From Brexit to Scexit

A Bespoke Deal for a Scottish Brexit. A tactical argument.

I wish I could draw graphs…or flow charts…as I think it might help clarify my argument on a Scottish Brexit Deal being the probable way forward – but I’ll try to set it out verbally step by step.

Right now, with everything still up in the air, we still need to oppose the UK leaving the EU by whatever means. A Westminster vote to remain, a UK wide “People’s Vote” with remaining as an option. IF/WHEN these both fail…

Put forward a specific Scottish Brexit plan…more or less the Norway option…with the aim being to deliver what the Scottish Parliament agreed on…and has NEVER rescinded, Scotland staying in the single market… by itself if necessary.

(It is of no small significance that a bespoke deal for Northern Ireland is well within the bounds of possibility, and if the DUP were less important to the Tories numerically, it would almost certainly have happened by now.)

If the case is made for this by the SNP and the wider Yes movement, it will…or should… get the support of Remainers…it will look rational by contrast with Boris and Co and it will not scare off 2014 NO voters…because Independence will not be on the agenda.

Indpendence will not be the prefix to every argument. It will be the conclusion. And that is the right way round.

In the course of this autumn and winter, we will either get an exit deal on Brexit agreed by the UK government or we won’t. In neither scenario will any attention necessarily get paid to a specifically Scottish demand. This is not a reason not to make that demand. Loudly and repeatedly. And to stick with it.

Why? Because an exit deal for March 2019 is not the end of the story. In March, in theory, we enter into a transition period which ENDS in a new relationship between the EU and UK in 2021. Our argument is that at the END of this transition period that Scotland insists on a deal that keeps us in the single market.

Even now, even after March, it is theoretically possible that the UK will see that kind of sense, but it’s very unlikely. In practice, that would probably need to be a bespoke, specifically Scottish deal. Again, our sticking to the pragmatic outcome would be politically very strong.

Even if the dreaded “No Deal” happens, there would in practice need to be SOME deal. This is what the Rees Moggs and assorted loonies are shooting for. It is absolutely no more unrealistic for Scotland to shoot for a Single Market deal at the same time.

So…this time in 2019, the Scottish electorate would have a continuing mess of screaming that will constitute Full English Brexit…and, by contrast, a calm, pragmatic ambition which the Scottish political parties would find it difficult not to support. Because it wouldn’t have an IndyRef label stuck all over it.

The fact that Independence is almost certainly the only way for Scotland to maintain a healthy relationship with Europe would then be demonstrated rather than merely asserted.

Once again, Independence would be the conclusion not the predicate. And that makes conversation possible with those who voted No in 2014.

In summary, I think that through any imaginable set of circumstances…and an awful lot that can’t be foreseen yet, a stated position right now that Scotland will only accept a Single Market Deal at the End of Transition, is far and away the strongest card we can play. And keep playing.

Comments (34)

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  1. Robbie says:

    Agree with you all the way on both your articles, seems too me Moggs ,n co are in a battle for themselves and their lot ,and will impact heavily on the “underlings “ in the rest of the U K.

  2. Welsh Sion says:

    My tale of Brexit …

    59. (of 60.)

    Four men in a nightclub

    George, Dai, Jock and Mick/Mike were work colleagues at Yookay Ltd. and shared the same building. George and Dai tended to work close together (despite Dai not really enjoying such a set up), whilst Jock and Mick/Mike had a little more autonomy within their own offices. George tended to think of himself as being the most important member of their group – the Team Leader or the David Brent, if you like. Consequently, and in the nature of office politics at Yookay Ltd., he tried to control the work practices of Dai, Jock and Mick/Mike; a habit the other three had long grown tired of. Well, although I say the other three had long grown tired of George’s domineering persona, they had not however, as yet, taken the final step of breaking up their partnership with him.

