LETTERS Scottish self-interest
Sir: Mr Bruce Anderson once tellingly observed that the government's policy on devolution was, 'Act first; think second — if at all.' It would seem, from The Spectator! Zurich Financial Services lecture ('Bonding over the border', 21 November), that Don- ald Dewar is now approaching the second phase of the policy. The many advantages of the union which he outlines are the advantages to Scotland. The advantages to those of us south of the border are less obvious. As he correctly Points out, the benefit to the English from the Act of Union 1707 was that it shut the back door to the threat of invasion from a succession of absolutist, Catholic, Continen- tal tyrants. Times have changed. Now that the threat to English liberties and the English Parliament comes from Brussels rather than Versailles, the balance of advan- tage is swinging the other way. What would be the position in the EMU referendum, one wonders, if a narrow English rejection was Offset by an enthusiastic acceptance north of the border, such that the sum of the two added up to a narrow acceptance? Let us hope, at least, that the Cabinet will think about this in advance of action.
Mr Dewar and his colleagues must realise that many of us south of the border feel a deep sense of hurt and betrayal that our partners of nearly 300 years now choose to rat on the agreement without even consulting us. He must not be sur- prised at our resentment at their claim to meddle in our affairs, while keeping us out of theirs. As the consequences of his actions become apparent to the wider pub- lic, Mr Dewar must expect increasing num- bers south of the border to ask him and his fellow countrymen to leave our Parliament and take their fingers out of our affairs. The English will also expect that, since by vutue of Scottish control of our Cabinet, the Scots have helped themselves to a dispro- Portionate share of the national cake for Tally years, they will be taking a dispropor- tionate share of the national debt with them. George Gittos
Woodland Place, The Hudnalls, St Briavels, West Glos.
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