Scottish Independence thread

[Mr Mystery]

Nope. Not in the least.

Once the referendum is done, SNP are fundamentally done as a party. They've achieved their goal, and for the most part become a bit redundant.

This is not a referendum to elect Salmond as Dear Leader For Life. It's about whether or not Scotland goes it alone. Labour, Lib Dems, Tories - all still present, all still valid parties.

[Wolfshade]

But then in order of balance and fairness then we should also make sure that the yes campaign isn't an anti Cameron thingy, so why on earth did salmond keep wanting a debate with him?

[Mr Mystery]

Leader of one Parliament discussing with a Leader of another Parliament. Can't imagine why.

See, this is what has swung me from not caring, to wanting a Yes. Hollow promises.

Cameron (for understandable reasons) has largely distanced himself from this campaign. Rock and Hard Place politically speaking, but hey, nobody said being PM would be easy.

And now all these promises are being made, seemingly under duress given they were off the table entirely when the date was set. But there's nothing there to back them up, just a sort of ropey pledge to give more. Except it has to pass in Parliament (and you know, rightly so) and it's incredibly unlikely to do so.

Cameron right now is the figurehead of Westminster, and has acted distant and aloof, and in some cases has displayed astounding arrogance in his approach, so sure of a No result. He represents all that many Scots want to see put to an end in politics. It's not so much the man himself, or even the party he belongs to, but the institution he represents.

Westminster is the veritable Nine Bob Note. It's corrupt, inefficient and entirely self serving. It plays very dirty politics, and is seemingly filled with overgrown children.

[Wolfshade]

A debate between the head of the Yes campaign vs not the head of the no campagin, makes perfect sense.

- - - Updated - - -

Next we will have a debate with the SoS for Health vs the Shadow Cabient minsiter for education on the Ebola crisis...

[Mr Mystery]

Which just asks the question - why did the incumbent party not head up the No campaign? They agreed to the referendum.

Dirty, finger pointing politics is the answer to that one.

Yes Salmond has a perfect storm going on. Not only a Tory party in power, but one in by the skin of it's teeth, and pretty far from popular anywhere. But it's about more than just the Tory party. It's about a distant seeming Westminster overall.

[Denzark]

However, if Westminster get their No, and then turn their back on the promised additonal powers? That's a very, very different kettle of fish.

Don't forget that 'Westminster' has not promised additional powers - the 3 party leaders have. No matter how much anyone tries to Those weren't manifesto promises, they were not even raised at last party conference and they have not been subjected to informed debate in parliament. You cannot call them with any degree of certainty, 'Westminster promises'.

Admittedly, whether or not the party leaders think they can use this as an escape clause is a different matter - actually I think it more likely that they are arrogant enugh tothik they can bully it through by use of whips, than they can go back after a no and say 'sorry about the 'Vow' Jockanese chaps, but the English/N Irish/Welsh MPS voted against it.'

Westminster is the veritable Nine Bob Note. It's corrupt, inefficient and entirely self serving. It plays very dirty politics, and is seemingly filled with overgrown children.

No more than Holyrood - dirty politics, self serving, overgrown children.

Also, how self serving is it when it maintains the NHS when all good business sense is to privatise? The NH is unsustainable as a business model. Also how self serving is it to agree to have 1.2% of GDP as international aid?

[Mr Mystery]

Snouts in troughs dude. Special interests. Scotland has at least a chance here to rejig that.

As I mentioned on Facebook earlier - best reason to vote Yes today? Rupert Murdoch's Evil Empire aren't backing it. CLOBBER HIM WITH VOTES!

[eldargal]

SNP will morph into Scotlands Tories, if independence happens they will have too much political presence and legitimacy to just dissapear. They will be on top and want to keep themselves their as well as feather their own nests.

[Mr Mystery]

I honestly don't know.

But if Independence is delivered, then many peeps would switch back to the more traditional parties.

[Psychosplodge]

I honestly don't know.

But if Independence is delivered, then many peeps would switch back to the more traditional parties.

I sincerely doubt that. There's no way they'll just walk away and give up power.
Some of the stated aims of independence are the SNP manifesto, trident removal for example.