    George then considered himself the leader of their section and tended to exert his influence even outside the offices of Yookay Ltd. Dai was of the type not to upset the apple cart and tended to keep moody silences; keeping his head down and getting on with his projects. Jock however was rather more vocal and would often raise his voice against George’s “unwarranted meddling.” Mick/Mike’s was a more special case. You see, he suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder. On some days, the Mick personality was dominant and, after having had a bitter row with George, he would seek reassurances from his half-brother, Paddy; an ex-employee of Yookay Ltd., but who was now working successfully for himself. At other times, the Mike personality would pledge undying loyalty to George and the set up at Yookay Ltd., and not a cross word would be exchanged between him and his colleague. In such a way, the colleagues of Yookay Ltd. rubbed along, and the company itself limped on from financial quarter to financial quarter.

    Now, one evening, the four colleagues had gone to the Europa nightclub together. What George had seen in going there in the first place was rather a mystery. You will have already have gathered that George was not very much a team player or a social animal. His attitude at the nightclub confirmed all this. The music was too loud. Or it was not to his taste. The lights were too bright. The guests were performing ‘obscene’ movements as they gyrated on the dance floor. The drinks from the bar were some imported, fancy stuff – not like the warm beer he preferred in the Farage Arms pub back home. And the cost of entry! Goodness gracious! It was so exorbitant – and that for facilities he didn’t like one bit: he was minded to ask for a personal rebate.

    It was then that George announced, “We’re going home.”

    Now, it’s one thing to say that you don’t like a party and that you’re leaving. But, don’t you think it was a bit presumptuous of George to actually say “we” and including Dai, Jock and Mick/Mike in the equation and without making sure with them first? That wasn’t George’s way though. At work, as we have seen, he was known for throwing his weight about and getting his own way. In a similar fashion, he thought he could bully his colleagues into his ways of thinking outside Yookay Ltd.’s offices, too.

    “We’re going home?” Jock retorted scornfully, emphasising the “we.” “And who do you think you are telling us that “we” are the ones going home from this great nightclub?”

    “I saw you flirting with that dark-haired girl over there in the corner,” said George. “Positively unseemly. Not the conduct we’d expect from an employee of Yookay Ltd.”

    “You mean Frances,” Jock replied. He grinned. “Frances was an ex of mine and we lost touch when I started working for Yookay Ltd. We were very close. We even had an old alliance to be married. I was getting re-acquainted.” The grin disappeared and was replaced by a grimace. “Until your ham-fisted approach broke up our relationship,” Jock added bitterly.

    “Why you ungrateful little creep! I’ve given you more than enough support at Yookay Ltd.! What more could you ask for?” George was shouting.

    “What more could I ask for?” Jock repeated. “Why, you could let me make up my own decisions on projects at work. You could stop looking down on me and telling me what to do all the time. And you’re not telling me that just because this Europa nightclub is not doing the things you want, that we have to leave.” Jock’s resentments over the years were boiling over. “In fact, George, I’ve had enough of you and your bullying over the years – I’m leaving you!” he shouted.

    “He’s right, you know,” mumbled Dai. But people rarely listened to him on account of his soft voice and his lack of self-confidence. It would have taken much more of an effort on his part to sound off in the same way as Jock had done.

    “Shut it!” George roared at Dai, in typical Eastenders fashion. “You told me before you wanted to leave. You’re in this with me! You know your future lies under my stewardship at Yookay Ltd. Think how stupid Jock would be throwing in his lot with this bunch of strangers, and an ex he hasn’t spoken to in years. He wouldn’t last a year with any of them – and away from us at Yookay Ltd.”

    Dai said nothing and looked down at his shoes.

    “You’re wrong, George,” Mick said softly. “My half-brother, Paddy has been coming to this Europa nightclub now for years. And he’s enjoyed the internationalism of it immensely. No more ructions with you at Yookay Ltd. He’s now free to do his own thing and make his own friends. He has a place in the world – he knows it and his friends know it. He’s a happy man. And I want to join him in that happiness.”

