Quote of the day 11th May 2015

"Try explaining this election to an American. Even the tiny number who follow British politics are baffled.

"So what happened in the English election?"

"You mean the election in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? Well, the Conservatives won in England, but the Scottish nationalists won in Scotland. Nothing much changed in Wales and Northern Ireland."

"Wait, but didn't the SNP just lose that referendum on Independence?"

"Yes, but this time the Scots were voting for people to represent them in London, so they naturally voted against being governed from London."

"Got it. So now does there have to be a UK referendum on membership of the European Union?

"Yes"

"I guess the Scottish nationalists want out of Europe, too."

"No, they would ideally like to leave the UK but stay in the EU."

"They'd rather be governed from Brussels than London?"

"Something like that."

Come to think of it, even I as a Scotsman was feeling a wee bit bemused."

(Niall Ferguson)

Comments

Jim said…
I never did get that bit myself, Scotland want independence, well ok I guess. if that's what they want and enough of them want it then why stop them? but the idea of gaining independence, then at the first opportunity handing it to the EU? that bit I never did understand.
7:05 pm
Jim said…
Mind you if the option is being governed from Brussels or london then its not a battle worth fighting, the point is to fight a referendum with a clear and plausible exit strategy, and one that clearly defines the how and the what the "OUT" answer is. well lucky for you, we just happen to have one folks, take as many as you need
9:06 pm
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