---

Scotland and the Union

My hon. Friend is correct. It is strange that nationalist policies on transport have changed since the donation from Mr. Souter, raising the question of cash for policies. On council tax, it is a rather strange, tooth-fairy world in nationalist politics. The idea that one can pay nothing and get the same public services is just untrue, as the figures confirm. On the potential conflict, the SNP has made it clear that it will table a motion for an independence referendum in the first 100 days. By stating that a referendum on independence would happen in 2010, it is attempting to convince the Scottish people that they can defer the constitutional question for four years, but the SNP strategy for tax and turmoil would leave Scotland facing instability and uncertainty from day one. From day one, the SNP intends actively to seek out and create conflict with Westminster. The SNP has made it clear that it seeks power in the Scottish Parliament for one purpose only—to take Scotland to the brink of independence and beyond. It will pick fights to use the Scottish Parliament as a battering ram to bring about dispute and discord. Within 100 days, the SNP would introduce an independence Bill. It would tear up the Treasury rule and discipline that have brought economic stability to Scotland, re-create the battles of the 1970s for oil and gas and use every issue from gun laws to Olympic athletes to create tension between the north and the south. The SNP sees every fight within the UK Government as a way of building the case for independence. One SNP insider pointed out last month that the election will give the incoming Government a mandate to open talks with Downing street, saying, ““If we don’t get what we want, what better case could there be for independence?”” Within 100 days, the SNP will begin squabbling with London over who owns the oil and gas in the North sea. Taking a step back in time, it wants to re-create the arguments of the 1970s. It is time that the SNP understood that Scotland has moved on.