Letters / Emma makes the case for independence
Emma Macdonald, the SIC’s “apolitical” Lib Dem leader, has been saying for a while now that Shetland needs to have “more autonomy” but she describes her discussions last week with First Minister John Swinney as “based on fairness and equality” rather than “being focused on autonomy”.
Fair enough; she doesn’t want more local self-government if the money isn’t there to pay for it. Who does?
SIC leader says ‘fairness rather than autonomy’ discussed with Scottish Government
But Mr Swinney did not refuse to fund responsibilities that might be devolved to Shetland. On the contrary, he said he’s in favour of as much devolution as possible to local authorities.
So, he’ll consider our council’s concrete proposals and see what can be done within the powers available to him. However, he also said, at the public meeting in Lerwick on Wednesday evening, that our council has not yet presented him with “a shopping list”. Perhaps it’s time the SIC did that.
Emma Macdonald may not realise it, but she’s just made an unanswerable case for Scottish independence, a cause she used to support.
The central problem in Scotland today is that our elected government in Edinburgh does not have access to or control over all the public revenues raised in Scotland. Until it does, there will never be enough money available to pay for all the things councils and citizens want to have, in Shetland or anywhere else.
That’s why Mr. Swinney cannot sign promissory notes for tunnels, ferries and other desirable projects on his visits to Shetland and other island groups.
Within the cash limits set by the English-majority Westminster Parliament, the Scottish Government is meanwhile subsidising the admittedly overstretched NorthLink ferry service with unprecedented funding and providing money to help build hundreds of new homes here – and to repair our hospital pending a local decision on whether a new one is built and, if so, where.
That’s in addition to free NHS prescriptions, child welfare payments and pre-school education, not to mention abolishing tuition fees for our students.
No, it’s not enough. Yes, no government is perfect. But let’s give Mr. Swinney credit for coming here to listen and for doing his best within a budget constrained by forces outwith his control.
Fiona Morton Cluness
Garderhouse
