1 8. NOTICE OF MOTION - THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION The council considered a motion submitted by Councillor McGinty in the following terms:- “West Lothian Council notes that the National Conversation started in 2007 has now cost the Scottish people around £400,000. West Lothian agrees that this was a vanity project launched by the SNP to promote their goal of breaking up the United Kingdom and that it has proven of no value to the people of Scotland. West Lothian Council further agrees that this money would have been better spent protecting vital front line jobs and public services and agrees to write to the Scottish Government, West Lothian Constituency MSPs and MPs and to all other Scottish Local Authorities advising them of the Council’s view.” Moved by Councillor McGinty, seconded by Councillor Fitzpatrick. Amendment “West Lothian Council notes that the Scottish Community as part of a “national conversation” with Pope John XX11 wrote to the Pope on 6th April 1320 stating, “Quia quamdiu Centum ex nobis viui remanserint, nuncquam Anglorum dominio aliquatenus volumus subiugari. Non enim propter gloriam, diuicias aut honores pugnamus set propter libertatem solummodo quam Nemo bonus nisi simul cum vita amittit.” The Scottish Declaration of Independence goes on to make it absolutely clear that the independence of Scotland is the prerogative of the Scots people and is the first recorded assertion of the sovereignty of a people residing with them, and not a government. West Lothian Council therefore applauds the Scottish Government’s “National Conversation”, a public consultation exercise regarding possible future changes in the power of the devolved Scottish Parliament and the possibility of Scottish independence, as a process deeply rooted in the Scottish tradition. West Lothian Council asserts that we are ambitious for the future of Scotland. We also believe that sovereignty in our country lies with our people. As a sovereign people, the people of Scotland - and we alone - have the right to decide how we are governed. West Lothian Council therefore applauds the Scottish Government’s “national conversation” on our future as a wholly proper means to allow the people of Scotland to debate, reflect and then decide on the type of government which best equips us for the future. 2 West Lothian Council recalls the words of the Irish Nationalist, Charles Stewart Parnell, who said, “No man has a right to fix the boundary of the march of a nation; no man has a right to say to his country, ‘Thus far shalt thou go and no further’.” West Lothian Council, in endorsing the principle that sovereignty rests with our people, therefore deplores the Labour Party assertion that Scots cannot have our say on the future governance of our country through our ‘National Conversation’ and subsequently a referendum. West Lothian Council also deplores the repeated attacks by Labour politicians on small European nations such as Ireland, Iceland and Norway whose sole crime would appear to be that of being independent. West Lothian Council further notes that Labour itself spent over £10 million from November 2003 on Prime Minister Tony Blair’s “Big Conversation” including ‘ Big Conversation’ events - 500 between November 2003 and February 2004 - for Labour politicians to meet the people. West Lothian Council further notes that Labour supported public money being used to finance the “Calman Commission” – a select body of the elite and good, with a remit specifically ignoring the option of Independence and the views of ‘ordinary’ Scots. West Lothian Council further asserts therefore in the words of Robert Burns that, “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ Labour Gang aft agley” and expresses our confidence that the will of the Scottish people will prevail despite the “Parcel of Rogues” in our nation currently masquerading under the guise of the “Scottish” Labour Party.” Moved by the Leader of the Council, seconded by Councillor McCarra. Decision On a vote being taken, the motion was successful by 15 votes to 14 votes and it was agreed accordingly..