget deficit, the North East and North West of England have a far worse per capita budget deficit than Scotland. But why is this a problem. All countries with devolved systems of government e.g Canada, Australia and Germany have mechanisms for fiscal transfer. Indeed it is essential when you have a currency union. Fri, 23 Aug 2019 15:42:36 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2019/08/andrew-laird-the-prime-ministers-devolution-drive-will-protect-public-services-from-brexit-chaos.html#IDComment1079876260 https://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2019/04/henry-hill-support-for-independence-slumps-in-latest-scottish-polling.html#IDComment1071916688 I am sceptical about the claim that Dublin was supporting the IRA. Remember that the Free State emerged after a civil war with the IRA. Membership of the IRA was a criminal offence and punishable by imprisonment in the Irish Republic. Of course there was controversy about their refusal to extradite IRA operatives who were seeking sanctuary in the south but that was merely a consequence of Irish neutrality. Thu, 11 Apr 2019 18:15:38 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2019/04/henry-hill-support-for-independence-slumps-in-latest-scottish-polling.html#IDComment1071916688 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2019/02/the-eu-doesnt-understand-or-claims-not-to-understand-the-way-our-constitution-works.html#IDComment1068965779 If NI were to remain in the customs union then it would no longer be part of the UK. It would mean tariff barriers between NI and the rest of the UK - to the detriment of the NI economy. Of the 200 or so countries in the world, how many of them have part of their territory in a different customs area controlled by a foreign jurisdiction.? I can't think of a single example. Fri, 1 Feb 2019 09:35:32 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2019/02/the-eu-doesnt-understand-or-claims-not-to-understand-the-way-our-constitution-works.html#IDComment1068965779 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2018/03/alex-redpath-an-irish-sea-border-would-be-a-disaster-for-northern-ireland-and-the-union.html#IDComment1059076420 Jersey and Guernsey are not in the UK - they are Crown dependencies. London and Scotland are in the UK. I can't think of any examples of any sovereign state which have internal tariff barriers. Thu, 1 Mar 2018 18:57:30 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2018/03/alex-redpath-an-irish-sea-border-would-be-a-disaster-for-northern-ireland-and-the-union.html#IDComment1059076420 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2017/10/the-case-for-a-moratorium-on-scottish-independence.html#IDComment1051036613 I understand what you are saying but a federal system is not possible when one component of that federation has 85% of the population. There is no precedent. The largest state in Germany (North Rhine Westphalia) has about 20m people or about 25% of the population. This is balanced by Bavaria and Baden-wittenberg, both around 10m. The largest state in the USA is California with 33m or 12% of the population. Again this is balanced by other large states - Texas and New York. Similarly with Australia and Canada, no state is dominant. Fri, 13 Oct 2017 20:51:31 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2017/10/the-case-for-a-moratorium-on-scottish-independence.html#IDComment1051036613 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/04/ruth-davidson-sturgeons-manifesto-rests-on-a-squalid-compromise.html#IDComment1019909832 Not sure that I agree. It was under Ted Heath and John Major that the Scottish Tory vote collapsed. In fact, Mrs Thatcher is the only Conservative leader to increase the Tory vote in Scotland. Under Ted Heath, the Tory vote went down to 25% in the Oct 74 election, largely due to the Tories hemorrhaging support to the SNP. Under John Major the Tory vote went from 25% in 1992 to 15% in 1997 due to the urban middle classes defecting to New Labour. Tue, 26 Apr 2016 19:59:43 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/04/ruth-davidson-sturgeons-manifesto-rests-on-a-squalid-compromise.html#IDComment1019909832 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/04/ruth-davidson-the-snp-is-on-course-to-win-in-may-which-is-why-scotland-needs-a-strong-conservative-opposition.html#IDComment1019043524 You clearly know nothing about Scotland. I was born in Scotland and have lived my entire life in Scotland and to suggest that my reason for voting No was motivated by something as sordid as money is frankly laughable. My motive for voting No was based on the absurdity of splitting this small North Atlantic island into separate statelets. A small island where we all speak the same language, have the same religious tradition and three hundred years of shared history. Tue, 12 Apr 2016 19:57:42 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/04/ruth-davidson-the-snp-is-on-course-to-win-in-may-which-is-why-scotland-needs-a-strong-conservative-opposition.html#IDComment1019043524 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/02/henry-hill-now-sturgeon-accuses-tories-of-sabotaging-powers-talks.html#IDComment1012679954 I agree that Barnett should be abolished but 'per head' solves nothing. What we need to move towards is a rational system of fiscal equalisation as they have in Canada, Australia or Germany. Wed, 10 Feb 2016 20:03:03 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/02/henry-hill-now-sturgeon-accuses-tories-of-sabotaging-powers-talks.html#IDComment1012679954 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/02/henry-hill-now-sturgeon-accuses-tories-of-sabotaging-powers-talks.html#IDComment1012679861 Not quite right. The block grant adjustment is indexed to the tax receipts in the rUK and there is no account taken of population changes. The overall block grant is calculated by Barnett as at present. Wed, 10 Feb 2016 20:01:12 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/02/henry-hill-now-sturgeon-accuses-tories-of-sabotaging-powers-talks.html#IDComment1012679861 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/01/ruth-davidson-the-snps-record-in-power-is-lamentable-but-there-is-an-alternative.html#IDComment1010583744 The decline and fall of the Scottish Conservative Party is a huge, complex and fascinating topic. It has been well documented elsewhere but Mrs Thatcher had very little to do with it. The big falls