I love the highlands of Scotland, and I will be sad if they are removed from The UK, (politically rather than physically).
I have the best of memories of the Scots I have met over the years including members of the KOSB regiment I was, improbable as it may seem, billeted with for a time while in the RAF.
I also had the priveledge of Serving there for a time.
So, I'm Pro Scots and Scotland.
However I distrust all true fanatics. (The term FAN is applied to followers of Football Clubs or indeed any other sport or entertainment and doesn't seem to me to be the same thing).
Rather it is the Political Fanatics that worry me most.
Which brings me to Mrs Sturgeon from the north, and who knows our region well from childhoods visits to her Granny in Pallion.
Her Crusade for 'independance' has it seems taken over her life.
The last vote was supposed to be the last one for a generation.
But as soon as her view was rejected, she was itching for another go.
And I'm guessing that she will continue to campaign, irrespective of how many times the vote goes against her, until she gets a YES.
Then, no matter what polls may say, she will never agree to another vote.
I can not help but wonder WHY , when devolution gives control to the Scottish Parliament over much of the policies that are relevant to the daily lives of her electorate,
She claims that rule from London is intolerable. Too far away.
She claims to want to re-join The EU.
Rule from Brussels which is even further away.
But much would need to change with the EU before they could agree to accepting Scotland.
For a start ALL members must agree.
Will Spain agree to a precedent that might/would be used against them by their Catalonian population.
Answers on a postcard please!!!
Then there is the Economy.
At present the rest of UK subsidises Scotland.
This enables them to run a very 'Social' system, by far the best in UK in terms of youth at one end with frre University places and at the other end free care for the elderly.
EU Rules would require a period of austerity and it's hard to imagine these surviving in the highly unlikely case of their being admitted.
They do of course have OIL.
But thats not the asset it once was.
Oil Companies are diversifying into renewable energy sources.
Before the last Referendum One of the leading SNP lights was quoted as claiming that come Independence, Scotland would have strong Finances because, 'We will squeeze the Oil Companies till their pips squeak'.
Following that election the oil price fell through the floor and the Oil Companies paid very little to the treasury.
Had they been Independent and relying on oil irevenues they would have been broke.
Lets get up to date.
Could an Independent Scotland have coped with Covid?
The vast amounts that have been needed, so far, to keep people going.
Well, IF their credit rating was good enough, they too could have borrowed cheaply.
If their credit rating was poor, it would have been a struggle.
There are more questions but they all come down to cash.
Pensions for Civil Servants.
Armed Services, what allocation.
Share of National Debt to be taken on.
Feel free to expand this list.
If we come to the rather hilarious spat with the former leader, Mr Salmond it now seems as if Mr S has a point.
The SNP have tried very hard to keep files that should have been published, under wraps.
After being forced to release them they show that what Mr S claimed was true.
And now The Investigating Commitee has come out against her.
At best this was clumsy and inept by the SNP.
An election due.
Interesting.