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Maybe our Scottish forumites can explain something to me. I don't quite understand where Salmond and the SNP are going with Scottish independence plans.

A few years ago Salmond gave Iceland and Ireland as examples of countries that an independent Scotland could model itself on. Obviously when these two countries went kaput he had to do a quick shoe shuffle and then started talking about Norway as a model.

Last year as far as I can recall, the SNP was in favour of having the euro as its currency. Now, I guess the idea of "Vote for Scottish independence and get the euro" is not the best campaigning slogan, so a new year, a new policy. So the current SNP policy is for an independent Scotland to carry on using the pound, have the Bank of England (England note!) in charge of inflation targets, interest rates etc) with the Scottish government responsible for everything that Osborne would be in control of in the rump of the UK e.g. all taxation, spending, welfare state, benefits, pensions etc etc.

Are the SNP mad? Given the economies of England, Wales, Northern Ireland combined are far, far bigger than Scotland's why on earth should Scotland be able to do what ever it wants taxation/spend wise, borrow whatever it wants but using the pound as its currency?

Just as the SNP seems to be making it up as it goes along so does the electorate. A Scottish mate of mine, born and bred in Glasgow has told me that quite a few of his friends have stopped voting for the SNP because they have got a date for an independence vote!!!! This seems hilarious but the mate's explanation makes sense. His friends liked the SNP's left of centre policies and Scottish independence was only talked about vaguely for some time in the distant future. And the UK government was around to bale out the likes of the Royal Bank of Scotland when it collapsed. As soon as the referendum was announced they started to think about whether they were in favour of actual independence.

This seems to be a case of the blind having been leading the blind but where they are both now beginning to see.

My Scottish friends, from Glasgow also, think Salmond is a complete and utter wanker and think that in the not too distant future he will be history. I haven't spoken to any Scots here in England who want what that idiot wants. Though I do know a few English who wish that the "Jocks would fuckoff and leave us alone" I don't support that view and think that Scotland should stay with us.

The main reason Scots vote for the SNP is because they despair of the corruption and stupidity of the Scottish Labour Party.

Living close to the border with Caledonia I have lot of friends and colleagues who work and live both sides of the line. Not one of them is pro SNP.

I think you will find some truth in your original assertion, ie the scottish electorate approve of many of the SNP policies. The flagship policy, independence, is to many a distraction. The SNP ave proven for the most part that they are a competent governing party, combined with the second rate Labour MSP's at holyrood showed the contempt the Labou party held the Scottish electorate, Salmond can be a bit of a twat but the simple truth is he is a far better debater/politician than anyone at Holyrood and to be honest Westminster too!

Agreed. Salmond always struck me as an effective operator and to get a majority in the Scottish parliament was a stunning achievement.

However I suspect he may come unstuck over independence.

I agree, which is why he is trying to muddy the waters with "Devo Max". If he loses an independence referendum but gets a yes to Devo Max he will declare a victory. The fact that the British government hasn't actually offered him Devo Max, nor even defined what it means, is a mere detail for the great man.

Most people around here who vote SNP are dole scroungers who think Scotland can be independant and survive on exporting whisky and shit themselves if you say independance`ll mean their dole money`ll be stopped

He certainly seems to run rings around our lot. Mind you that's not difficult when you think of Jerry Cunt and the Eton boys.

Alex is simply stupid - like most supporters of an independent Scotland they cant see the finger in front of their nose.

It Wont Work - we dont have enough of an industry base to support ourselves and they keep saying the oil - have they not been listening ? the world is moving away from an oil based economy ! even if we had trillions of years left - this cunt needs to be put back where he came from and made to sing from the sheet of co-operation and unity. we walk alone we will be hell of a lonely and struggles will be more pronounced.

Look back at this guys policies and ask yourself would you buy a car from him let alone let him run a country?