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<title>Brave new world</title>
<link>http://heritage.scotsman.com/template/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=7771&amp;ArticleID=4746177&amp;format=rss#comments</link>
<description>Comments on "Brave new world"</description>
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<lastBuildDate>Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:04:54 GMT</lastBuildDate>
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<title>Posted by Dr. James Wilkie, Vienna</title>
<link>http://heritage.scotsman.com//standrewsday/Brave-new-world.4746177.jp#comment3488982</link>
<description><![CDATA["We will judge what is best for Scotland, taking into account our economic, cultural, political and social circumstances, and the state of the world around us."

A good editorial stance, and one with which it would be difficult to disagree.  However, the proof of the pudding lies in the eating.  The result of the enhanced devolution option does not lie exclusively with the Calman Commission's opinions, since that body is neither neutral nor objective, having been set up by unionists for the express purpose of heading off independence.  This ideology must be expected to reflect in its final recommendations.

And of course the state of the world around us is of crucial importance.  I have decades of experience, at government level, of how an independent European country of Scotland's size is actually run, and I have been exposed to international regional and global developments that will not impinge on public (and editorial) consciousness for a long time to come.  The world in which we are living is vastly different from what it was 20 years ago, and is about to change even more drastically.

Scotland cannot afford to wait any longer for more power of decision over its own affairs, and I don't think that any status short of constitutional independence will suffice to safeguard its interests within this new environment.  Independence will separate Scotland from absolutely nothing, indeed it will break down the present isolation, and I think people will be astonished at how much will remain unchanged in relations with other parts the present UK.  2010 is not too soon for a decision - which will take years to implement - but even a negative result of the referendum then will do no more than delay the inevitable.

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<pubDate>Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:04:54 GMT</pubDate>
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