Some thoughts and a lot of facts concerning the State of the Nation

[virtuella]

For the benefit, mainly, of those outside the UK who may be bewildered about what’s going on. Or for those among my local acquaintance who don’t know my stance yet and were perhaps wondering. I have tried hard to avoid hyperbole and sarcasm, so the text is less entertaining than it could be, but more accurate. Links to all sources at the end.

Comments

[lindahoyland]

Great to see you posting here again. It made me really angry to see other countries and English politicians telling Scotland what to do.

[virtuella]

It made me angry to hear constantly (in whatever polite guise) that we aren't good enough to look after our own country.

[curiouswombat]

Thank you for this - good to see you.

I was a neutral as I have no representation in any UK government/assembly/whatever.

But my Celtic heart would have wanted a Yes vote whereas I really don't think, from outside, that Alex Salmond gave good answers to many of the questions he was asked - it seemed as if he was retreating into 'He's lying!' as his answer to everything, rather like a school boy, and this would have made my head want to tick the 'No' box if I had had a vote.

I really do think devo-max would have been the best option, and it should have been on the ballot paper as Alex Salmond wanted, for the Westminster politicians are a very slippery lot and I fear that they will try to wriggle out of their promises now.

[virtuella]

Where DO you live, Wombat? Isle of Man?

I think Salmond made a big mistake not to be upfront about the challenges. I think the problems would have been difficult, but not insurmountable, and ultimately it would have been worth it.

[curiouswombat]

Where DO you live, Wombat? Isle of Man?Yes. And we have never been represented in Westminster or been part of the United Kingdom

[virtuella]

Well, we've started to consider our options in case the 2017 referendum forces us out of the EU. We're thinking of Germany or the Republic of Ireland. But what's life like on the Isle of Man? Mind you, that's not really solving our problems either, because you're still part of Britain in a way, aren't you?

[clodia_metelli]

Oh well, I hope we get a vote on this side of the border as well next time. It has been quite frustrating: all of the sound and fire of a campaign, and none of the catharsis of actually casting a vote at the end of it.