    “Another traitor!” George bawled. “Such ingratitude! To be honest with you, when you were in your Mike phases, I tended to over-indulge you. And this is how you repay me! Well, good riddance! I can do without the lot of you! I’m going home – and to hell with this poxy nightclub. I never wanted to come here in the first place. Come on, Dai!”

    “See you,” chorused Jock and Mick, grinning at George.

    “We should have left you and Yookay Ltd. long ago. We’re going to stay and enjoy the party atmosphere here at the Europa,” Jock added defiantly. “Too bad you can’t stay!”

    George stormed out, muttering threats against Jock and Mick under his breath.

    Dai stood on the threshold, a confused look on his face. He was less sure of where his destiny lay.
    _____

    Parables for the New Politics
    2012-2018

    1. Justin Kenrick says:

      Like it! Thanks

  3. Alan Martin says:

    Now that’s a smart move.
    And is wholly rational, I mean, what would be an argument against staying in the single market?

  4. Jamsie says:

    This seems to assume that you can fool some or even all of the people some of the time……
    “Let’s all jump on the single market option and not mention Indy”
    “Nobody will notice that the real objective is Indy, they are all too thick”.
    Wee Nicola has been unable to make any headway on her so called mandate to date because it has no credible basis.
    The argument that somehow entry into the single market gives support to the cause is frankly laughable.

    1. Peter Arnott says:

      The real objective is the Single Market.

      1. Jamsie says:

        “Once again etc”
        Not really convinced but hey.
        I have no issues with your assertions.
        The electorate are not that stupid.
        Making a drama out of crisis might be your strongpoint.
        And take this as a compliment – mendacity is not.

        1. Me Bungo Pony says:

          You’re right J*msie. Mendacity isn’t an Indie strong point. It’s a unionist strong point, and don’t they just keep on using it?

          1. Jamsie says:

            Horse erse
            Do you ever really look at the truth which is out there?
            The SNP are incompetent in government and continually fail to meet even their own expectations.
            They have peaked and are on the way down just like support for Indy.
            Continually winging on about false mandates when the electorate are firmly stuck on both the prospect of another referendum or Indy itself comes from the self delusional state of mind which is plainly mendacious.
            The next elections will be very telling.
            Given there will be no referendum before that and we will be out of the EU what do you think will happen?
            The split is growing apace.
            There is no way to stop it.
            It is never a good idea to rely on transient support which has been gained by the creation of division.
            When the promises are not delivered the resentment becomes even more destructive.

          2. Justin Kenrick says:

            I have been hearing that the SNP are finished for so many years, yet those saying so fail to ask themselves why their desperately hoped for assertion never seems to come to pass?

            Either it’s because the SNP have a staying power the parties opposing them cannot muster, or they’re in tune with a direction of travel far deeper than political parties including themselves.

          3. Me Bungo Pony says:

            J*msie, if you don’t know the meaning of a word, dont use it. You run the risk of making a fool of yourself otherwise. As you have done here. Your post above is an absolute master-class in mendacity. Like I’ve said before, your every post is pure gold for the indie movement. They illustrate perfectly the desperate “mendacity” and wishful thinking at the heart of an increasingly hysterical unionist campaign.

          4. Jamsie says:

            Are you dissembling and being untruthful again?
            I think it is you who chooses not understand the meaning of the word.
            Hey ho

          5. Me Bungo Pony says:

            Okay J*msie, let’s do the “is J*msie credible” test using your last lengthy, maniacal post. I will pass a J*msie Verdict (JV)on each point.

            (1)
            “The SNP are incompetent in Govt”
            Public services in Scotland on almost all counts are outperforming every other UK nation by some margin.

            In the Police, despite the concentration by Unionists on shenanigans at the very top tier, police numbers have remained relatively steady and are far higher per head of popIn (PHP) than anywhere else in the UK. In England and Wales police numbers have fallen by over 20,000 since 2010 while those in Scotland have risen by about 3,000 since the SNP came to power. In that time, crime has fallen to an all-time low.

            In Health, the Scottish NHS out performs its counterparts in the UK on almost everything. We have the highest paid staffand more nurses, doctors, consultants, mid-wives and GPs PHP than anywhere else in the UK. As a result, we have far lower waiting times than England and Wales, a reduced mortality rate (risen in England since 2014; fallen in Scotland) and a still birth rate far lower than in England and Wales and at Scandinavian levels. Staff vacancies in NHS Scotland are currently 3,369 (only 2%). With 10x the pop in, you’d expect England’s to be around 34,000; it isn t, it’s over 107,000. So again, Scotland is streets ahead. There are very few areas where the Scottish NHS lags behind their counterparts elsewhere in the UK which is why the Nuffield Trust published their document “Learning from Scotland’s NHS” to indicate how the NHS services in the rest of the UK could benefit from studying it. All of which has led to an 83% approval rating of those who access NHS Scotland.

            As to education, you may have some traction there. But only because the SNP has been lumbered with delivering Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) which was developed under a unionist Scottish Executive (sic) and supported by ALL unionist parties. It was always going to be rocky but even the OECD and PISA schemes see the ultimate benefits in it and expect an upturn in Scotland’s current “ranking” of merely “above average” PISA to “excellent”. Scotland also employs more teachers than England at 13:6 pupil:teacher ratio compared to 17:6 in England. Scottish schools are better staffed and use less supply staff than in England. This has led to an 87% approval rating among parents who have children in Scottish schools.

            As to the underspend, your claims are mendacity gone bonkers. A £500m understand is only about 1.5% of the Scottish Govts (SG) budget. Given that at the time the SG was legally prevented from overspending, and had to estimate expenditure a year in advance, getting it 98.5% correct is a magnificent achievement. It also allows for a contingency in case of emergencies (usually too counteract Westminster austerity policies such as the Bedroom tax) with anything left over being rolled over into the next financial year. Extremely competent govt in most people’s eyes wouldn’t you think?

            JV on “Competency” – Mendacious and Dissembling.

            (2)False Mandates.
            From the SNP manifesto; ” … the Scottish Parliament should have the right to hold another referendum … If there is significant and material change in the circumstances that prevailed in 2014, such as Scotland being taken out of the EU against our will”. The SNP went on to form the Scottish Govt on the back of that manifesto.

            Brexit referendum result;
            Scotland; Remain 62% – Leave 38%
            UK ; Remain 48% – Leave 52%
            Result: Scotland to be taken out of the EU against our will.

            Hence, the SNP have a mandate to call a referendum on Scottish independence with Scottish Parliament approval.

            JV verdict on Mandate – Mendacious and Dissembling.

            (3) SNP are losing support.

            Latest weighted YouGov poll (2016 SP result);
            SNP – 40% (37%)
            Con – 23% (29%)
            Lab – 21% (27%)

            JV on SNP support – Mendacious and Dissembling

            (4) Support for independence

            2014 refendum result:
            YES – 45%
            NO – 55%

            Latest survey if Brexit occurs:
            YES – 52%
            NO – 48%

            JV on independence support – Mendacious and Dissembling.

            (5) SNP split;
            As there is no evidence what-so-ever of such a split bar the warbling of those who deeply, deeply desire it to be true, there has to be a negative verdict here. Certainly, any split, should it ever occur, will be nothing like the scale if the Tory split on Brexit or the Labour split on Corbyn, not to mention the anti-semitism shenanigans.

            JV on SNP split- Mendacious, Dissembling and Wishful Thinking.

            (6) Promise delivery;
            No govt in the history of the UK has either delivered on or, at least, attempted to deliver on more manifesto promises than this 11 year SNP administration. For example, the Scottish Labour manifesto promises of the 1999 and 2003 Scottish elections were barely referenced never mind acted on. But as not EVERY promise was acted upon, I will be kinder here.

            JV on manifesto promises – Wishful Thinking

            Not a good report card I’m afraid J*msie. Facts tend to get in the way of your “mendacious” and dissembling rhetoric. Overall verdict – Must try harder.

