Thanks to Braveheart's Blog I see that the full text of John Major's speech is now available on the Ditchley Foundation website. Of particular interest are the terms that Major believes will prevent Scotland from voting for independence:
Unionists have a responsibility to tell Scotland what independence entails.
A referendum in favour of separation is only the beginning. The terms must then be negotiated and a further referendum held.
These terms might deter many Scots. No Barnett Formula. No Block Grant. No more representation at Westminster. No automatic help with crises such as Royal Bank of Scotland. I daresay free prescriptions would end and tuition fees begin.
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but there's nothing to say that there should be a Barnett Formula, a block grant, free prescriptions or no tuition fees for Scotland if Scotland remains in Union; these things are not intrinsically unionist. Bribing Scotland to stay in the Union makes no sense to me. And with whose money are you bribing them, John, and with whose permission?
