Is Scottish independence a 'good or bad' thing?

I don't, as that would likely result in some English Nationalists stirring up division and creating unnecessary costs whilst ensuring that they can try and claim a cushy deal at taxpayers expense for personal gain.

Was it at that point you realised that the culture is not so different than Coventry? The excitement of living somewhere differently could've been matched by living in Manchester, Hull, Cardiff, Belfast or Exeter.

Have you realise that pro seperation supporters have a rather insular outlook on life as they generally tend to be not well travelled and easily led by others?

My point was semi in jest; but it would be interesting to see how the other nations cope with England calling their respective bluffs. England needs its own Parliament pronto.

I think it's fare to Say. Scotland will get by. Wales and Northern Ireland will go to the wall, England as an entity will likely be better off than it is now due to the tax receipts generated in London and the South East being spread over a smaller area. Not to mention the Fracking.

I try not to look at this way. I consider the UK as a patch work of cultures not Just English, Scottish, Welsh and Ulster. After all what is an Englishman? If you can say a Scouser and a Devonian are the same, It's difficult to say a Glaswegian and Geordie are poles apart as the Nationalists like to say

Have you realise that pro seperation supporters have a rather insular outlook on life as they generally tend to be not well travelled and easily led by others?

Wales was annexed by England some time back so that would have to be addressed first. You're right though-a Glaswegian and a Brummie would have more in common than either with a Londoner.

Sorry to have to use weasel words, but it depends.

It depends on the precise needs of the region for which independence is proposed and the nature of the state of which it is a part. I don't think I could give you a definitive answer when it comes to Scotland - I don't live there and never have. In the case of Wales, however, I am perfectly comfortable in saying that being a part of the union in its current form is less desirable than independence, in the long run. That is not to say that membership of any form of union is less desirable than independence, however. Many of the qualms I have about the position of Wales in the UK could conceivably be addressed with a transition from a unitary to a federal state. If a federal (or even confederal) UK were on the cards, it would be quite possible that I would vote for that over independence, depending on the precise terms of the arrangement.

It's going to happen anyway whether we like it or not (we the English, of course, will not get a say). There's nothing to stop the SNP repeatedly holding referenda until they're blue in the face. Although if they don't manage it in the year of the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup both being held in Scotland then I'll be amazed.

The acts annexing Wales to England were repealed in 1993:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Hen8/27/26/contents

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Hen8/34-35/26/contents

Politically speaking, there will be a backlash if Salmond loses this vote, he would find it hard to justify repeating the referendum any time soon.

Just as Dave has refused to countenance an independent Scotland, Salmond has refused to discuss what will happen should he lose the defining moment of his political career.

The Scottish people will have resoundingly rejected his party's main objective; you'd surely think there'd be nowhere back for him. Equally, I wonder what Cameron would think of having the union break up under his tenure as the legacy he leaves.

Oh great, here we go again. You carry on throwing boring mischaracterisations of your political opponents left, right and centre with nary an attempt to back up your claims. From which statistical dataset did you derive these latest gems?

Yes, well as he's already retired once in the past, I assume he can repeat the trick. I actually quite like watching him in action, sad political nerd that I am, I watch Scottish Parliament sometimes. He is quite funny and likeable, I can see why he does so well politically. I also think he's a huge con merchant, but then that's just me.

The SNP owes an awful lot of its current majority to him, that's for sure. A very shrewd politician who has forced Scottish Labour to go back to the drawing board.

Always a good thing to keep the Politicians on their toes. It reminds them who they work for. However I think post 2008 financial crash people will vote for anybody who tells them it will be OK. The French voted Hollande in. Hasn't worked out too well for them

At least as an elected head of state he makes efforts to improve the state of his country, rather than host banquets every day and call it 'hard work'.

It's going to happen anyway whether we like it or not (we the English, of course, will not get a say). There's nothing to stop the SNP repeatedly holding referenda until they're blue in the face. Although if they don't manage it in the year of the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup both being held in Scotland then I'll be amazed.

Mere personal observations.

He's managed to scare off all of the people with money. i.e the people who create jobs.


I'm not going to get onto the banquets