Dissolving Not Devolving: A Scotland Bill Briefing Alert
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On the 18 November, A Force For Good published our second 20-page, A4-sized, black and white booklet, entitled "Dissolving not Devolving: A Scotland Bill Briefing Alert". It is written by Alistair McConnachie.
It was sent personally in hard-copy to over 200 Lords in time for the 2nd Reading of the Scotland Bill in the House of Lords on Tuesday 24 November 2015. These Lords were identified as possibly being in a position to raise the Philosophical concerns which we describe in the booklet, and to promote the Policies which we recommend.
Photograph: The Kingston Bridge, Glasgow, carries the M8 across the Clyde. As with virtually all of Scotland's major infrastructure, it was built prior to 1999, and under Administrative (not Legislative) devolution. Among other things, this booklet explains the importance of maintaining Administrative, not Legislative, forms of devolution in order to maintain Scotland's place within its wider British context (see pages 15-19). Copyright Alistair McConnachie, 1-11-15.
Posted on this site on 19 November 2015.
We are making it available free for download in PDF format. If you left click on this link the booklet will open up, and you can save it to your computer. Or you can right click and 'save as' somewhere on your computer, and open it from there.
Donations
It is available as a PDF free of charge, but if you appreciate the work we have put in – and if you are not a regular donator – then please consider using any of the links on the right hand side of this page to send a donation. Your donation will be used to cover the not-inconsiderable price of publication and hard-copy postage to our Legislators.
Regular Donors
If you are a regular donor and would like a hard-copy sent to you in the post, free of charge, then please contact us and we'll be happy to send a copy out to you.
Bulk Copies
If you would like several copies – perhaps to send to Opinion Formers or Legislators – then they are available at £3 each, which includes post and packing. Please make a payment using any of the links on the right hand side, and send us notification specifying the number of copies that you want. Or you can send us a cheque, details on our donate page here.
List of Contents:
1. The Unconstitutional Precedent of Law-Making by Opinion Poll, Tabloid Headline and Advisory Body
See Page 2
2. The Importance of Understanding the UK as a Unitary State: Getting the frame right from the start
See Page
3. Do not Compromise British Parliamentary Sovereignty: Our Legislators don't realise the Bill does this
See Page 7
4. Why the British Parliament Must Retain its Veto: It has an authority, a duty and a responsibility to stand for all the UK
See Page 9
5. Do not Declare the Scottish Parliament Permanent: That risks opening rhetorical power and legal space to Nats
See Page 10
6. Assert that a Devolved 'Government' is Not Equivalent to the British Government: We're not a federal state
See Page 11
7. Policy: Protect and Maintain the British Transport Police – The SNP has said it will abolish it
See Page 12
8. Policy: Do not Devolve the Management of Elections and the Franchise
Policy: Giving Power over Road Signs will create a Scottish Nationalist Propaganda Playground
See Page 13
9. Policy: Fiscal Solidarity is Essential for our British Social Union – We pay taxes to help everyone in the UK
Policy: Welfare Solidarity and the British Equality Principle – We're in danger of destroying it
See Page 14
10. Policy: Stand by the British Broadcasting Corporation – The Nationalists hate it – We must defend it
Policy: The Crown Estate is British – It belongs to us all, not just to people in Scotland
See Page 15
11. Administrative Devolution: A Powerful Way to Reaffirm the Role and Relevance of the British Parliament at the Heart of Scotland
See Page 16
We Call For our Legislators in the British Parliament to:
1. Understand and defend the UK as a Unitary State – a Nation of Unions – a Nation-State!
2. Support the Recommendations which we make throughout this document and support a British Equality Principle in statute (page 14), in order to lessen the dangers of the inevitable Tax and Welfare Envy which
will arise as a result of the Scotland Bill.
3. Do all in their powers to delay the Scotland Bill in order to ensure that proper thought and debate is given to the clear and present dangers represented by this Bill to the Constitution; to the social, cultural and territorial Integrity of the United Kingdom; and to the Solidarity of the British people.
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