in Scottish Conservative votes happened under Ted Heath and John Major. In fact MrsThatcher is the only Conservative leader to significantly increase the Scottish Conservative vote - 25% in Oct '74 to 30% in 1979. Tue, 19 Jan 2016 19:34:14 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2016/01/ruth-davidson-the-snps-record-in-power-is-lamentable-but-there-is-an-alternative.html#IDComment1010583744 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2016/01/brexit-seems-unlikely-to-break-up-britain.html#IDComment1010290018 This reminds me of the AV referendum in 2011, when people were predicting doomsday scenarios if Scotland voted for AV (as a lot of commentators thought) and rUK voted against. In the event Scotland voted pretty much in line with England and I suspect much the same will happen in the EU referendum. The idea that the Scots would be so enraged by being taken out of the EU against their will that they would demand a second referendum is complete fantasy. Most people I know couldn't give two hoots about Europe - it just isn't an issue. Sat, 16 Jan 2016 10:22:39 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2016/01/brexit-seems-unlikely-to-break-up-britain.html#IDComment1010290018 http://www.conservativehome.com/leftwatch/2015/11/trident-and-why-corbyns-leftward-lurch-wont-help-scottish-labour.html#IDComment1002227662 Redeploying the subs is relatively easy. The problem is with the nuclear arsenal at Coulport. Relocating that would be horrendously expensive and complex. Mon, 2 Nov 2015 19:08:40 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/leftwatch/2015/11/trident-and-why-corbyns-leftward-lurch-wont-help-scottish-labour.html#IDComment1002227662 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2015/08/nadhim-zahawi-mp-the-party-best-placed-to-challenge-the-snp-is-the-conservatives-fiscal-autonomy-is-our-best-friend.html#IDComment989695265 To be fair, Mr Zahawi is not advocating FFA but only for a degree of fiscal autonomy as proposed by the Smith Commission. Mon, 10 Aug 2015 08:35:20 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2015/08/nadhim-zahawi-mp-the-party-best-placed-to-challenge-the-snp-is-the-conservatives-fiscal-autonomy-is-our-best-friend.html#IDComment989695265 http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2015/05/the-coming-fight-for-second-place-in-scotland.html#IDComment972492853 How about a merger of the Lib Dems and the Scottish Conservativea, separate from their southern organisations? The Liberal Unionist label could be revived. Just a thought. Tue, 19 May 2015 19:18:16 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2015/05/the-coming-fight-for-second-place-in-scotland.html#IDComment972492853 http://www.conservativehome.com/video/2015/05/watch-jim-murphy-resigns-as-leader-of-scottish-labour.html#IDComment971812997 A decent man. I particularly admire the way he stood up to SNP fascism last September. I wish him well. Sat, 16 May 2015 19:54:39 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/video/2015/05/watch-jim-murphy-resigns-as-leader-of-scottish-labour.html#IDComment971812997 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2015/04/daniel-hannan-mep-if-at-first-you-dont-secede.html#IDComment964327703 And what about the 55% of Scots who voted No, the silent majority. Do you really want to abandon us to the increasingly fascistic SNP? As for Jim Murphy, it is not in his power to dictate how UK tax revenues are distributed. Wed, 15 Apr 2015 16:29:46 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2015/04/daniel-hannan-mep-if-at-first-you-dont-secede.html#IDComment964327703 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2015/04/the-unions-future-is-more-important-than-a-conservative-election-victory.html#IDComment962157197 Nonsense. The Spanish War of Succession and the 1701 Act of Settlement were the driving forces behind the Act of Union. Darien merely weakened Scotland's negotiating position. Sun, 5 Apr 2015 20:05:27 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2015/04/the-unions-future-is-more-important-than-a-conservative-election-victory.html#IDComment962157197 http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2015/02/andy-maciver-as-scottish-conservatives-gather-for-their-conference-a-stark-message-for-cameron-only-federalism-can-now-save-the-union.html#IDComment951840193 The Devil is in the Detail and this article is short of detail. What do we mean by Federalism? What would be the fiscal relationship between an English Parliament and the UK Parliament? As Henry_Hill has pointed out above, in all federal system the federal government has responsibility for around 50% of taxes and 50% of government expenditure. This is in line with the Smith Commission. Welfare and pensions are always the remit of the federal government. There are not only actuarial reasons for this but it also facilitates fiscal transfers from the rich to the poorer states/provinces. In the USA, Canada and Australia there are large fiscal transfers between states. This is essential if you are sharing the same currency. England is too big for federalism to work. There is no example in the world of a federal system in which one of it's constituent components accounts for 85% of the population. It was easy for Canada, USA and Australia. These were blank canvases onto which it was easy to draw arbitrary lines and define new states. I am skeptical about the notion that the Scots (of whom I am one) want more powers. I live in Scotland and if I were to walk down my high street, I would be gobsmacked if more than 1 in 10 could give me an accurate description of the current division of power between Westminster and Holyrood. If people don't know what the current division of power is, how can they make the judgement that Scotland needs more powers? Thu, 19 Feb 2015 21:24:16 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2015/02/andy-maciver-as-scottish-conservatives-gather-for-their-conference-a-stark-message-for-cameron-only-federalism-can-now-save-the-union.html#IDComment951840193 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2015/01/germans-bearing-gifts.html#IDComment945071633 I agree. It's also worth mentioning that they did a deal with Goldman Sachs, to mask their national debt, in order to cheat their entry into the Euro. Mon, 26 Jan 2015 21:36:18 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2015/01/germans-bearing-gifts.html#IDComment945071633