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Mr Fraser is correct about change adding risk. But it also brings opportunity: businesses which recognise and exploit that are always the most successful, and those are precisely the kind we want. Moreover, change may be good itself. I saw that one of the oil companies said it would be happier dealing with the government of Angola rather than that of the UK, following the recent tax changes: perhaps they might welcome the chance to deal with a Scottish Government lead by an oil economist!

It's all dead in the water unless the Scottish Government can get control of their own finances via the Scotland Bill.

Without control of your own financial base, with no borrowing powers and no control over strategic assets Holyrood will never be anything more than a Pocket-Money-Parliament.

This does however play into his hands whenever it suits him, because he can say those hands are tied by the Tories in London.

Hi Douglas - What an excellent week to be Scottish - and indeed to do business in and with Scotland!
As you say -
"There's no evidence that four years of SNP administration has in any way harmed inward investment. On the contrary, there have been significant successes, notably in the renewable energy sector. And the abolition of England's regional development agencies can be an opportunity for SDI to press its advantage with foreign companies."
5 more years of progressive and pragmatic Scottish Government!
John Swinney + Council of Advisers + New Minister = a good routemap to a prosperous wee country.
Slainte Mhor

The independence issue is on the back burner for at least 3 years
The priority is getting proper financial powers to boost jobs and growth.

Also, in light of the Labour party's intellectual and charisma deficit, can they
maybe bring "Wee Wendy" back ? A swap for her brother would be a better deal for Scottish labour.

The alcohol bill is a must - if only for the savings to the health and policing bills.

I would live in hope that the borrowing powers will be used for the bridge. Which would free up a little capital spending to accelerate the council house building programme and/or a modest increase in the housing association. Not a penny more for Tavish's tram!

Corporation tax would go down if the Scottish Government gets control of it. No question.

I think you'll find that the FM will just get stuck in and make a start on the problems that need dealt with... Unlike the Labour voice on the Radio Scotland this morning who proclaimed that last week was just a protest vote.... You cant make this up!

6 FastEagle
Well said.
Unbeleievable isn't it!
The SNP Government are all focused on the Economy on Jobs on Prosperity on Health on Justice on Education.
They want to strengthen the Scotland Bill at Westminster - building a consensus - to lever the Tories to proffer what the majority of Scotland's politicians - across all Parties, want.
In short they want to govern pragmatically to try to get Scotland out of the mess that Gordon Brown and New Labour made of the economy - and to protect Scottish citizens from the worst excesses of the Tory and Liberal cuts.
Meanwhile, the Unionist Alliance wishes to witter on about a Referendum - that the SNP have said quite clearly will take place in the second half of this term in Government.
In the words of a "Brookside" Liverpudlian Cameron - "Calm down. Calm down."
Slainte Mhor

Reality sinks in! I used to be employed for a company that still has 2 satalite sites in Scotland I always recall announcements of the winning of new substantial 5yr contracts, a fellow employee remarked that we need at least one of these each quarter! Or they'll end up shutting us down, and transfer lock stock & barrel to England! I'm doubting any form of protectionisim will carry any weight in instances of this nature, when business makes its decision the accountants very rarely have any social fibres in their bodies......I'm quite sure on a similar peoples vote of this nature in some other parts of the world, on this basis declared independance from some other dominent partner! Trust me they'll be a mother of un-holy alliances just round the corner aka TORY/NULAB etc.......and all disruptive.......

Yes, Jim Mather will be a hard act to follow. Any guesses, Fraser?

Douglas,

It would seem you are suggesting that the SNP majority in Holyrood may jeopardise investment in Scotland.

This is in spite of everything that the SNP have accomplished in the last four years.

I suspect that your view, along with that of many of your bbc colleagues, is more sour grapes than reality. It would seem that pacific quay as a staunch part of the union establishment has been rocked to its core by the result delivered by the people of Scotland.

It is time you stopped the negativity and got on board. If you don't then in due course the people of Scotland will have their say about bbc Scotland , just as they have done with the union.

The bbc gravy train is going to come to an end. Better get used to that thought.

9 - Apologies, I meant Mr Fraser.

Common sense provided the SNP with their historic victory and common sense will prevail and the SNP will be all to aware of the trust they have gained from the people of Scotland.

Alex Salmond is a very astute politician and is not foolish enough to ruffle feathers and start forcing through unpopular legislation for the sake of it. Similarily the Westmister Government would be foolish to try and force the issue of a referendum or indeed in view of the fact that the SNP now have a working majority to block any necessary changes to the Scotland Bill.

