Tory peer says England should retain Rockall if Scotland opts for independence
Scotland should be forced to hand the ocean outcrop of Rockall over to England if it votes for independence, according to Tory peer Lord Caithness.
- By David Clegg, political editor
- Published in the Courier : 25.01.12
- Published online : 25.01.12 @ 01.43pm
The United Kingdom formally annexed the rock, west of the Hebrides, to secure claims to untapped oil and gas reserves. But the Earl of Caithness says Scotland should not be allowed to keep the island — and he wants an opt-out clause for oil-rich Orkney and Shetland in the independence vote.
Lord Caithness has made his claim in amendments to the Scotland Bill, which is going through Westminster and gives new tax powers to Holyrood.
And the earl said a ''yes'' vote in a Scottish referendum should be followed by a referendum held throughout the entire UK.
In his amendment he said: ''A vote in a referendum which results in Scotland leaving the United Kingdom shall not be binding on the residents of the Orkney Islands or the Shetland Islands unless a majority of the residents of the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands who voted in such a referendum voted that Scotland should leave the United Kingdom.''
Orkney MSP Liam MacArthur said the intervention was ''unhelpful''.
SNP MSP Rob Gibson said: ''The days of earls and lords telling the Highlands and Islands how it's going to be are well and truly over.''
Photo © Andy Strangeway and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
06.12pm - 25.01.2012 R.Brown. - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Here it comes....the typical Tory's You can have your independance and we'll have your assets, Any wonder we don't trust them!! We learned our lesson after the Pole Tax. They've been asset stripping Scotland for years.
07.00pm - 25.01.2012 Angus - Montrose, Angus, Scotland Report This
If the English want to keep Rockall (for whatever reason?) then Scotland can keep the Silly Isles. Why do the unionists persist in these childish ideas?
10.21pm - 25.01.2012 Michael Ferland - Ipswich, England Report This
Please can someone ask the English Taxpayers if we want Scotland in the union?
07.40am - 26.01.2012 Jeremy A. - Border Country, Scotland Report This
I did wonder why Richard Lochhead made such a party out of claiming Rockall for Scotland: its oil deposits. The SNP can at least claim to be consistent. In their dividing up mentality, they want all the things that make money (oil), but not he things that leak money (RBS, BoS debt).
10.28am - 26.01.2012 Thormod Morrisson - Edinburgh, United Kingdom Report This
Rockall is in Scottish territory, so what this fellow says is wrong and would be theft. This individual has no concern over Orkney and Shetland other than trying to secure its resources. You notice that, despite supposedly being Earl of Caithness, he makes his claim on behalf of England.
08.06pm - 26.01.2012 Thormod Morrisson - Edinburgh, United Kingdom Report This
Jeremy, 'Lord' Caithness wants Rockall for England, so what's the difference? Also, in any progressive situation a country makes the best of its resources, but according to you that is somehow wrong when the SNP do it. And why should we accept the debt of RBS and BoS? It wasn't us that caused it.
04.11pm - 27.01.2012 Stuart Allan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Jeremy; I think you'll find the SNP want ALL of Scotland to be independent and governed from Holyrood. Whether it be the "lucrative" Northern Isles or "deprived" areas such as Glasgow's East End. It is unionists such as the Earl here who are busy trying to "carpet bag" Scotland's wealth.
09.55pm - 30.01.2012 JP Cameron - Canterbury, England Report This
The vast majority of English folk would be perfectly content to see an independent Scotland and go on to add that it wouldn't change things very much - the bonds between the Scots and the English would remain as strong as ever - perhaps grown even strong as mutual respect grows.
05.36pm - 03.02.2012 Richard - Hereford, marchers Report This
Cameron from Canterbury says it well....nothing much changes except the british isles will become a bit more democratic and hopefully a little less unequal and corrupt...altohugh Wales will be screwed being part of the union..but then nothing changes there
12.41pm - 22.02.2012 Chris - Chester, England Report This
POLL TAX!! That was Malcom Rifkind Scottish Cabinet Minister for Margaret Thatcher. That told her to introduce it .. she only inforced it!! Scotland get your facts right!!
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