Salmond "We can take Scotland in two weeks"

[TestMangler]

FTFY, you Anglophile Quisling.

These scam emails will be going out worldwide.

Most of you poms would probably think 'kirk' was a star trek reference.

[scooterscot]

David Cameron’s draft resignation letter in the event of a Yes vote

I bet he's quite a nervous chappy right now.

David Cameron's draft resignation letter in the event of a Yes vote » Spectator Blogs

David Cameron’s draft resignation letter in the event of a Yes vote

To my dear country... (Photo: Getty)
To my dear country... (Photo: Getty)
As told to Jonathan Foreman…

To my fellow citizens

I would like to apologise for the role I have played in the dismantling of the United Kingdom.

I am sure there is little need for me to tell you that I never dreamed that my Prime Ministership would be the Union’s last, or that I would be the person ultimately responsible for the needless destruction of one of the most successful polities in the history of Europe and indeed the world.

However, I must take responsibility for what has happened.

First of all, the blame is mine for allowing the referendum question to be worded in a way that inevitably favoured the secessionist cause. As is obvious now, I should have insisted on wording such as: ‘Do you think Scotland should leave the United Kingdom?’ or ‘Should Scotland remain part of the United Kingdom?’

Unfortunately my career in television PR and then at the top of Conservative politics gave me little training in the art of negotiation. I now accept that I should have sent a more able and experienced negotiator to wrangle with a politician as accomplished as Alex Salmond.

To my shame I must also confess that, before those negotiations, it had been suggested that my government seek advice from colleagues in Canada and elsewhere who had successfully defeated similar referendums and separatist movements. I declined to follow that advice, underestimating as I did the urgency and importance of the question of Scottish secession.

It was also, as the referendum results make all too clear, deeply foolish of me to agree to Alex Salmond’s demand that teenagers be allowed to vote in the referendum. It did not occur to me at the time that the only 16- and 17-year-olds likely to take part in such a vote would be passionate nationalists, and that I might be dooming the cause of the Union.

It is true that Conservative modernisers and my long-time image consultants were adamant on this question, but in the end the decision was mine. It was unforgivably trivial and short-sighted of me to put the future of the UK at risk for the chance of a slight improvement in our brand image among young people.

All I can say in my defence is that at the time our pollsters said it was highly unlikely that the nationalists would ever have a real chance of winning.

However, there is no excuse for the lack of seriousness, effort and thought that I and my cabinet put into the referendum until too late in the day. Whatever the future may hold for an independent Scotland, there is no question that the immediate prospect for England, Wales and Northern Ireland is a dismaying and difficult one.

On top of negotiating borders and finances with Scotland, we face the complicated and costly task of reshaping thousands of public and private institutions to fit our truncated country. We must restore international confidence in the remains of the UK even as we come to terms with a radical change in our national identity.

Much as I hope to play my own part in indeed in rebuilding British nationhood, and persuading investors and institutions around the world that Britain is still a safe and stable place to do business, I feel it would be wrong to do so while holding the office of Prime Minister.

I therefore resign that office, and also announce my intention to stand down as Member of Parliament for Witney.

I extend my humblest apologies to her Majesty, to my fellow citizens and to all who put their faith in me as a leader.

David Cameron

Tags: David Cameron, indyref, Scotland
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[Old Greg]

These scam emails will be going out worldwide.

Most of you poms would probably think 'kirk' was a star trek reference.

Too late for that now. I've sent your name to the Yestapo.

[Old Greg]

I bet he's quite a nervous chappy right now.

David Cameron's draft resignation letter in the event of a Yes vote » Spectator Blogs

Squeaky bum time all round.

[jemb]

These scam emails will be going out worldwide.

Most of you poms would probably think 'kirk' was a star trek reference.

poms? ...are you really from OZ or NZ? a born again Scotsman perhaps?

[TestMangler]

poms? ...are you really from OZ or NZ? a born again Scotsman perhaps?

The trouble with the English is they don't have a decent universal derogatory term.

Sometimes you have to borrow someone elses.

[Old Greg]

The trouble with the English is they don't have a decent universal derogatory term.

Sometimes you have to borrow someone elses.

You should borrow the term 'Hun' from the Irish. As in 'the Hun' for 'the English'. It's my personal favourite.


And you need some songs like:

As down the glen one Easter morn to a city fair rode I
There Armed lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by
No pipe did hum, no battle drum did sound its loud tattoo
But the Angelus Bell o'er the Liffey's swell rang out in the foggy dew

Right proudly high over Dublin Town they hung out the flag of war
'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky than at Suvla or Sud-El-Bar
And from the plains of Royal Meath strong men came hurrying through
While Britannia's Huns, with their long range guns sailed in through the foggy dew

Oh the night fell black, and the rifles' crack made perfidious Albion reel
In the leaden rain, seven tongues of flame did shine o'er the lines of steel
By each shining blade a prayer was said, that to Ireland her sons be true
But when morning broke, still the war flag shook out its folds in the foggy dew

'Twas England bade our wild geese go, that "small nations might be free";
Their lonely graves are by Suvla's waves or the fringe of the great North Sea.
Oh, had they died by Pearse's side or fought with Cathal Brugha*
Their graves we'd keep where the Fenians sleep, 'neath the shroud of the foggy dew.

Oh the bravest fell, and the Requiem bell rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide in the spring time of the year
While the world did gaze, with deep amaze, at those fearless men, but few,
Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew

As back through the glen I rode again and my heart with grief was sore
For I parted then with valiant men whom I never shall see more
But to and fro in my dreams I go and I kneel and pray for you,
For slavery fled, O glorious dead, when you fell in the foggy dew.

[TestMangler]

You should borrow the term 'Hun' from the Irish. As in 'the Hun' for 'the English'. It's my personal favourite.


And you need some songs like:

Yeah, like we don't use the term 'Hun' here already, but not for the English.

And I think there is a section of the community that sings Irish songs. I just happen not to be in it.

[jemb]

The trouble with the English is they don't have a decent universal derogatory term.

Sometimes you have to borrow someone elses.

...although the antipodeans only really care about the English when they're humping them at Cricket/Rugby.
They have no chips on their shoulder - something we could learn from.....

[jemb]

Yeah, like we don't use the term 'Hun' here already, but not for the English.

And I think there is a section of the community that sings Irish songs. I just happen not to be in it.

yeah - let's not forget that. Once we've got past the English thing we'll just replace it with good old fashioned religious bigotry....
We're really good at this sort of small minded stuff - shame the Yes campaign didn't make more of it. You know - they could have banged on about escaping the 'yoke of the English' and 'No voters being traitors' and 'punishing companies who came out in favour of a No'.....