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| Whether Scotland votes yes or no, London wins | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| With two months to go before the Scottish independence referendum, the implications of its outcome for that other part-autonomous piece of the United Kingdom, the "city-state" of London as it is sometimes called, are now being discussed. That isn't quite the same thing as a debate. Politicians from all three main Westminster parties are officially united against a Scottish split. None have yet advanced the view that whatever the result on September 18, London will win. | With two months to go before the Scottish independence referendum, the implications of its outcome for that other part-autonomous piece of the United Kingdom, the "city-state" of London as it is sometimes called, are now being discussed. That isn't quite the same thing as a debate. Politicians from all three main Westminster parties are officially united against a Scottish split. None have yet advanced the view that whatever the result on September 18, London will win. |
| Scottish Labour MP and former chancellor Alistair Darling made the "better together" case in the London context last week, writing that Scots have "a long and proud history" in the capital and that "strong links with London are vital for jobs in Scotland", especially in financial services. His argument did not address the case that London might benefit from Scotland no longer being one of the many parts of the UK to which its formidable tax yield is exported. Or, indeed, that in today's transnational world any barriers created by Scottish separation wouldn't make much difference anyway. Conservative "no" voices have been less strident, perhaps for not very mysterious reasons but none, including Boris Johnson, are breaking rank. | Scottish Labour MP and former chancellor Alistair Darling made the "better together" case in the London context last week, writing that Scots have "a long and proud history" in the capital and that "strong links with London are vital for jobs in Scotland", especially in financial services. His argument did not address the case that London might benefit from Scotland no longer being one of the many parts of the UK to which its formidable tax yield is exported. Or, indeed, that in today's transnational world any barriers created by Scottish separation wouldn't make much difference anyway. Conservative "no" voices have been less strident, perhaps for not very mysterious reasons but none, including Boris Johnson, are breaking rank. |
| The issues got a proper airing yesterday on the London section of the Sunday Politics (watch from 47 minutes). Two London MPs, Emily Thornberry (Labour) and Mary MacLeod (Conservative and of Scottish parentage), offered versions of the "better together" refrain while Pat Kane from Yes Scotland said that he loves London, though if a few imprudent banks deserted Edinburgh for the Square Mile it might be no bad thing. Other interesting points were raised. Might a Labour-leaning, broadly pro-EU London find itself at odds with a Tory-flavoured England and a UK that might, given the chance, opt out of Europe completely? If so, what could the consequences be? | The issues got a proper airing yesterday on the London section of the Sunday Politics (watch from 47 minutes). Two London MPs, Emily Thornberry (Labour) and Mary MacLeod (Conservative and of Scottish parentage), offered versions of the "better together" refrain while Pat Kane from Yes Scotland said that he loves London, though if a few imprudent banks deserted Edinburgh for the Square Mile it might be no bad thing. Other interesting points were raised. Might a Labour-leaning, broadly pro-EU London find itself at odds with a Tory-flavoured England and a UK that might, given the chance, opt out of Europe completely? If so, what could the consequences be? |
| But what's already happening is that the self-government momentum is still mostly in one direction, notwithstanding the government's recent rejection of a local government committee report recommending more fiscal devolution to English cities . While opposing Scottish independence all three main Westminster parties talk of more powers being handed to Scotland should it do the same, and this is bound to be seized on by those campaigning for London to become more self-sufficient too. John Dickie of the business lobby group London First said that in terms of population and economic heft, the capital is at least as big as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put together. Isn't it a bit odd that London and, for that matter, other big English cities and surrounding regions, don't enjoy greater control over their own affairs? | But what's already happening is that the self-government momentum is still mostly in one direction, notwithstanding the government's recent rejection of a local government committee report recommending more fiscal devolution to English cities . While opposing Scottish independence all three main Westminster parties talk of more powers being handed to Scotland should it do the same, and this is bound to be seized on by those campaigning for London to become more self-sufficient too. John Dickie of the business lobby group London First said that in terms of population and economic heft, the capital is at least as big as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put together. Isn't it a bit odd that London and, for that matter, other big English cities and surrounding regions, don't enjoy greater control over their own affairs? |
| In London, the political consensus favouring this is strong. There's been general approval for the report of the London Finance Commission, established by Johnson, which called for the capital to keep more of the taxes raised there and to have more say in how they are spent. Johnson has been making this case since before his 2012 re-election and would also like a greater mayoral say over education. A reform package from Labour, which set up the mayoralty, is said to be in the pipeline. | In London, the political consensus favouring this is strong. There's been general approval for the report of the London Finance Commission, established by Johnson, which called for the capital to keep more of the taxes raised there and to have more say in how they are spent. Johnson has been making this case since before his 2012 re-election and would also like a greater mayoral say over education. A reform package from Labour, which set up the mayoralty, is said to be in the pipeline. |
| And what if Scotland says "yes" in September? Champions of indepedence aspire to Scotland speaking with its own voice to build a greener, fairer and more prosperous society. The nation of Scotland and the city of London are already very different places, but that needn't rule out having common goals. They might even catch on. | And what if Scotland says "yes" in September? Champions of indepedence aspire to Scotland speaking with its own voice to build a greener, fairer and more prosperous society. The nation of Scotland and the city of London are already very different places, but that needn't rule out having common goals. They might even catch on. |