          6. Me Bungo Pony says:

            Please excuse the typos but one glaring example are the pupil/teacher ratios. They should read 13.6:1 And 17.6:1. Apologies again.

          7. Me Bungo Pony says:

            Also, the “2016 SP result” should read “2017 Westminster result”. Yet more apologies.

  5. w.b. robertson says:

    like most people that I meet, I am fed up with this hysterical and hilarious Brexit business. I am a Yesser and a Leaver (like a sizeable number of fellow Scots.) Brexit is a huge panic about hee haw, on a par with the pandemonium feared in the hours leading up to the year 2000 when computers were forecast to crash worldwide and planes would fall out the sky. I forecast that one year, or three years, or five years from now, people will notice very little change vis-à-vis Europe. The whole thing will be fudged by the politicians and the Brexit can will be kicked further down the road. If you want to figure what is really happening….Follow the money.

    1. Me Bungo Pony says:

      The money is leaving the UK and heading for Europe. Just ask Rees Mogg, Brexiteer in chief, where his is going.

  6. MBC says:

    We did some canvassing the other day in the heart of Morningside where 80-90% are alleged to have voted Remain, if you believe Ian Murray. The figures for Edinburgh South as a whole were 72%. Sadly, we found Brexit wasn’t an issue on the doorsteps even amongst those who had voted not to leave the EU. Folk expressed exhaustion and bamboozlement. They had just tuned out, in boredom and disbelief, and were just bunkering down trying to pretend nothing much was going to happen as the iceberg prepared to hit the Titanic.

  7. Alf Baird says:

    “those who voted No in 2014”? Yes, those people, of whom at least half were not of Scottish heritage, and who took it upon themselves to block the right of Scots to our own Scottish nationality, Scottish citizenship, and Scottish self-government? How more anti-Scottish can you get? How more racist and xenophobic can you get? And many of the very same people living among us voted to end our EU citizenship, a Scotland historically and culturally far more European than ever British? Why do we pander to these people who treat their host nation, our nation, with such disrespect?

    1. Justin Kenrick says:

      We can be bitter, complaining and lose

      Or we can be welcoming, inclusive and win

      1. Jamsie says:

        JK
        Strange binary options.
        In order to win there have to be mandates in place and a referendum called.
        Then a majority has to vote in favour.
        Something seems to be missing don’t you think?
        And I don’t just mean wee Nicola from our television screens and other media.

  8. Graham Ennis says:

    Everyone is missing the large purple Elephant in the living room. Its called the legal rights of the Scottish Government under EU law. Take a deep breath. The Edinburgh Government has a legal right to exercise a VETO on any deal, in the same way that the other EU regional and devolved Governments have this right. If Sturgeon says noo, then thats it. She has the same power to do so as the Flemish Parliament, etc etc…. this is solid law. So why is this being ignored. Why is Nicola staying silent on this?. A very good question. I detect, after 10 years in power, a certain absorption into the uk political system. A certain caution and a a certain lack of nerve. Sorry to say this.
    Realistically, the Irish Government is going to VETO BREXIT anyway, as they will get defenestrated from the windows of the Dublin Dail if they do not. An enraged Irish population is not a nice thing to see. They are getting very angry. I think Nicola should loudly make it clear that Scotland says No, if a decent settlement is not reached, and will exercise its VETO. She can also demand a separate deal for Scotland, as the Irish are for the North. If the other Parties oppose this, well, you can imagine how that will look. Will she do this?. Sadly, I doubt it. Scotland is about to be dragged over the waterfall, along with the rest of the UK. After that happens, the first thing on the Agenda after BREXIT is going to be the stripping of powers from Holyrood, with an eventual aim of repealing Devo, and restoring direct rule. I kid you not. Does she not see this?…does anyone else?….God help Scotland.

