Orders of the Day — Prime Minister (Salary)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 4 July 1977.

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Photo of Mr Alexander Fletcher Mr Alexander Fletcher , Edinburgh North 12:00, 4 July 1977

If the right hon. Member was interested in talking about subjects that concern the people of Scotland, he would have mentioned law and order, because that is one subject in which they are most interested.

If subjects like housing and education have been neglected, as the nationalists claim, and if there has been betrayal, this betrayal has taken place in Scotland. It has been betrayal by Scots. That is not unusual, as anyone who has studied Scottish history will know. But it is not something for which the right hon. Member can blame the English.

The right hon. Member also mentioned the latest estimates for figures of the balance of trade with England. These prove once again that England is by far Scotland's biggest and most important customer. Yet the Scottish National Party would withdraw Scottish representation from this House. The hon. Member for Argyll (Mr. MacCormick) was very keen on "complicity" and suggested that this was a weapon in the armoury of other parties but one that was not used by the SNP. He did not attempt to explain why the SNP runs away from any comparison with the Irish Republic. He made constant references to Scandinavian countries and other small countries in Europe, but not to the closest and most realistic example of "independence" that has ever taken place within the context of the United Kingdom. I can only assume that the facts are much too embarrassing for the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues.