Anybody else hate Alex Salmond?

This is basically the Unionist argument in Scotland in a nutshell - "We hate Alex Salmond" so independence is bad. In effect this is the only policy that the Scottish Labour and Conservative parties have at this time.

In all seriousness though, I think you're all being a bit unfair on the great man. Sure, he's not everyone's cup of tea and has some undesirable traits, but then so do we all. He's also a politician and not auditioning to be the face of Paris Fashion week, so what he looks like is completely immaterial.

To be honest, he is probably the foremost politician in these islands at the moment. He's streets ahead of Cameron, Clegg, Osborne and Milliband and light years ahead of the Unionist camp in the Scottish Parliament. He runs circles around all of them, before they've even got up for breakfast.

I think he genuinely cares about Scotland - perhaps too much - and that is something a lot of Scots are not used to seeing in their politicians. Many of those Scottish politicians are only interested in fattening themselves upon on the Westminster gravy train, treating Scotland purely as a power base in order to make their mark on another stage down in London and settling for second best when it comes to doing things for Scotland. The politics of second best has been the politics of Scotland for too long.

I also think, uniquely amongst politicians, he has something he actually believes in. You might not agree with that belief (and that is perfectly legitimate) but it is a vision, an end-point he wishes to see. The only vision most other politicians have is the one of the power, perks and the privilege of office - and they can't even get that right when they get into office.

It isn't the only argument that other parties have it's just the only one that Nationalists pay attention to (note, I actually like the SNP, just not Alex Salmond or the reality of independence. It would be nice if Scotland could go it alone, but from all the evidence I've looked it we can't. Plus, with the job I want to do in the future it benefits me for us to stay as one big, happy country)

This is basically the Unionist argument in Scotland in a nutshell - "We hate Alex Salmond" so independence is bad.

To be honest, he is probably the foremost politician in these islands at the moment. He's streets ahead of Cameron, Clegg, Osborne and Milliband and light years ahead of the Unionist camp in the Scottish Parliament. He runs circles around all of them, before they've even got up for breakfast.

Jesus Christ himself could head the Scottish nationalist movement and it'd still be a backward, ill-considered and generally ridiculous political fa... er... force.

No he isn't and no he doesn't. He's won some elections; that does not a great politician make. His parliamentary performances frankly embarrass Scottish politics.

Lets face it, this is guy all guns blazing going on about independence and how Scotland are going to be one of the most well of countries in Europe yet he's left dumbfounded when he's asked, 'So what currency will Scotland be adopting?'.

Surely he would have thought about that by now?

I think the answer to that question sir, is "Sterling for the time being". It's pretty well documented.