    1. Me Bungo Pony says:

      Regions and independent member states can only veto the deal made between the UK govt and the EU. They cannot prevent an independent member state from leaving the EU. That Is the defining difference between a Scotland under the UK union and an independent Scotland in the EU. In the UK, Scotland has no sovereignty and must ask permission to become an independent state. As an independent member state of the EU, Scotland would have full control of its own sovereignty and how much it chooses to pool with the other independent member states. And, as Brexit has proved, if we chose to take the pooled sovereignty back and leave the EU at a later date, we need no one’s permission to do so.

      1. Jamsie says:

        Eh?
        What planet are you on?
        Scotland is not an independent member of the EU and fails on just about every aspect economically to qualify for membership.
        And as a member of the EU Scotland would not be free to decide how much it chooses to pool with other member states.
        It would be laid down to Scotland as a take it or leave it scenario just the way Brexit negotiations have been.
        Get real!

        1. Me Bungo Pony says:

          That’s your rather worthless opinion J*msie. It has nothing to do with my point on sovereignty and EU membership. Not every member is in every scheme. Not everyone is in the €Euro, not everyone is in Schengen, etc. While any new independent member state would have to sign up to many core aspects of EU membership such as the Customs Union, Single Market and free movement of people, you are not forced to sign up to them all. The idea that, again according to unionists, Scotland would be singled out for particularly heinous treatment is just more fear mongering on their/your part. As to having to take whatever deal was offered on leaving, that may or may not be the case, but that was not my point. The only point I made was that, as sovereignty, though pooled, remained in our own ultimate control, we could not be prevented from leaving – as Brexit has proved. Can’t you at least concede that little point?

          1. Jamsie says:

            https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36656980
            https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-independent-scotland-union-eu-membership-back-queue-jacqueline-minor-european-commission-a7572956.html
            https://metro.co.uk/2016/06/26/scotland-is-told-it-wont-be-able-to-stay-in-the-eu-after-brexit-5967168/
            Your “point” was meaningless.
            The chances of Scotland becoming a member of the EU after Brexit are literally zero.
            What does that do to the so called mandate created “by being pulled out of the EU against our will”?
            Even the GCR tells everyone who cares to read it that Scotland’s economic deficit would prevent membership.
            What part of reality escapes you?
            All of it by the sounds of things.
            Remember if you are attending Hope over Fear in Glasgow on Saturday that baring your erse in a public place is a criminal offence.
            A bit like perjury.
            Will Tommy be the new dear leader?

          2. Me Bungo Pony says:

            I had to laugh at J*msie’s rather pathetic reply to my posts. Not only is he stubbornly refusing to accept the general point on sovereignty and EU membership (while embellishing his hysterical response with standard Project Fear stuff), he then tries to rebut my “facts” drawn from neutral academic and official govt (UK and Scottish) papers with quotes from the biased unionist media! Is that how the unionist campaign intends to counteract the arguments for independence? By making up stories and then quoting them back as “fact”? You couldn’t make it up … but then again … as far as J*msie and his unionist chums are concerned … perhaps you can.

          3. Me Bungo Pony says:

            Having read the hyper-links used by J*msie as “evidence”, I just have to draw attention to their completely pointless inadequacy.

            The two on Scotland not being able to remain in the EU after the UK leaves (one from the BBC and one from the Metro) are the same story from over two years ago. In 2016, after the Brexit referendum, their had been discussion on whether Scotland could continue to be a member of the EU if it voted for independence before the fact of Brexit occurred. It was quickly ascertained that it would not be possible as the EU could not negotiate membership with a constituent part of a member state before it became independent and it would have to apply separately for membership. Two years ago this was accepted by everyone and we all moved on. I say everyone, but clearly not by J*msie who still bizarrely thinks it is a live issue. In this case he is either not very bright or not very truthful. Mendacious even.

            Two things contained in the BBC article J*msie neglected to mention are that the EU official’s state they would be “sympathetic” to an independent Scotland’s application (as we had clearly voted overwhelmingly to Remain and already met virtually all the criteria) and that US bank JP Morgan were already working on the premise Scotland would vote for independence in 2019 and would set up its own currency at the same time. A bit awkward for J*msie there … oops.

