Cameron messed up enormously. At the outset Salmond wanted a three option referendum, out, status quo, devo max. Cameron insisted on two options, out or status quo. Because of one opinion poll his bottle crashed and he changed the goal posts by saying the two options were out or devo max; by doing so he disenfranchised the status quo voters.
After the crocodile tears we got before the referendum from the PM, he didn't even have the decency to turn up for the Scottish debate at WM. Instead he sends his wee toady Hague, I thought he loved us as well...
And the chamber was hardly full, I saw more bodies at the Lib Dem Conference last week, Brown spoke for about five minutes and then left.
You sold the gold Gordon, hope you haven't led your countrymen up the garden path. Brown; the MP who is getting his salary for not working for his constituents by not appearing in Parliament. He has only made a handful of appearances since the last election. He is also worried that Labour will be a spent force, and will not be able to get their ideas through Parliament, if it is only English MPs who can vote on issues pertaining to England. And that is only right, as English MPs cannot vote on only Scottish issues.
Before the ink was dry on the ballot papers, they were both backtracking on their promises, (or was that cast iron guarantees?), made a few days earlier.
I think most Scots would only see the fairness of the principle of English votes on English only issues, indeed the SNP MPs don't vote on English matters. However, it should be pointed out that before the Scottish Executive came into existence, English MPs were only too happy to vote on Scottish only matters.
I object to having decisions taken for the country of my birth by a right wing government that Scotland neither wanted nor voted for. I hate the stigmatisation and persecution of the poor, (many of whom are working but on a ridiculous low wage), and disabled and the austerity measures which have unfairly punished those with the least amount to give and who were not to blame for the debt. And this, whilst the bankers get rewarded for poor irresponsible practice, companies have huge tax bills waived and top execs can earn about 127 times the average wage. You are obviously doing okay, don't need benefits or to use food banks to feed your family. You are happy with the massive cost of Scotland having a nuclear deterrent, and quite fancy having INEOS fracking underneath your house. Extreme socialist state you say?...I say trying to provide a more socially just and equal society
Well having read the command paper, (It reminds me of Chamberlain's letter from Hitler to be honest, and will be as much use), as expected the big Broon's speeches were worthless. The tripartite alliance are offering well nothing that will satisfy the majority of people who voted at the referendum. They lied, what a surprise!.
The Labour party have woken up to the fact their power base will be severely diminished if Scottish Labour MPs cannot vote on English only laws. When Brown, Miliband and Balls talk about a constitutional crisis what they really mean is a Labour party crisis. Having said that, the SNP will decimate the Scottish Labour Party next May.
Scotland has been completely ignored in this so called debate. It is just another spat between the Westminster parties. Scotland is watching. And those that voted no a few weeks ago won't be fooled or frightened again.
Sadiq Khan said in the debate, the best way for the Conservatives to address the West Lothian question is to win more seats in Scotland, this is what its all about. The Conservatives can't get votes in Scotland so they would rather change it so Scottish votes don't count.
A lot of us are old enough to remember the early Hovis adverts "don't say Brown say Hovis". Perhaps the new political slogan should be "don't say Brown - say hopeless".