What do people in the UK generally, think of the Scottish Parliament ?

Question

I am interested in general perceptions of the institution of the Scottish Parliament - from Scotland and beyond ? Is it useful or has it created divisions ? What do you think of its operation so far and what should it do in the future. How does it affect the UK generally.

All opinions welcome - do your worst!

Answer 1

I agree totally with Morgy. It's a totally unnecessary talking shop and just an extra layer of bureaucracy set up at an enormously ridiculous expense. It also shows its bias towards the West of Scotland where most of the Labour Party support lies.
With a form of Proportional Representation due to be introduced in the May election it will be interesting to see if anything changes.
Tam Dalyell was right......we shouldn't be voting on English matters at Westminster.......we should ALL come under the BRITISH Parliament

Answer 2

The impression I get is that the areas in which Scottish Parliament has independence are doing better than when they were controlled from London. Education is a prime example, previously it was 'average' - just like the rest of the UK but now it's amongst the best in the world (1st, 6th, 2nd best for Primary, Secondary, University respectively).

It probably has created some divisions but this isn't necessarily a bad thing as it doesn't seem to have had any detrimental effect. I think the divisions are more cultural, social and political than anything else.

Answer 3

I'm no fan of additional layers of government - a waste of taxpayers money. What, weren't Scotland's MPs in Wesminster good enough? Did they not represent their consituents?

Personally, I would like to see Scotland become fully independent, as the majority of the Scottish population seems to want. Let them be fiscally responsible for themselves. Senior Scottish (not English) economists predict that, at least in the short-term, an independent Scotland will run an £11 billion a year deficit and will have to cut services, raise taxes and borrow to make up the shortfall. And it will probably get worse, because the reduced services and higher taxes will cause a Scottish "brain drain" where the people who actually work for a living will want to leave, reducing tax takes further.

Nothing against Scotland or the Scots, I really like you guys and your region. But good luck and good riddance.

PS: I wish you success, but have seen too many other small countries which devolve then become independent piss and moan afterwards about how much better things were when they were part of a larger concern. Whatever you do, do it with your eyes wide open, look at the facts and not the SNP's propaganda.

Answer 4

It is great for the Scots to have their Parliament and good luck to them. Unfortunately the Scots are also in Westminster so they have two voices in the say of running the UK. Gordon Brown should not be in Westminster as he represents a Scottish area. If the Welsh, Scot sand Northern Irish want their own parliament then we should have an English one. No body seems to have ever mentioned this point.

Answer 5

i'm happy you presented that up..... i'm English and may prefer to ask.... Why do i'm getting the type of not uncomplicated time up right here i'm 14 and characteristic had to motel to abode practise to get faraway from scottish bullies!!!!!! All you Scottish hate me because im english so its not too not uncomplicated to artwork out is it??? I surely have MET some quite efficient SCOTTISH human beings, I surely have not something adversarial to THE SCOTTISH.

Answer 6

They're doing a good job.

What I want to know is why England does not have it's own parliament and why the English were not given the opportunity to vote on Scottish devolution and their own devolution.

Answer 7

I can't honestly say I have given it any thought. I live in southern England so as you can imagine, it has absolutely no effect on my life.

There is a sense here though that this relatively small number of people, by this I mean the Scots, seem to make a lot of noise about their own importance when they aren't anymore important to us than Iranians or Filipinos!

I never think of myself as anything other than English anyway. I have never described myself as British even though that is what I am called in America. Scottish independence means nothing to me, but if the Isle of Wight wanted it...that would be different!!!!!!!

Answer 8

I'm a Scot and I think it's a grotesque waste of money, both the building and the parliament it houses.

We were already vastly over represented in Westminster, so why on earth did we need yet another layer of Government?

Answer 9

Little knowledge of it's achievements: However {on the surface} it seems that it's members have a greater committment to their constituents than those at Westminster.

Answer 10

well the scottish parliment seems to have better policys the england in some angles
if it weren't for the fact it's colder up there i'd move there