Independence demanded

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33649, 26 September 1974, Page 15

Independence demanded

(N Z P A -Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, September 25. The Welsh and Scottish Nationalist Parties have both entered the British General Election arena with demands for complete independence from England. In addition, the Scottish Nationalists demand control or Britain’s newly-discovered off shore oil wealth; and the Plaid Cymru, a seat in the United Nations. In its manifesto, Plaid Cymru say.s that it was only its success in the General Election last February, when it sent two members of Parliament to Westminster, that forced other parties to talk of plans to devolve power to

Wales; and it rejects outright Labour’s proposals of an elected Assembly unable to pass any laws. As yet, no oil has been found off the Welsh coast, but Plaid Cymru’s general secretary, Mr Dafydd Williams, said today that the party was very encouraged by the recent Celtic Sea gas discovery Plaid Cymru wants control over this and other natural resources, especially the 300 million gallons of water from the Welsh mountains that are piped to England every day. The manifesto issued by the Scottish National Party

says that the North Sea oil' .should be extracted at a thrifty rate, to suit Scotland’s needs, instead of rushing its development for Britain as a whole. The fortunes of the oncedisparaged S.N.P. are being anxiously watched by other political leaders because the party’s successes in the February election, when it captured seven of the 635 seats in the House of Commons. This time the S.N.P. is fielding candidates in all 71 Scottish constituencies, and has high hopes of at least doubling its representation in Westminster.

A party spokesman said yesterday the S.N.P. wa.ne. a self-govcr-nng Scotland within the Commonwealth Its links with England and other parts of the United Kingdom would then be similar to those Scandinavian countries in the Nordir Union or the Benelux tie; between Belgium, the Noth erlands, and Luxemburg. “The election decision wi determine whether we are t enjoy prosperity as citizen: of a democratic, self-govern-ing country, or to suffe. declining living standards in an exploited province of th< United T ’’ : "'’dom,” Jhe manifesto SijJ. ' T’-» party proposes limiting oil production to 40 or 50 million tons a .-'ear. The North Sea fields so far discovered are thought able to yield 150 million tons or more a year, but the S.N.P. says that this would mere deplete the resources in 20 or 30 years, and leave the country with i. but a [derelict industry. Britain’s extreme Rightwing National From cads in its manifesto for a total ban on any further non-white immigration into Britain, and the launchinp. of a phased plan of repatriation for all coloured immigrants and their descendants already in the United Kingdom. The party, which is putting up 90 candidates in the election, but has as yet never won a seat, says that the British Commonwealth should be reshaped. African, Asian, and West Indian members would be obliged to leave, except in cases where they offered tangible advantages in return for those derived from Britain,