Scottish plan land grab at Berwick.

And who will speak up for England's interests when the Scottish parliament votes to take over bits of England? Hmm, why our Scottish Prime Minister of course! or maybe our Scottish Chancellor!

The article is not online but the text from the Sunday Post is here:


Scots plan to capture20 miles of England
By Campbell Gunn
A politician has called for the Scottish border to be moved 20 miles south.Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis says current calls for Berwick to be transferred back to Scotland are not ambitious enough.

He wants to see the border moved 20 miles to take in a large area of Northumberland.Mr Purvis claims it could be done quite simply, with two statutory instruments, one each at Holyrood and Westminster.
One is already going through Westminster as the Government is set to abolish Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council.
So a simple order at Holyrood could see a massive land grab by Scotland go ahead.The move comes as a television poll for ITV's Tonight programme, carried out in Berwick, is expected to show a majority in the town in favour of a shift to Scotland.
Strong feeling
"There's a strong feeling that Berwick should be in Scotland" said Mr Purvis, who was born in the town. "Until recently, I had a gran in Berwick and another in Kelso, and they could see that there were better public services in Scotland."Mr Purvis continued, "Berwick as a borough council is going to be abolished and it would then be run from Morpeth, more than 30 miles away." All that would be required would be two statutory instruments, and one of them is already going through the House of Commons." "So it would only need a statutory instrument at Holyrood and then all that would be required would be an adjustment of the Borders Council area to take in part of England." "Scotland would then go down almost as far as Alnwick, as the Berwick Borough Council area extends 20 miles south into England.

Well, the benefits of devolution for Scotland are clear - when will England get a voice?

Stephen