OurKingdom on Lockerbie and the devolution of justice: see also Gerry Hassan on Lockerbie, justice and the price of devolution and Tom Griffin on Justice devolved
The Spectator has a must must-read article by Fraser Nelson on the state of Tory-SNP relations in light of the case of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. Alongside some rather crude caricaturing of Alex Salmond and the SNP are some fascinating insights into team Cameron's attitude towards the nationalists from a Brit-Scot journalist who is well-placed to know. The piece ends with this astonishing conclusion:
What is unusual about the growing Tory-SNP axis is that each side thinks they are fooling the other. Mr Salmond argues that, by exploiting the Little Englander side to the Tory party, he can take Scotland nine tenths of the way to independence. The Tories who support fiscal autonomy see a rare chance of getting rid of the cost of Scotland and being thanked for it - by a First Minister who is deluded enough to think that he would win from such a deal.
Absent from this is talk about defending the Union. When asked, Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne both say they strenuously support it - but if gossip in the bars of the Commons is any indicator, Tory support for the Union is draining. According to a recent survey of Tory candidates, 46 per cent say they would not be ‘uncomfortable about Scotland becoming independent'. It is all too clear that the SNP will use every tool at their disposal to undermine the Union. The question is whether a Conservative government will have the motivation or energy to fight back.
Read it in full here.
