SNP minister: 'Independent Scotland may not keep the Queen'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...the-Queen.html
SNP minister: 'Independent Scotland may not keep the Queen'
Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Minister, suggests there could be a referendum on retaining the monarchy as the head of state if Scots vote for independence in September this year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Telegraph
The Queen may not be head of state of an independent Scotland, according to a senior SNP minister who has raised the prospect of a referendum on retaining the monarchy.
Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Minister, said “it will be for the people of Scotland to decide” on the Queen’s role if they vote to leave the United Kingdom in September this year.
His comments undermine Alex Salmond's official policy that the monarchy would automatically be retained, a stance which reflects the popularity of the Queen north of the Border.
However, much of the pro–independence Yes Scotland campaign and many of his Nationalist colleagues at the Scottish Parliament are republicans.
Aileen Campbell, the Scottish Children's Minister, and Fiona Hyslop, the Scottish Culture Minister, have also said it would be "up to the people to decide" whether to keep the Queen if voters back separation next year.
Dennis Canavan, the campaign's chairman, has said Prince George should never be King of Scots. This view is shared by the pro – separation Greens, Scottish Socialists and many SNP members and MSPs.
The Scottish Government today insisted that it has been SNP policy for 50 years to keep the monarchy in an independent Scotland and “Kenny MacAskill backs that policy totally.”
But pro-UK politicians said a referendum on the monarchy represented the Nationalists’ real policy and Mr Salmond would struggle to contain republican views in his ranks after a Yes vote.
Despite the First Minister's claim that the SNP has supported the retention of the monarchy for decades, in 2002 the party published a draft written constitution for a separate Scotland that included a referendum on the issue.
Mr Macaskill, whose most high-profile decision in office was releasing the Lockerbie bomber, made the comments at a public meeting in Midlothian last week.
Asked if Scotland could become a republic, the Sunday Post reported that he said the Scottish Government's official position was that “we will inherit the situation we have with the Queen as head of state in the ceremonial capacity that she has.”
“But it will be for the people of Scotland to decide,” the Scottish Justice Minister continued.
“If and when that would occur, if they wished to have a referendum, and we would hope we would become the government post-2016, it will be for whoever is in office then.”
Mr MacAskill also used the meeting to attack the UK Government’s policies on immigration and Europe, arguing that the Coalition is “begrudging and xenophobic in many ways.”
The Scottish and English crowns were united in 1603 by James VI, who became King James I of England, more than a century before the political union.
Mr Salmond has tried to persuade Scots to back separation by arguing that the Union of the Crowns would be one of five alliances that would survive the break – up of the UK.
In 2007 SNP members endorsed a document that contained a promise the Queen would remain head of state in an independent Scotland but there was no debate or vote specifically on reversing their referendum policy.
Jackson Carlaw, the Scottish Tory deputy leader, said: “You have to wonder whether there is truly anyone in Yes Scotland’s leadership or the SNP, other than the First Minister, who is in tune with the Scottish public’s continuing affection and support for the monarchy.
“There is surely little doubt that whatever promises and assertions are made before the referendum they would count for nothing if Scotland were to be seduced into voting Yes.
“This motley alliance, including Kenny MacAskill, would then be doing all they could to pursue their minority republican views and it would be tiger whose tail even Alex Salmond would struggle to hold.”
Why don't the SNP just come out and declare what they really want which is a People's Socialist Republic of Scotland run by Brussels and headed by President Salmond lording it over in Edinburgh Castle. :P
Quote:
Originally Posted by Telegraph user comment
Well, that's the fifth and last of Wee Eck's 'five unions' down the bog.
1) The EU - not looking good.
2) A currency union - nae chance.
3) Membership of Nato - but everyone else does the defending...
4) Social union with rUK - after calling English people 'a cancer'?
5) The Union of the Crowns - flushed!
Welcome to the independent socialist republic of Scotland, a.k.a. 'Jocky no-mates'.
I really hope this lot lose, and lose badly, come the referendum in September of this year.
Thoughts? Anybody living in Scotland want to weigh in?
