Acceptibility of Scottish AND Northern Irish banknotes should be affirmed by legislation

Shadow Scottish Secretary, David Mundell, is currently attempting to steer his Scottish Banknotes (Acceptability in the United Kingdom) Bill through the House of Commons. He has raised important matters by introducing this legislation; issues which are pertinent not only to Scotland, but also to Northern Ireland, where banks also produce their own notes.

Embarrassing, inconvenient and deeply annoying circumstances surround suspicion, and even refusal, of banknotes which are, after all, denoted in sterling. There are even some incessantly argumentative characters who have, in the past, been so intent on paying for items with Northern Irish notes, that they have insisted that publicans take back pints of lager, despite the prospective purchaser holding crisp Bank of England twenties in their wallet!

The acceptability of both Northern Irish and Scottish notes should be enshrined in legislation. This would place a compelling moral obligation on businesses to accept them and it would help educate a swathe of ignoramuses (ignorami?).

Comments

Timothy Belmont said…
It's a shame the Conservatives didn't take NI bank-notes and their acceptability throughout the UK alongside the Scottish ones.

It obviously makes sense to treat it as one issue.

Tim
10 March 2009 at 15:24
Anonymous said…
Hey Checkov, if you are not already, have you ever thought about representing the people?? We could do with some decent Unionist leaders promoting a plural, attractive UK. Whenever we did actually get some they were murdered by republicans or sidelined by the hardliners. Good leaders are few and far between.
10 March 2009 at 17:34
Owen Polley said…
Anon - Have you ever read Shakespeare's Coriolanus? I fear that I empathise with that character a little too much.
10 March 2009 at 19:16
Anonymous said…
Coriolanus not sure about that i would suggest Gaius Gracchus?
10 March 2009 at 20:56
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