Re the Scottish question, I think if I was PM i would:
1 - acknowledge that Scotland's voice is, and must be, heard, and if there is a desire for another indyref, then that cannot be denied by Westminster. Acknowledge there may well therefore be a referendum in the next 4 years, if and when Holyrood ever asks for it, but that is a constitutional matter reserved to Westminster as approved in a devolution settlement put to Scottish voters in 1998 and approved by a massive X v Y majority - but...
2 - say that we cannot however have a situation where we have a neverendum or that if there is ever a pro-indy majority in Holyrood, we have to go through the whole divisive and grossly expensive process of legislating for and holding another vote - taking hundreds of millions of £s away from public services and economic investment by the public and private sectors
3 - say that therefore very keen to discuss with the FM, and between civil servants, how we can set the ground rules for any vote in the short or medium term and what might need to change if there is ever to be a vote on the issue after that - and that once this is established, and assuming the Scottish Parliament keeps its side of the bargain, the Scotland Act will be changed so that the holding of a future vote will be reserved to Holyrood (only subject to challenge if the terms are broken)
4 - the ground rules for me (when dialogue eventually takes place with the FM) would be that the Scottish Parliament doesn't get to rig the question, and that if put to the voters in this Holyrood term, the only question Westminster will agree to is "Should Scotland remain in the UK or leave?" - acknowledging Westminster made a big mistake allowing Salmond to run the show last time and fix his loaded pro-indy question - and that there will be an independent commission set up, now, to take evidence from all concerned (including the EU) about the likely real practical outcome of Scotland ever leaving, so that voters can be properly informed of what issues a secession deal might have to deal with and not be fed 300 pages of guff in a pro-indy govt "White Paper" again
No way on god's earth will NS or the SNP generally agree to a 2nd vote with that question on the ballot. So indyref2 never happens. But I don't think Boris appears at all unreasonable making the points at 1-4 above. Agree in principle, push back on the terms the SNP want. Fight that battle in the public domain. Stand up for Union and stand up to the SNP, but not deny the principle - "of course Scottish voters should have their say"....
If she does agree to that question, then good. Even a number of "independence" supporters don't seem to want to lose many of the things they are rather fond of (eg, UK paying the bill, free internal travel within GB and no border, the BBC etc), so a proper question should focus minds. "Remain" would win comfortably.
5 - set up the independent commission anyway, and do it now
Any thoughts?
The question last time was approved by the EC and tested.
The question was amended by the EC last time removing the SNP's prejudicial "Do you agree"
Subsequently they did further research ahead of the Brexit referendum - which is why we got "Remain/Leave" not "Yes/No".
Leave won that one - what's not to like?
When there is a new indyref - around 2030? - the UK government must play harder. Why not extend the franchise to Scots-born people living in rUK, for instance? I never understood why they were excluded from the last one (except that it probably helped YES)
I think we can say that £12k if it was that doesn't get you the best that Mustique can offer...
Yup, I'm looking at going to Mustique now.
I've decided that with no foreign holidays for me in 2020 and 2021 I need to go somewhere new in 2022 (plague permitting off course.)
It's not great, full of security staff and short on bars and restaurants and such. There's better places in the Grenadines.
Hmm I disagree. Yes not many bars and restaurants but surely you don't want that if you are going there.
Not if you are on the villa dinner party circuit. I've only visited off a (not super) yacht for a couple of nights.
Yes absolutely. But that is inter-villa. The Island is not a very "buzzy" place generally, including Basil's. There's just not much there for someone who likes "bars and restaurants".
Presumably the bars and restaurants are for the benefit of people who arrive on public transport.
I think what must be hurting Boris the most is that he's clearly a bit of a pauper. Can't pay for a flat refurbishment, needs to rely on friends to pay for his holidays. It's now been made very public that he's not even nuveau rich.
Apparently one of the things that winds him up is Dave and George's wealth.
The Camerons spent a lot of their own money to improve the flat.
Also the fact the Marina Wheeler took him to the cleaners in the divorce and will also take a huge portion of his future income.
He's going to be a pauper for a long time after he leaves Downing Street.
No he won’t. He’ll make £10m from the memoirs alone. Millions more for ‘life rights’. Huge sums as a speaker. He has one of the most interesting political stories to tell - in the world. The most interesting from a British PM since Churchill.
I don’t care how grievous his divorce settlement is, he’s gonna be worth 10-20m and he’ll be super rich. Just not yet
Are you his agent?..or Carrie in real life?
I don't think so. Blair and Thatcher were well liked in the USA, where the money is really made. As it is Johnson isn't much noticed in The USA and isn't close to the current President.
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