Skip to main content

Proceeding contribution from Anne Begg (Labour) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 2 April 2008. It occurred during Adjournment debate on Scotland Act 1998.


Scotland Act 1998

Unlike the hon. Gentleman, I was involved in a lot of the discussion leading up to the Act. I campaigned on it for most of my political career; it is what brought me into politics. Ironically, the reason why I ended up joining the Labour party in 1983 was that I went along to SNP hustings meetings and discovered that I could not vote SNP even to get rid of the Tories—I apologise to the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Wallace)—although I believed in Scottish self-determination. Why not? Because I did not agree with the SNP's hard-line, single and one-dimensional view of Scotland. That is when I joined the Labour party and became involved in the debate. Unlike some Members, I was there. The Labour party and I were part of it, and we think that we created something to be proud of. It is up for review. We have not even started the process yet, but that is where he wants the decision to be made— [Interruption.] He has his mind made up before we have started any conversation. That is what makes a conversation one-way.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
474 c280WH 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
Westminster Hall
Subjects
Devolution Referendums Scotland Nationalism
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk