Scottish independence referendum...

For my blip today I am simply going to copy a status that a put on my Facebook earlier today (warning it is a little lengthy). The reason I'm using this status as my blip as well is that the status basically got no reaction, and I'm keen to see what sort of reactions that this gets, from both sides of the debate.

This isn't meant to cause offence or stoke any fires, as I'm aware there could be dozens of different opinions and view points. I'd just be interested to hear the wider opinion, and get a general consensus. As I mention very early on in the following passage, I'm far from totally clued up on this topic, and am going purely on what I have read and heard, so apologies if any of it is incorrect, out of context, or just plain b.... well, you know.

So hear you go:


I'm not totally clued up on the whole Scottish independence referendum, as I've not followed it too closely at all. I have read a little about it this morning however, after seeing in the news the SNP's proposal for retention of the pound and the creation of a "sterling-zone."

Now personally, I would prefer to see Scotland remain part of the Union, however, if the majority of Scottish people feel otherwise, then I see no reason why they shouldn't get the independence that they'd be voting in favour for.

What I can't understand is the SNP's repeat argument about a country's "right to self-determination" while desperately trying to cling on to the parts of the Union that they think are beneficial to them, like the pound.
Surely independence is exactly what it says on the tin; you're either totally self-governed, sorting your own health care, pensions, prescriptions, tax, defence, economy, currency and so on & so forth, or you're not.

One of the major SNP arguments for Scottish independence is that they don't want Nuclear weapons based in Scotland (trident nuclear defence subs currently based in the Firth of Clyde), and want the right to say "no" to them being there. But are they saying that they still want to remain part of the armed forces that this defence system makes up a part of, and that they'd be happy for them to continue to provide a deterrent to the whole of the British Isles, which is what they would be doing, regardless of where they're based. Personally I couldn't give a toss where we based them, and would gladly have them down the road from me, as I believe a nuclear deterrent is still relevant, even though the days of the Cold War are long since over, as the recent issues with N.Korea highlight, in my view.

As I say, I have no problem with Scotland gaining independence if that is truly what the people of Scotland want, and would hope that if that is what happens that we would continue to have a long and positive history as neighbours and friends - but I also believe that independence should mean exactly that.

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Thanks for reading. I look forward to hearing your comments.

Dan.