Should Scotland be an independent country?

not a populist viewpoint perhaps, but I quite like having Trident! I think in years to come, we'll be thankful

More inclined to heed Tariq Ali tbh

theguardian.com/commentisfree­/2014/mar/13/scots-undo-union-of-rogues-­independence-1707-honour

"The notion that an independent Scotland will be parochial is risible. The "internationalism" of New Labour and its coalition lookalikes essentially means subordinating the entire British state to the interests of the US. They have made Britain a vassal state: on Iraq, on Afghanistan, on the gathering of intelligence. An independent Scotland could be far more internationalist and would benefit a great deal from links to both Scandinavia and states in other continents"

I do not see why a) Scotland could not be internationalist now and develop links with Scandinavia regardless of the state of the union, and b) why Ali finds it 'risible' that an independent Scotland would be parochial. Presumably relations with England are going to fall under the remit of foreign policy, and the founding act of that foreign policy will be to tell England, Wales and Northern Ireland "fuck off, we're going to cosy up to our far northern neighbours instead." That's pretty parochial.
Also, while we are on the subject. Given that New Labour was architected by two Scots, so I'm not really sure how bringing up their foreign policy backs up the argument that independent Scottish foreign policy would be different. But whatever. Ali may be right; he's just bad at arguing.

blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/and­rewlilico/100028052/scots-hear-me-britai­n-is-great/

'Britain has historically been at the forefront of protecting others from oppression or promoting prosperity where there is want and ignorance, and continues that tradition today.'

@Prole. I am sure that every indigenous people of the colonised nations of the British Empire would argue somewhat differently.

John Major was on typical form on the Today programme earlier. The Scots don't understand the issues and should just rely on English Tories to make their decisions for them, was the general gist.

Thankful for what exactly? Our contribution to the nuclear holocaust? The huge amount of money we spent on it and Polaris before it?

what is the SNP policy on the leaglisation of drugs, anyone know?

Presumably relations with England are going to fall under the remit of foreign policy, and the founding act of that foreign policy will be to tell England, Wales and Northern Ireland "fuck off, we're going to cosy up to our far northern neighbours instead." That's pretty parochial.

Your assumptions display your prejudice quite clearly.

when do we start boycotting their products ?

Given that New Labour was architected by two Scots, so I'm not really sure how bringing up their foreign policy backs up the argument that independent Scottish foreign policy would be different. But whatever. Ali may be right; he's just bad at arguing.

Also, over and above your wonderful predictions of future Scottish foreign 'policy' (if you can call telling your traditional trading partners and closest neighbours to fuck off a sensible policy) calling Tony Blair a Scot is like calling Chris Froome English. But whatever, the whole country should be held accountable to two Westminster-based career politicians (with a huge majority of the vote across the UK, which again, removing Scotland's seats from the equation wouldn't have influence the overall election result) just because you seem to think that they 'architected' New Labour.

Obviously, I defer to your wonderfully unbiased and erudite arguing powers over Tariq Ali's miserable attempts to look at historical facts from a post-colonial Indian viewpoint and apply them to the Scottish referendum.

Well Cameron and Clegg are heading up to Scotland today to spread the word. That should pretty much seal the deal for independence.

And Salmond has offered to pay for their travel costs. Gold!

Well that is probably about £15 on the Mega Bus, so it's a generous offer.

More if they want one of those fancy 'sleeping bays' but I suppose they'll want to snuggle over a M&S 3 for 2 deal and some mini bottles of Cava.

when do we start boycotting their products ?

you're gonna stop buying tablet, tartan, cashmere, cullen skink and whisky? shame on you

Unfortunately there's still a goodly portion of the most densely populated area that will be firmly attached, not to mention that for people already sick of the referendum, a few million years is probably going to be too long of a protracted goodby to stand.

All these London hipsters gonna need Tweed from somewhere...

I'd have put them on the Megabus but the multitudes of motorcycle cops at every roundabout on the east side of Edinburgh suggests Brown lent them at least one of his Jags.

Re: Drugs - SNP have suggested another look at the way substances are classified in relation to the harm they do to the user and society against a number of more modern indicators.

If they (Conservatives) had any fucking sense, then they wouldn't have let Gideon Osborne make a tit out of himself on the Andrew Marr show. Similarly, I think they probably shouldn't have sent Cameron up this morning given that people loathe him even more than they do down south.

Given the talk of Devo-Max offers for Scotland ongoing at the moment, I guess the north English, Welsh, and N. Irish must be even more fucked off than usual. I hope that raising awareness through this campaign will help them too in the long run.

wonder how many sex toys will be poked in camerons ear while he's up there

The overall feeling I get up here is of hardening resolve.

Seeing them frantically putting an 'offer' together at the last ditch, when they refused to even engage with Devo max or participate in the debates, just reflects the arrogance and contempt that comes so naturally to them with regards any non-London or Southern County issues that come their way.

So not just too little, too late, but also a pretty apt end to a union that's become increasingly disfunctional since the 1970's. If John Smith had been PM instead of Blair the UK as a whole would have an incredibly different social dynamic right now and this wouldn't be happening.

Re: Drugs - SNP have suggested another look at the way substances are classified in relation to the harm they do to the user and society against a number of more modern indicators.

Buckfast and Tennent's Super to be reclassified accordingly?

@rodabod Why only North English?

Fair point; you're right. Ok, the whole of England. Though I feel particularly sorry for the North of England.

The South English have a Parliament which works for their best interests already?

I think the way that London is segregated, we often don't see just how grim it is for working class people.