Downing Street Says » State of the Union

» Tuesday, January 16, 2007

State of the Union

Asked that given the Prime Minister’s "equivocal" support for the Union this morning, what would he be doing personally to celebrate or mark the event, the PMOS confirmed that the reporter was being ironic and then pointed the journalist to what the Prime Minster had said earlier. Rather than fireworks or other forms of celebration, the Prime Minister felt that his main contribution would be to put forward the argument for the Union, which he did forcibly earlier today.

Asked again whether the Prime Minister would be celebrating, the PMOS replied that he would mark the occasion no doubt in his own way. He added that the Prime Minister’s main argument was on the benefits of the Union, in terms of the shared relationships between families north and south of the border and in terms of our shared interests, whether these were security, or Europe, or other benefits. The scale of the United Kingdom as a whole was also an advantage that would not be there if the Union was broken up. Asked if he was saying that England’s position on the world stage would be diminished by no longer being part of the UK, the PMOS replied that he did not want to get into a hypothetical situation, but there were advantages in the United Kingdom speaking as a whole. At the same time, what devolution allowed Scotland to do was to look after those matters that were specifically Scottish.

Asked if the only actual celebration was Jack McConnell’s party for the £2 coin tomorrow, and would the Prime Minister be attending, the PMOS replying that this event was being held here today and would be hosted by Jack Straw and Douglas Alexander. He did not think that the diary would allow the Prime Minister to attend.

1 Comment »

Feel free to celebrate the tercentenary by sticking the Union up your spotty English arses.
Comment by Rob — 19 Jan 2007 on 7:00 pm | Link

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