It seems Annabel Goldie thinks she has some power over the SNP and she alone will be able to reign them in and block any decisions they make. Like the Lib Dems the Tories are becoming a spent force in Scotland.

I would say we are facing very interesting time in the world of politics and the SNP will keep their promises and continue to deliver for the people of Scotland.

Bring it on! Settle your debts and be on your way!

I think it's time for you to stop your anti-Scottish agenda here at the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, if you don't embrace the wishes of the people you serve you will soon become the croppers that anti-Scottish Labour and Lib Dems did on Thursday.

13. At 10:13am 9th May 2011, Anglophone wrote:
"Bring it on! Settle your debts and be on your way!"

I don't think England could afford to pay us back the £276billion they have had from the Scottish oil over the last 30 years, most of which has been squandered. But out of goodwill we would probably let this go.

Westminster's problem is that without oil and whisky to back up their obscene borrowing their credit rating would drop from AAA to BBB, Scotland's credit rating would go from AAA to AAA+.

15 X_Sticks
I'm sure that you are correct.
It would be good to see an OECD or other impartial analysis of Scotland's economic situation projected post-Independence.
Regarding the "goodwill" to Boris and David and Nick - I think we may have to send Xmas foodparcels until they get used to the loss of our subsidies.
:)
Slainte Mhor

"Bring it on! Settle your debts and be on your way!"

Someone should run a book on how long it takes before one of the Daily Mail tendency turns up to trot out the usual ill-informed subsidy junky nonsense.

Anglophone - If Scotland is such a drain on England's resources how come every UK PM, Chancellor of the Exchequer and govt. when they're not just ignoring us as irrelevant, is always banging on about how they'll fight with every fibre of their being blah blah to keep us in the union.

Unusually altruistic of Dave and his pals at Westminster given it would be in his party's interests to be shot of Scotland as it would just about guarantee a Tory govt. in London for the foreseeable future

The cynical amongst us might come to the conclusion that since they're the guys who have actually seen the books, they know something about who's subsidising who that they're not telling the rest of us.

@15. X_Sticks
"Westminster's problem is that without oil and whisky to back up their obscene borrowing their credit rating would drop from AAA to BBB, Scotland's credit rating would go from AAA to AAA+."

Well said X_Sticks. Also, I'm sure the process of 'debt settlement' would become much more interesting once the UK government opens up all the books for us to look at.

btw - O/T : for any who are interested the comment responder script has a new version which works with the current bbc blog pages. Sorry for the delay - I've been off the beeb blogs for awhile and didn't know they'd changed.

16. At 11:19am 9th May 2011, spagan wrote:
"Regarding the "goodwill" to Boris and David and Nick - I think we may have to send Xmas foodparcels until they get used to the loss of our subsidies."

I don't think we should send any food parcels to that lot.

I do think, however, that a successful, prosperous Scotland should do all it can to provide work and wealth to the north of England and Wales.

This would begin to rebalance the power in britain away the south east gravy train. And not before time.

Interesting, to hear all this nationalist crowing, but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. So we will have to wait and see how the SNP move forward without having to negotiate concessions with other political parties. I wish them well and very much hope the Scottish economy can avoid suffering the same fate as the UK economy whilst it was under the control of Scottish politicians.

One thing I would like to learn is, assuming the residents of Scotland vote in favour of Independence, would that be enough to move the process forward or would it have to be ratified by Westminster?

18. At 12:15pm 9th May 2011, mrbfaethedee wrote:
"I'm sure the process of 'debt settlement' would become much more interesting once the UK government opens up all the books for us to look at."

For the first time in 300 years! No more deceipt or obfuscation.

BTW good to see you back mrb!

The referendum;

I’m betting on 24th June 2014, 700 years later, this would keep it in line with our last independence day and being in the summer would make an excellent day for a public holiday. Rock on :)

20 Alan
I have every confidence that Westminster would not "stand in the way" of Scottish aspiration. I'm sure that we would remain significant players in any Confederation of the British Isles - and within the Commonwealth.
Nonsense about Borders and Passports are simply scaremongering by the British Unionists - and we can expect a lot of that over the next few years!
Slainte Mhor

@21. X_Sticks
"For the first time in 300 years! No more deceipt or obfuscation."

Indeed! Tools of a dying state I think.

Thanks X_Sticks! I'll try to stay back, I'll just need to manage my time a bit better.

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