            The link to a further EU issue concerns a newly independent Scotland’s place in a non-existent queue for EU membership. The article is from the now defunct Independent. In it, the reporter claims an EU official stated Scotland would go to the back of a queue of countries that included Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia. Typicaly, unionist politicians jumped on the reporter’s words (not the EU official’s) and claimed it as proof Scotland would be at the back of said queue. However, the official said no such thing. She said Scotland would be “added to a list” of countries applying to join. Each member on that list is considered on its own merits and would join the EU as it met the criteria. Scotland is much further down that road (having been in the EU for over 40 years) than any other country on that list. Again, J*msie has either failed to understand this simple concept or is being less than honest with us.

            Meanwhile, all the NHS links lack context. Yes, the Scottish NHS faced problems, but then, so did every NHS organisation in the UK. These articles fail to tell us whether Scotland faired better or worse than them. The facts show NHS Scotland faired far better than the other UK organisations at this time. Pure and simple. What we have been provided with are biased sources, with no context, trying to undermine people’s faith in the Scottish NHS. Something J*msie is very keen on.

            There is no point claiming “It doesn’t matter about the others, only the Scottish figures matter” because that is a deflection. People like J*msie convinced enough of us to vote NO in 2014 thus keeping us within the UK framework. With a Tory Westminster govt we didn’t vote for, obsessing about austerity thus strangling budgets including Barnett, NHS England becomes the base line the devolved countries have to be judged on. NHS Scotland is doing far better than NHS England and that is to the Scottish Govt’s credit. Though, clearly, J*msie will never be able to acknowledge that.

          4. Jamsie says:

            So I guess if you are saying that people accepted that Scotland could not be part of the EU as a result of Brexit then they also accepted that there is no mandate for a further referendum “as a result of being dragged out against our will?”
            But I am curious when did this acceptance take place?
            Sorry but people are much more attuned to reality.
            And no the benchmark for NHS performance is not England or anywhere else.
            It is the promises consistently made and broken this incompetent dishonest administration,
            Robison is now gone but Freeman was left yesterday trying to defend the indefensible.
            And as for education well what can I say.
            If you claim that CfE was not introduced by the SNP in 2010 then you clearly do not exist in the real world.
            Even BC as an Indy supporting site is reporting on absolute failure in implementing promised policies and how wee Nicola and Swinney are prepared to reject public and expert opinion as they cannot ever admit they are wrong and out of touch.
            That is the best advert against Indy I can think of.
            The default is we are part of the UK.
            The majority of the electorate do not feel this should be an issue and would vote against change in a referendum.
            Roll on the next Scottish elections.
            The rotting corpse of so called SNP “government” will be removed and the Scottish Parliament will be returned to how it was intended.
            That is politicians having to develop policies in the interest of the Scottish people as a whole and to reach consensus to implement them rather than the narrow minded division foisted upon us by a party which had lost sight of reality.
            The split is real.
            The Tartan Tories in the rural parts of the country versus the hard left and Irish Catholic republicans in the central belt.
            All very unsavoury arising from the singular desperation of mr and Mrs Sturgeon.
            It has created division unheard of in Scotland and will be swept aside by the electorate who not stand for such division or absolute incompetence.
            People like you who follow unstintingly and cannot see reality will always be about creating noise in the background but it is the economy stupid!
            Get it?
            No probably not eh?

          5. Jamsie says:

            And remember 10.00 Sat for your showing of Braveheart followed by Tommy the convicted perjurer leading off.
            Get yer face painted but keep yer erse covered.
            A new beginning eh?
            Totally swinging.
            Denial will be the new truth.
            Will wee Nicola have the balls to expel the SNP MPs, MSPs and cooncillors taking part for supporting Tommy’s bid for his return?

          6. Me Bungo Pony says:

            I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, get this spittle-flecked, wilfully ignorant, mendacious, unionist drivel from J*msie’s posts out to as large an audience as possible. It is pure gold to the Indy movement.

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