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Contribution to the "Great Berwick Debate" in response to
coverage of aspirations by some Berwickers to return that historic
Scottish Burgh to Scotland. Ultimately, some 61% of Berwickers
opted to return to Scotland during an ITV "Tonight"
programme poll.
in the Berwickshire News, Southern Reporter, and Berwick
Advertiser, February 2008
Sir/Madam,
Radio Borders is to be commended for holding the recent Great
Berwick Debate. The SNP, and all in Scotland, would very much
welcome Berwick's return to Scotland, should the 4,200 or more
Berwickers living North of the Tweed themselves desire this to be
the case. Berwick would bring a much needed power shift in the
Borders, giving a higher profile to the often overlooked
Berwickshire area.
I personally believe that considerable gains would accrue to
Berwick itself, in the event it returns to Scotland. The Burgh would
have strategic importance for the Scottish Borders and would be
promoted and regenerated as a gateway town for Scotland, working
better as a hub for promoting Berwickshire as a tourism destination
and as a place to do business. Greater coordination of bus and rail
transport between Berwick, East Berwickshire, Edinburgh and other
Border towns and settlements could be delivered. Moreover, Berwick's
small businesses, like their counterparts in the Scottish Borders,
would benefit from the decision by the Scottish Government to reduce
business rates in 2008/09 with their abolition from April 2009. This
will help small high street stores to compete and/or coexist with
the larger superstores in the town.
By 2011, Berwickers would, I expect, also benefit from the
proposed abolition of Council Tax and replacement with a fair local
income tax as proposed by the SNP. Free personal care for the
elderly is yet another long-standing benefit arising from devolution
for Scotland. The abolition by the SNP of Labour and Lib Dem
backdoor student tuition fees for local students and, by 2011,
abolition of prescription charges are just two other policies, made
in Scotland for Scotland, that would benefit young and old
Berwickers.
Scotland is a great country and I believe it has a great future.
I sincerely hope Berwickers do decide to join us in that future.
More than anything, a town that was once the commercial driver of
Scotland and which has a real place in the heart of any Scot, could
once more return to the fold.
Yours sincerely
Paul Wheelhouse Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Berwickshire,
Roxburgh and Selkirk |
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