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The Scottish Government has just started a new consultation about stopping the use of cages for hens that lay eggs. However, UK Secretary of State for Agriculture, Mark Spencer MP, would be set to make another controversial power grab from Holyrood to stop the animal welfare measure becoming law.
Scot Gov’s favourite idea is to ban new cages from being put in from 2023, and then completely stop birds from being kept in enriched cages from 2034. The consultation also asks for opinions on banning the use of enriched cages from 2030, as well as a non-regulatory option, which would see shops and caterers commit to stop selling and using eggs from birds kept in enriched cages by 2034.
It is expected that the UK Government will, as usual, not make any submissions to the consultation. Nonetheless, if measures were passed in the Scottish Parliament there would be an ambush of a bill at this stage.
The UK Government did this most recently by not permitting an exemption from the UK Internal Market Act rules for a widely supported ban on the sale of cruel glue traps. The same Act they used to not allow the Deposit Return Scheme to go forward.
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Former First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Alba Party, Alex Salmond, has indicated that he would accept a peerage and take his seat in the House of Lords at Westminster.
Senior Scottish Peers Baron Jack McConnell of Glenscorrodale and Baron Jim Wallace of Tankerness, formerly Scotland’s First Minister and Deputy First Minister respectively, are in the process of nominating Salmond to join them in the Upper House.
It is thought that he will take the title ‘Baron Salmond of Linlithgow’, which is his birthplace, rather than any of the areas he represented as an MP or MSP. Currently it is not clear when his ennoblement might take place. However, his name would be in Dissolution of Parliament Honours list, shortly before the next General Election, at the latest.
Kenny MacAskill MP, one of the two Alba defectors in the House of Commons, has welcomed the move as his party would then have representation at every level of Government in Scotland. Albeit that they could all occupy the proverbial black cab, once a joke aimed at the Liberal Party’s small number of MPs at Westminster in the early 1970s.
An SNP spokesperson was asked about Salmond’s appointment and their only response was “Happy Huntigowk Day !” Similar answers came from Nicola Sturgeon’s Govanhill office and Bute House on behalf of the current First Minister Humza Yousaf.
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Scotland faces a critical choice between remaining tied to the UK’s struggling economy or pursuing prosperity as an independent nation. Small European countries similar to Scotland are thriving economically, highlighting the potential benefits of independence. Under devolution, Scotland has enacted progressive policies, outperforming the UK in GDP growth, productivity, and social welfare.
Right now, Scotland is standing at a crossroads, facing a future tethered to the UK’s economic misadventures or charting its own path towards prosperity akin to that of similarly sized independent European countries. A look around reveals a startling reality. Nations of Scotland’s size are thriving, making a mockery of the economic turmoil gripping larger entities like the UK.
Recent revelations have shed light on the economic superiority of smaller, advanced European nations over the UK, casting a shadow over Scotland’s ties to its larger neighbor. Countries such as the Scandinavian nations, Ireland, and Austria boast not only a higher GDP per capita but also exhibit a resilience that the UK seems to have lost somewhere along the way. It’s not just about the numbers; it’s about the quality of life, with these nations outperforming the UK in productivity, business investment, and poverty reduction.
Scotland, with its devolved government, has shown that it’s not afraid to go against the grain of Westminster’s conventional wisdom. By introducing progressive tax reforms and educational policies, and by leveraging its limited social security powers to support children and families more effectively than the broader UK welfare system, Scotland has charted a course towards a more inclusive and prosperous society.
Yet, the stark contrast in living standards across the UK, exacerbated by Brexit and other economic missteps, paints a grim picture for Scotland’s future within this Union. The economic stagnation of the UK, referred to as “Rishi’s recession,” further underscores the urgency for Scotland to reconsider its economic alliances. With the UK economy barely limping forward, comparisons with the dynamic economies of independent nations similar in size to Scotland reveal a chasm that is widening with each passing year.
As Scotland reflects on a quarter-century of devolution and a decade since the independence referendum, the question looms larger than ever: To stay or to go? The evidence suggests that the UK’s economic strategies, particularly post-Brexit, are not just failing Scotland but dragging it down. With Westminster locked in a policy paralysis, seemingly incapable of addressing the economic challenges head-on, Scotland’s aspirations for a better future seem increasingly at odds with the trajectory of the UK.
The choice facing Scotland is stark. On one hand, there’s the familiarity of the status quo, with its diminishing returns and growing inequalities. On the other, the allure of independence offers a beacon of hope, promising a future where Scotland can embrace the economic models that have served its European peers so well.
Brexit has only widened the policy chasm between Scotland and the UK, with Scotland’s overwhelming opposition to leaving the EU juxtaposed against the UK’s contentious divorce from the bloc. The migration debate further highlights the divergent paths, as Scotland seeks to welcome more people to counteract its population challenges, in stark contrast to the UK’s tightening immigration policies.
As Scotland ponders its future, the economic narrative unfolding in the UK serves as a cautionary tale. With Britain’s economy stumbling into a shallow recession and showing signs of a sluggish recovery, the prognosis for the UK’s economic health under either Labour or Tory stewardship at Westminster is far from reassuring. Despite optimistic projections for a rebound, the reality remains bleak, with the UK lagging behind its G7 peers in post-pandemic recovery.
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59% YES for Independent Scotland 
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