Ian Beaumont Live & Direct video short: Brexit is a mess.

My latest video post, on the Brexit Secretary, David Davis, being forced to admit that the UK government has not conducted a single Impact Assessment on the aftermath of leaving the EU, despite having previously said his department was doing about 57 of them.

Making Sense on Scottish Independence: The questions over what happens next…

I have noticed that a lot of people on social media have a lot of misconception about the whole Scottish Independence issue, especially in the area of what happens afterwards if the vote is in favour of independence.

Let’s start making some sense.  Nothing is going to happen immediately after the result is known.  Independence is a process that will only begin, once the result is known.  During that process, there will be a general election, which will mean that Scottish MPs will continue to sit in the House of Commons until Independence actually happens.  Oh and by the way, there is also a Scottish Parliamentary Election due in 2015, as well as elections to the Assemblies in Wales and Northern Ireland. 

There are lots of issues to actually sort out, such as currency, cross border trade, EU membership, UN membership, separation of the public services that are still controlled from Westminster and many others.  One of my favourite things to watch is what will actually happen to the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 in Scotland if they actually vote for independence.  Independence is a process and a negotiation that will take a couple of years to actually sort out.  And there could be two changes of government, one of each side of the negotiation, during the process. 

So we’re looking at a process that will take at least two years to actually sort out, and implement.  So independence for Scotland wouldn’t actually happen until late 2016 at the earliest, and probably not until 2017 if we’re being realistic.

But even if the vote result is not for independence, there will be some very interesting moves of powers from Westminster to Scotland, that much we know is going to happen, but what those exact powers will be, will only be known if the vote goes against independence.

Make no mistake, the story does not end with the result coming out next month.  In fact, we’ll just be getting to the good stuff, either way.

Viewpoint - Coastguard cutbacks

Viewpoint - MPs Expenses & Commons Reform

A committee that was set up in the wake of the MPs expenses scandal, has published a report that is nothing to do with the MPs Expenses scandal.  Ian Beaumont tells the committee what they REALLY should be worried about.

Stay tuned for a Viewpoint Election Commentary coming up shortly.

UK Government sponsors football club!

In all the furore that has taken place over the "nationalisation" of Northern Rock, one small fact seems to been overlooked by the rest of the media.

According to Northern Rock's own web site, the bank are the main sponsor of Newcastle United, and since they are currently owned by the UK government, that means that Newcastle United are the first ever UK football club to be sponsored by the UK government.

Weird or what?