Do we really need seperate Scots & Welsh assemblies?

[amsterdammer]

A Scottish Parliament was created by a referendum in which only a small proportion of the electorate bothered to vote, likewise a Welsh Parliament. We have elected MPs sitting in Westminster from Scotland & Wales, what is the point of it all? This is a relatively small country in area & population, & to have 3 seperate Parliaments seems ludicrous.It would appear that the odious Alex Salmon wants independance on his termsonly, would It not be better to give them both economic independance now that the coalfields & oilfields are virtually depleted? All Scots & Welsh resident in England would then have the choice of applying for ENGLISH ciizenship or returning to their land of birth.

[ermintrude35]

....yeah !what a fab idea, would all the English people in Wales then have to apply for WELSH citizenship,and learn the language? or return to the land of their birth....

[ermintrude35]

....80% of the population of where I live are Welsh speaking and speak it on a day to day basis...NOT to freak out the paranoid English.... it's true it is a dyING language...but it certainly isn't dead yet, if not for the want of trying by some.....

[ermintrude35]

raggy roman , where I live the large influx of people who own second homes are killing the comunity, these houses stand empty for most of the year, houses are all around the �400, 000 plus mark , young families have to move awayto the cities, , the primary schools are empty...but I guess that is another topic alltogether.... besides it's a pipe dream, everyone living in their own country will never happen,

[paulos66]

When did the Welsh stop burning the holiday cottages then?

[Hellyon]

I can understand why wales and scotland want a separate parliment as london seems to have no idea what goes on in the real world outside the London borders. Having said that I feel the same way and I only live 70 miles from London on the South Coast!

[amsterdammer]

Have visited Wales many times. A damp, bleak place, seemingly full of dull people, livethere,? I think not, at least not from choice!
RAGGY ROMAN Charge the english for the water, then we can stop all the subsidies that keep you going, & im sure we can exist without leeks & daffodils. As for silly accents, coming from I presume a Welsh person, thats rich.

[amsterdammer]

Had to visit the damn place! Was a sales executive based in Bristol, & it was , alas part of my territory! Would not have gone from choice, & have Im glad to say not gone back since.The word Thought coming from a Welshman seems rather alien!

[ermintrude35]

yes it's so awful, thats why no one comes here... http://www.bodowenholidaycottage.co.uk/Abersoc hSummer.JPG

http://www.tanyfron-abersoch.co.uk/images/1804 06.jpg

http://www.gigwise.com/artists/00011155_wakest ock.jpg

[New Judge]

I should like to just move away from knocking our Welsh friends for a moment and get back to the original question.

The idea of devolved assemblies for Wales and Scotland (as well as Northern Ireland) was first considered when the government was told that the United Kingdom needs to be split into thirteen �regions� to fit into the EU master plan. The EU oligarchy prefers to deal with small regions that have little or no political clout that can be easily browbeaten into submission. The UK has been divided into these regions (unbeknown to some) for many years. Wales forms one region, Scotland two and Northern Ireland one more.

It was easy to sell the idea of regionalisation to the people of these three countries under the guise of �devolved government�. London (which forms another �region�) was sold the idea under the pretence of providing the opportunity to elect a mayor. The mayor, of course, needed a few staff, and this has grown into the London (for which read �regional�) assembly which now consumes about 25% of the revenue raised from London council taxpayers.

Unfortunately this scheme came to a juddering halt in 2004 when the good people of the North East �region� were given the chance by John Prescott to say whether they would like an elected Regional Assembly. There was not, of course, the carrot of �devolved government� or an elected mayor to be waved under their noses and they had the sagacity to turn the offer down (by more than 3 to 1). The question has not been asked of them or any other area since.

Nonetheless, in true EU style the regionalisation of the UK continues apace. Each of the remaining eight �regions� does indeed have an assembly (albeit unelected) and these each have their own websites and have powers over a number of matters including strategic planning. And each, of course, has its own budget.

[amsterdammer]

RAGGED ROMAN. Oh dear what a sad life you must lead there in the Principality! See you were on the computer at 8am & presumably still there at 10.30am.Beautiful day here on the edge of Dartmoor, out with the labrador at 8.30am for a brisk hours walk, took the gun, but nothing to shoot! Then on to the golf course for 18 holes, followed by a light lunch at the Clubhouse, very bracing Had a quick nap, checked my E-mails(hence this brief reply), now off to mow the lawn, sit down mower thank god! PS You could not lead my lifestyle on a pension from Avon!