Cant help but add a little scaremongering about the possibility of a second referendum.... From the Herald Carmichael: SNP must rule out rerun of indyref Sunday 5 October 2014 Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has urged Scots spurred into action by the independence referendum to keep at it as he called on nationalists to put their shoulder to the wheel in the spirit of common endeavour. He said the question had been settled in a legal, fair and decisive way and asked the SNP leadership to rule out a second vote in less than three years. The Orkney and Shetland MP told delegates at the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow that he understood the disappointment of those who had voted yes, but said the message was clear for people on both sides of the argument. If this referendum sparked your imagination, if it spurred you into action, if it got you out agitating for change, then that is good and you should keep at it, he went on. But people of Scotland voted to remain in the UK and that democratic decision must be respected. So now is the time to use that energy and imagination, and to take action that really will deliver change for Scotland. To move the argument on from a debate about what powers our parliament should have to actually using these powers for the good of our people. In a direct appeal to deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Carmichael said ruling out another referendum was in her own interests, to begin as first minister by keeping her word. He insisted that it was also in the broader interests of Scotland to cast off the uncertainty and be clear about the future, adding: The threat of a second referendum would not only distort Scottish politics but it would undermine the provision of business and jobs here too. The Liberal Democrat minister also stressed the Government would keep its promise of further devolved powers, saying the nationalists did not need an excuse to reopen the issue. He said: We all of us promised more powers for the Scottish Parliament. We made these promises in good faith. We promised them on a timetable. So let me be quite clear - we shall deliver these promises. We shall deliver them on that timetable. And nothing, but nothing, will stop us. The referendum may be over but the task of securing the union will not be completed until we have made good on our promises to deliver the extra powers to the Scottish Parliament. He also told delegates that devolution should not stop at the border, outlining the partys federal vision for the UK. Mr Carmichael also used his speech to highlight the success of the participation of 16 and 17-year-olds in the referendum, saying it would be difficult for even the most ardent of Conservatives to now resist the extension across the UK after the next election. heraldscotland/politics/scottish-politics/scottish-secretary-nationalists-must-rule-out-a-2nd-indy-ref.1412506239
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 19:16:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015