Scottish Independence

**Ska'dForLife-WBA** · (This post was last modified: 19-09-2014, 07:06 by Ska'dForLife-WBA.)

Nicola Sturgeon concedes defeat ten minutes before Edinburgh delivers a resounding 61% No vote. It's all over.

Can't help but feel this result happened in spite of the Better Together campaign rather than because of it, but hopefully now that it's all done, we can push Westminster for reforms which will help all of the home nations.

**St Charles Owl** · 19-09-2014, 07:09

Thats it!!! Fife delivers the final blow to the Yes campaign with a resounding No vote!! Scotland now officially votes No!!

Amelia Chaffinch · 19-09-2014, 07:39

Glad that Salmond has had that smug grin wiped off his face. Unfortunately, Cameron will be unbearably smug.

Larry-AV · 19-09-2014, 09:28

Unity is Strength. Thumb up

Now to solve the West Lothian Question.

Whatever Scotland gets by way of Devo-max, England gets the same.
Likewise Wales and Northern Ireland too.

Westminster will be the UK Parliament, covering non-devolved matters only.

**El Car** · 19-09-2014, 09:37

Funny thing is 3 of the 4 councils that voted 'yes' were in and around Glasgow, traditionally a Labour stronghold, while the areas that have been certainties for SNP in the past failed to back them in this. Makes you wonder a bit about the difference made by the high electorate turnout and if SNP would have been the biggest losers if more people had got off their arse to vote in the Scottish parliamentary elections.

**Lord Snooty** · 19-09-2014, 10:39

What's the West Lothian question?

**El Car** · (This post was last modified: 19-09-2014, 11:25 by El Car.)

It's basically the issue of whether the existence of devolved parliaments - which entail for example only voters in Scotland being able to vote on 'Scottish' matters - means that 'English' matters should have the same protection, ie. only English MPs should vote on them.

Seems a bit of a moot point to me as people in Scotland have no interest in English matters. The only problem would be in making clear definitions of which are English matter and which affect the entire UK.

Larry-AV · 19-09-2014, 11:29

(19-09-2014, 10:39)Lord Snooty Wrote: What's the West Lothian question?

At Westminster Scottish MPs can vote on matters that affect England, but English MPs cannot vote on matters that have been devolved to Scotland.
It also applies to Welsh and Northern Ireland MPs, who can vote on English matters, but English MPs cannot vote on matters devolved to Wales and Northern Ireland.
The former MP for West Lothian, Tam Dayell, often raised this anomaly in Parliament, calling for it to be resolved.

**El Car** · 19-09-2014, 11:30

Incidentally, a more orthodox federal system would be the obvious way to go about this. Devolved Scottish, English, Welsh and N.Irish parliaments would govern their own affairs, and a national assembly would have control over national issues. For one thing that would mean everyone gets the parliament they vote for locally, but the integrity of the union would be preserved to the benefit - presumably - of all.

**spireitematt** · 19-09-2014, 14:58

I believe the North of England should be allowed to govern their own affairs.