Did Salmond Actually Think It Through?

[youngmafbog]

So what was Salmond smoking when he thought he could automatically keep the pound and stay in the EU? for many of us it was the immediate question but he seems to have assumed from the start a status quo.

I still dont see how Scotland can have full independance with the pound and I also can't see the point of fighting for independance only to sign up to the EU Masters to become a slave of Germany.

I like this quote:
However, the Chancellor will have to wake up to the fact that he cannot lay claim to assets to which Scotland has a share - such as the Bank of England

Err - Back of England Salmond - the clue is in the name, it is not the Bank of Britain!

And if the assets are shared then surely the vote in/out should be for the whole of the UK since they are directly affected?

And from Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the EU's ruling body, the European Commission: "Scottish membership would be extremely difficult, if not impossible". With the likes of Spain struggling with separatists is id highly unlikely Scotland would get an easy ride.

I'm still backing Salmond for a Yes vote though.

[emmie]

the Darien scheme was an abject failure -

The failure of the Darien colonization project has been cited as one of the motivations for the 1707 Acts of Union.
According to this argument, the Scottish establishment realised that it could never be a major power on its own and that if it wanted to share the benefits of England's international trade and the growth of the English Empire, then its future would have to lie in unity with England. More so, Scotland's nobles were almost bankrupted by the Darien fiasco.

Some Scottish nobility petitioned Westminster to wipe out the Scottish national debt and stabilise the currency. The first request was not met though the second was and a Scottish Pound was given the fixed value of a shilling. Personal Scottish financial interests were also involved. Scottish commissioners had invested heavily in the Darien project and they believed that they would receive compensation for their losses. The 1707 Acts of Union, Article 14, granted £398,085 10s sterling to Scotland to offset future liability towards the English national debt.

[jomifl]

Swimmng as he is in a small pond wee'ecks feet are barely touching the bottom. I really do fear for him in an ocean populated by more than a few newts.

[emmie]

i give you that it does say almost bankrupted, but it must have cost them dear to go cap in hand.

[jomifl]

Just saw Nicola Sturgeon avoiding answering questions in the Scottish parliament. She is deluded as wee'eck.. The pair of them seem to think that what they want to happen will happen, as if the rest of the UK had no say in the matter. Not the kind of people who should be running a country.

[emmie]

i have watched her on numerous occasions talking about this, if wishing made it so,

[Wharton]

Drifting from the question somewhat, but inspired by the very first answer by Gromit where Malta and Scotland are mentioned in the same sentence - under Europe's Common Agriculture Policy Malta will receive 640 euros per hectare (the highest in Europe) and Scotland's allocation will be 128 euros per hectare (the lowest in Europe). Malta negotiated on its own and Scotland had Westminster arguing its case.

Drifting even further from the question, may I suggest that those of you ascribing insulting sobriquets to Alex Salmond are embarrassing and demeaning yourselves.

[jomifl]

Malta is a wee bit smaller than Scotland.

/those of you ascribing insulting sobriquets to Alex Salmond are embarrassing and demeaning yourselves./
such as 'bampot.'? ...pot kettle black?

[Wharton]

A Maltese hectare is exactly the same size as a Scottish hectare, and if Alex Salmond called you a bampot, I'll have a wee word with him.

[jomifl]

Wharton, could you elaborate on the subsidies, eg who exactly gets them, why, what for and how? Perhas the difference is due to Maltese land not being of such high agricultural potential as that of Scotland.

[joggerjayne]

I think we should just say fine, and let the SNP have Scottish independence for five years.

But without the Pound, obviously. You can't opt in for the GBP if you are opting out of GB.

Then, after five years, they can come back, but only on humiliating terms.

Like Alex Salmond has to attend the opening of Parliament with a lamp shade on his head.

[jomifl]

jj, I think the guy who designed the dome is on the job of designing the lamp shade even now :-)

[bibblebub]

bet they didn't take into consideration that independence means that they'll have to pre-qualify for the Eurovision Song Contest

[joggerjayne]

jomifl ... perfect!

Ahh, bibble ... that could be the clincher in any referendum.

[Wharton]

It's not really worth replying to these last few stupid comments but I thought I might as well have the last word :-)