Murdo Fraser MSP is proposing a federal form of government for the British Isles (How we could make a federal UK work, Comment, June 29).
It is rather ironic that at the same time, his fellow Conservative colleague, David Davies MP, is arguing the opposite for Britain in Europe, claiming that the notion of "subsidiarity" (devolving power to the nations of Europe wherever possible), has been abandoned by the European Union in the drive to set up a new European market-state ("ever-closer union") on federalist lines.
But the federalist solution will not work for either Scotland or Europe. What is needed is not federation but confederation - ie, a free association of independent nation-states operating on free-trade principles, but retaining all essential state powers.
In Britain, confederation would mean the restoration to Scotland of all the powers at present reserved to Westminster, including defence, foreign affairs and the constitution. Scotland would thereby become a nation-state again, within a British confederation if it so chooses, and under the British Crown and within the British Commonwealth if it so chooses. This would be the most likely outcome of a Yes vote in the referendum.
A No vote would not achieve these objectives, even on federalist lines. The parliaments in Edinburgh and London would not be equal under any federalist scheme, as the Imperial Parliament, Westminster, would still rule. This is exactly why so-called Home Rule was rejected by the Irish and why Scotland should reject federalism now on principle, and go for full independence. "Subsidiarity" must imply a Yes vote in the referendum if it means anything.
Randolph Murray
Rannoch
Further to Iain Macwhirter's column, Westminster is the English parliament, as every English person knows (A federal UK? Not a cat's chance in hell, Comment, June 29). OK, it deals with some (crucially important) UK matters, but very much from an English perspective, so it is no surprise that people in Scotland, and probably many also in Wales and Northern lreland, feel that their voices are not heard, their needs not understood, and their interests certainly not given proper priority.
In fact, Westminster is now so London-centric that the rest of England is probably of similar status to the Celtic fringes in their deliberations. But that is a matter for the people of England. We in Scotland have an opportunity in September to make it clear that we wish no longer to be an (awkward) appendage, but to take control of our own destiny.
Les Mackay
Dundee
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