Gordon Brown is BACK; sets out timetable for further devolution if Scotland votes No - Polidicks

[t]http://imgkk.com/i/idc4.jpg[/t] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29115556[/url] [quote]Former prime minister Gordon Brown has set out a timetable for boosting the Scottish Parliament's powers if voters reject independence. Mr Brown said a "No" vote would be the "starting gun" for Holyrood to be handed greater control over finance, welfare and taxation. It is understood the three main Westminster parties will formally back Mr Brown's proposals on Tuesday. The SNP has said the "No" campaign is in a state of "absolute panic". A Downing Street spokesman said of Mr Brown's announcement: "We welcome this Labour initiative and we are content with the proposed timetable". ... Mr Brown formally unveiled his proposed timetable for those new powers, in a speech at the Loanhead Miners Welfare and Social Club in Midlothian on Monday evening: • work to begin on the new legislation on 19 September, the day after the referendum. • a "command paper" to be published by the present UK government setting out all the proposals by end of October. • a white paper to be drawn up by the end of November after a period of consultation setting out the proposed powers • a draft new law to be published for a new Scotland Act in January.[/quote]

That's ideal. If the vote for independence fails, some limited, more sensible advantage will still come out of it for Scotland.

Why do I have a feeling if the 'no' vote gets the majority, we'll never hear of this again?

[QUOTE=PatrickT;45927341]Why do I have a feeling if the 'no' vote gets the majority, we'll never hear of this again?[/QUOTE] You do realize that's political suicide?

Hopefully not too little, too late.

If you ask me giving Scotland a parliament and making it into a self governed land was what purred independent thoughts anyway. The No-Vote movement need to start showing that the union is economically viable to Scotland like the EU should do with the UK in general. Just giving the Scottish parliament more powers is only a small fix to a larger issue and it'll only increase thoughts on why the Scots are even remotely in the UK if they have their own parliament to begin with.

[QUOTE=Robert9734;45927473]You do realize that's political suicide?[/QUOTE] For Gordon Brown? He's nothing to lose as it stands. I find it very suspect that the person they have outlining this literally has nothing to lose. (And was one of the shittiest Labour PMs in his treatment of Scotland)

[QUOTE=Craigewan;45927566]For Gordon Brown? He's nothing to lose as it stands. I find it very suspect that the person they have outlining this literally has nothing to lose. (And was one of the shittiest Labour PMs in his treatment of Scotland)[/QUOTE] He's a Scottish MP, if he went back on it he'd be fucked.

[QUOTE=squids_eye;45927653]He's a Scottish MP, if he went back on it he'd be fucked.[/QUOTE] He's pretty near the end of his political career anyway, and if anything happened to him, he would retire comfortably. He is absolutely the safest bet to announce something that you have no intention of following through. (Especially since all this is on the assumption Labour wins the next election, which I don't put good odds on)

[QUOTE=Craigewan;45927711]He's pretty near the end of his political career anyway, and if anything happened to him, he would retire comfortably. He is absolutely the safest bet to announce something that you have no intention of following through. (Especially since all this is on the assumption Labour wins the next election, which I don't put good odds on)[/QUOTE] this is going to sound super naive but we shouldn't have to spend all this time trying to figure out if our politicians are lying to us

[QUOTE=Craigewan;45927566]For Gordon Brown? He's nothing to lose as it stands. I find it very suspect that the person they have outlining this literally has nothing to lose. (And was one of the shittiest Labour PMs in his treatment of Scotland)[/QUOTE] its suicide for the rest of the government too you'd have to be stupid to think that if the government promises more powers for scotland and doesn't give them, that when the next referendum comes around they aren't fucked

If he was going to give Scotland more powers he had plenty of opportunity when he was the fucking Prime Minister. Hiss political career is over, he is expendable.

Gordon Brown still exists? I honestly thought he just vanished.

[QUOTE=SeamanStains;45928701]If he was going to give Scotland more powers he had plenty of opportunity when he was the fucking Prime Minister. Hiss political career is over, he is expendable.[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Scottish_devolution#Scottish_Executive_becomes_Scottish_Government_.282007.29[/url] It's dishonest to say that no devolution of powers happened when he was prime minister.

The only way to settle this debate is to vote no and see whether they actually do it, otherwise we'll never know Vote no right now!