SNP demands more power for Scottish Parliament

Source: BBC News

Alex Salmond, the leader of the SNP, has appealed for Scotland to be allowed to control asylum, nuclear power, pensions and disbandment of army regiments.

Pensions are mismanaged by the British government and paid for from national insurance contributions. To allow the Scots to control pensions would require them to be opted out of that part of national insurance and to be able to directly raise tax at source. The Scottish Executive could always use their own money (not ours) to top-up pensions.

Nuclear power - fair enough. If they don't want nuclear power stations then build them somewhere else. Let them have dirty coal powered stations instead and make sure they don't get any of the power generated from the nuclear power stations. NIMBY springs to mind.

Disbandment of army regiments - the military is a reserved matter and so it should remain. If the Scottish Executive want to use their own money (again, not ours) to keep surplus regiments in existence then they can always suggest it to the Secretary of Defence.

Asylum - how the hell are they proposing to do this? Set up passport control between England and Scotland? This is so ludicrous it doesn't even warrant a discussion.