I've got one word for the SNP if they truly are thinking of an independence vote: Quebec
I suspect, like most on here, that Salmond is far, far cleverer than that - which is why he's doing his damnedest to ensure that the 'cake and eat it' option is on the ballot when (if) it finally takes place. He knows full well they're dead in the water if they lose (and they most certainly would, if it were the only option on the ballot) a full independence vote with nothing left to fall back on. Couple that with the rest of the union being given a vote on whether to retain Scotland as part of the union (which they would almost certainly lose, given the natural jingoistic streak of the English) and the SNP would never recover (much like the PQ in Quebec)
this is exacly what i think on the matter. its so obvious why they were getting up in arms over cameron suggestion to do it sooner rather than later and to do a vote of either yes or no definite decision and get on with more important issues. They just want an extra question and more time to do their robert the bruce get the english out campaign. they know the risk they are letting themselfs in for if they lose. A politcal wilderness in which it will take years to come back from.
There is no doubt that Alex Salmond is a shrewd operator but this time around he has got it very wrong. A split from the UK would be a disaster for Scotland and as said by many on this posting they do not have the tax revenue to continue with free perscriptions, university education, care for the elderly etc. etc in fact if a Scot voted to leave the Union it would be like Turkeys voting for Christmas. He has the impression that they will be receiving in excess of 90% of the UK's oil revenues but that is just not the case after all the oil is extracted outside of UK waters by international countries it is co-incidence that nearest land fall is in Scotland but that same oil could just as easily be pumped ashore and refined in Humberside for instance.
Salmond reminds me a bit of Arthur Scargill so wrapped up in his own smug importance that he will lead the people he represents down a road to disaster. He should also remember why the Scots joined the Union in the first place. They saw England getting richer and richer and they wanted a piece of the action.
Salmond doesn't want Scotland to split from the rest of the UK because he knows that IF he and his party end up responsible for everything and it goes tits up (as it would) the SNP would be dead. However if he gets the McFuckwits to agree to (b) then he gets all the benefits of being part of the UK and can blame Westminster for anything he doesn't like. He is posturing but is actually afraid of getting what he claims he wants. I can't imagine that the Scottish national dish of deep-fried Mars bars will be easy to export.
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Salmond reminds me a bit of Arthur Scargill so wrapped up in his own smug importance that he will lead the people he represents down a road to disaster. He should also remember why the Scots joined the Union in the first place. They saw England getting richer and richer and they wanted a piece of the action.
I can't imagine that the Scottish national dish of deep-fried Mars bars will be easy to export.