Blair goes head to head with cardinal in war of words over independenc

[Guest Warwick Green]

Blair goes head to head with cardinal in war of words over independence

* Cardinal O'Brien said he would be 'happy' for Scotland to become independent

* Tony Blair has said that the views should carry no weight with O'Brien's flock

* Some in the Catholic hierarchy fear the Church could become entangled in politics

"Independence would be a disaster for Scotland because it would wreck its economy, stop it functioning as part of the UK and take the country backwards."

- Tony Blair

TONY Blair, the Prime Minister, took on the head of the Catholic Church in Scotland yesterday, insisting that Cardinal Keith O'Brien's newly-declared support for Scottish independence should carry no weight with his flock.

Cardinal O'Brien infuriated Scottish Labour figures by saying at the weekend he would be "happy" for Scotland to become independent and that he could see growing public support for the move.

His words have been seized upon by the SNP as a sign of tacit support ahead of next year's Holyrood elections.

At a Downing Street press conference, Mr Blair effectively accused the cardinal of wanting to "take the country backwards" by supporting independence, and he insisted the priest's words should have no political influence on the 750,000 Catholics in Scotland.

"I wouldn't have thought it is a matter of religious faith, at least I hope not," Mr Blair said when asked about the cardinal's views on independence.

The Prime Minister went on: "Independence would be a disaster for Scotland because it would wreck its economy, stop it functioning as part of the UK and take the country backwards."

The cardinal's remarks are said to have alarmed some in the Catholic hierarchy, who fear the Church becoming entangled in politics. Since the weekend, his aides have been trying to downplay the matter, insisting he was doing nothing more than agreeing to abide by the will of the Scottish electorate.

But Labour figures believe his decision to talk of independence as increasingly likely was a deliberate attempt to give tacit support to the SNP.

Cardinal O'Brien said again yesterday that he would be "happy" if Scotland left the United Kingdom. "Independence is coming, perhaps not in the next few years, but within the seeable future," he wrote in a Glasgow newspaper.

Mr Blair is a practising Anglican with strong Catholic sympathies - some expect him to convert to Catholicism when he leaves Downing Street.

The Prime Minister is usually publicly respectful to the Catholic Church, and Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, said his remarks were a sign that the Labour leadership was worried. "Blair sounds like a man in a state of total panic as Scottish opinion moves steadily toward independence," Mr Salmond said. "Any attacks from Blair on this issue will only strengthen support for independence even further."

Meanwhile, the government brushed aside suggestions from an all-party group of MPs that the West Lothian Question raised by devolution must be answered.

The Scottish affairs committee in July warned that devolution could be "undermined" unless the government addressed English concerns that Scots MPs can vote on English legislation, but English MPs have no equivalent power.

In its formal response yesterday, the Scotland Office insisted there was no need for a constitutional change such as banning Scots MPs from voting on English laws. "The subject has been comprehensively debated inside and outside of parliament for well over a hundred years," ministers wrote to the committee. "The government remains as committed now to devolution as it was in 1997, just as it remains committed to a single class of member in the UK parliament."

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1541812006

[Higgly]

So much for the separation of church and state. A Canadian church official who sounded off about Quebec independence would get their hat handed to them pretty quickly (I hope). I am surprised that an official of the Catholic Church in the UK would be under the impression they have the right to such an opinion.

[pdqnetworks]

Blair goes head to head with cardinal in war of words over independence

* Cardinal O'Brien said he would be 'happy' for Scotland to become independent

* Tony Blair has said that the views should carry no weight with O'Brien's flock

* Some in the Catholic hierarchy fear the Church could become entangled in politics

"Independence would be a disaster for Scotland because it would wreck its economy, stop it functioning as part of the UK and take the country backwards."

- Tony Blair

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1541812006

These people actualy voted to pay extra taxes to fund their own parliment when Tony gave it to them. This would lead me to believe they would do well with a left wing tax and spend leader to call their very own

[M.Dancer]

* Some in the Catholic hierarchy fear the Church could become entangled in politics

I find that amusing, given the politics of the country......

my father was born in Paisley

[Guest Warwick Green]

* Some in the Catholic hierarchy fear the Church could become entangled in politics

I find that amusing, given the politics of the country......

my father was born in Paisley

So was I.

[M.Dancer]

* Some in the Catholic hierarchy fear the Church could become entangled in politics

I find that amusing, given the politics of the country......

my father was born in Paisley

So was I.

...in 1918.....red hair....went by the name of Henry,,,,,,,

[Remiel]

When I hear the topic of Scottish independance, my first reaction is a thought somewhere along the line of, " Yeah, throw off the oppressive English and their history of screwing us over! " and the I think of Quebec, and I slowly back away.

[M.Dancer]

Compared to Scotland pre devolution, quebec is master of the universe......

[Guest Warwick Green]

* Some in the Catholic hierarchy fear the Church could become entangled in politics

I find that amusing, given the politics of the country......

my father was born in Paisley

So was I.

...in 1918.....red hair....went by the name of Henry,,,,,,,

My father was born in 1916! My mother was also born in Paisley, 1920. She had dark hair. Name was Orr.

[M.Dancer]

* Some in the Catholic hierarchy fear the Church could become entangled in politics

I find that amusing, given the politics of the country......

my father was born in Paisley

So was I.

...in 1918.....red hair....went by the name of Henry,,,,,,,

My father was born in 1916! My mother was also born in Paisley, 1920. She had dark hair. Name was Orr.

My grandmother's maiden name was Purdy and she was a widow, once married to a fellow by the name of Gunn.....My fathers birth certificate has him born in the "washer woman" cottage of the paisly hospital, where my grandfather was the 'parker'......

he died around 1919 (enfluenza?) and they emigrated to Quebec in mid 20s