© Mark Runnacles/Getty Speaking to a tiny audience at the Scottish Conservative Party Conference, the PM made it clear that Scotland, unlike others, will get nothing, may even lose something, from Brexit and that if it doesn’t like it then it should have the guts to go for independence. Most insulting of all, she’s sure we don’t have the guts to do so.
The Scottish Government has long since submitted an options paper for keeping Scotland in the single market. May has treated it with contempt despite clearly having no serious plan herself, leading a divided party and responsible for a government which cannot manage its NHS or social services in a manner remotely comparable to the competence of the Scottish Government.
Here are May’s real priorities:
The City of London
This is number one on the list. Panicked by losing banks to Europe, May will offer to pay huge funds into the EU to allow the London-based banks to carry on as before dealing in Europe without any financial or other constraints.
Reversing Devolution
The Tories in England have never liked devolution. We saw the mask drop after the Independence Referendum in 2014 when all the pleas for Scotland to stay were forgotten as they desperately sought to fight off UKIP with English Votes for English Laws or as it really was, English Laws for English Votes. The first sign of Brexit leading to less autonomy for Scotland can already be seen in the strong signs that the Tories want to claw-back control of farming subsidies to Westminster. Second it seems very likely that they will betray the Scottish fishing industry and use it as a ‘bargaining chip’. More detail on this below.
Car Manufacturing in England
It seems almost certain that Nissan has been offered some deal whereby in can still profitably sell cars to the EU. Whether the EU agrees to some kind of tariff op-out for them or the UK compensates them in some way, this will inevitably trigger a queue of other businesses looking for the same. Scottish businesses need not apply.
Gibraltar
Tiny Gibraltar (30 000 and 1 in 2012) will matter more than Scotland as May does a deal with the Spanish government to keep freedom of movement for which 96% of them voted. The Spanish want joint sovereignty. Let’s see how far she will go on this while still threatening Scotland with a hard border and punishing trade deals if we choose independence.
Ireland
As with Gibraltar, both parts of Ireland desperately want to hang on to the soft border for economic reasons and to prevent any return to the horrors of the past. Westminster equally wants the same thing yet, as above, will not offer a devolved Scotland the same to allow it to protect or boost its economy with a different deal on freedom of movement and thus trade with the EU.
Here’s more on a possible deal on fishing. Fishing only accounts for 0.5% of UK GDP. Scottish landings at 62% of the total, worth £775 000, are twice that of England. The fishing industry has been told Brexit will be good for them. They were encouraged to vote for it but they have been betrayed before, in 1972, when access to the EEC allowed massive access to formerly Scottish waters by boats from European ports. This story is all over the media.
Regarding a devolution reversing power grab for farm subsidies and other agricultural matters, Ruth Davidson has already said that some powers over agriculture would be better set at a UK level.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/scots-feel-betrayed-after-brexit-9863357
So, the PM seems sure she can do as she likes with Scotland because the polls say we are afraid to leave. Remember, however, she and most commentators are relying on the landline telephone-call, data collection polls which suggest little growth in the Yes vote but these are unreliable as they were for Brexit. The recent BMG online poll made it 49% for Yes. That look s like she doesn’t really know how strong her hand is. I’ve explained before why online polls are more accurate at:
And, we haven’t even started campaigning yet.
Talking-up Scotland 
See this too: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/25-theresa-may-attacks-on-scottish-independence-that-could-just-as-easily-be-about-brexit-a7610051.html
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“Most insulting of all, she’s sure we don’t have the guts to do so”
I think she does know we have the guts for it. In fact I believe she is banking on it, because in reality she currently knows she has no mandate to remove Scotland from the EU. However with a ‘Dark Forces’ No vote, she will have her mandate.
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I so hope you’re right. Come on! Come on!
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I’m going to put Theresa May into all my headlines from now on. Certainly boosts the readership. Theresa May says West Highland Terriers are smelly!
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5 000! Some are lucky to get 200
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After owning a westie for 13 years that’s the only true thing Theresa May has ever said
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Had one myself. Bad-tempered wee bugger. Kept attacking bigger dugs
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yes smelly .jus like the tory party.Theresa May. every one should remember the name as the thickest and most stupid PM in history.
The woman is that stupid everyone with an ounce of sense knows what she is going to do next.
She has the gall to challenge Scottish people to go for a referendum. and if they do she said we will be hit with a hard border. and she thinks we don’t have the guts. to do it. Just proves how disillusioned she is. That fool has a serious mental health problem. and should be in a mental home . If she thinks we wont go for independence because she will put up a hard border. she had better think again. as that was the idea a lot of Scottish people have.
To be honest England could not survive without Scotland. They would not be able to trade with Scotland that would be a big issue.for them not us. The Irish people could not come through Scotland to get to England or the Tunnel. If they make a deal and stay in the union with england. and the same vice versa. So it is not going to be a problem for companies in Scotland. We will be able to use our own pound. we won’t need the english pound. When that happens the english economy will crumble even further than it has at the moment. within a year. She is trying to buy a deal from the EU. possibly at the expense of the Scottish.people. but that wont come off either. She is planning to use the Scottish fishing and farming. and to pay large payments to the EU. No matter what she does. it will be detrimental to the english people.She has also told Nissan, she will be in a position to sell Nissan cars through the single market. that is dangling a carrot in front of a dead donkey. As the Japanese have just made their own arrangement to ship and sell their cars through the EU .She thinks she can clutch at straws and they are going to have a deal attached . no Theresa May is only dreaming before she gets a deal from the EU. she will need to accept the 3 conditions.the other 27 countries have to accept. Freedom of movement. Brexiteers are not going to like that. and The hard border that could spring up in Ireland they don’t want that. and last but not least. a big payment to the EU. and brexiteers wont like that. she is shooting herself in the foot.
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Just found your blog through a comment on WoS John. Excellent initiative on bringing the positivity of Scotland to the fore!
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Thanks. Support much appreciated.
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I am sharing your blog John , hope that is ok .
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make “hard copies” of this story and post it on EVERY single lamp-post that leads to a polling station in June……..,Share the hell out of it,or will the tories get to Google again and have it withdrawn since it’s the TRUTH?????
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I’d like to. Feel free
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