RuamRudy

I certainly hope that David Davis or Liz Truss aren't going to be advising. Edit: I should add that I don't see brexit as being a good example of how trade negotiations generally go. Brexit was borne of a sense of exceptionalism and arrogance. An independent Scotland will, I hope, play a far more conciliatory role in the world.

Regarding the debt, I would expect to see a full and forensic breakdown of how it was accrued. Currently we only have the Tories' word for its value - is there a less honest crowd in politics? I don't think so. As for trade agreements, I imagine that from the day of the vote to the day of legal separation there will be time for an independent Scotland to develop its own trade deals. A lot of work is already ongoing in terms of international relations, and Scotland has an Incredible amount of goodwill around the world at a very high level. I believe that we will be able to negotiate fair and reasonable trade agreements such that they can be implemented from day 1.

You never answered my questions on this yesterday - do you think English companies would willingly stop trading with Scotland? Where will you get your energy from? But the end of the decade you are going to have a fresh water deficit. How will you deal with that? Your hubris is nothing more than hot air. Practicalities on both sides will see compromise and cooperation.

Scotland doesn't have any debt.

If we are talking about statements made, Gordon Brown, on behalf of the No parties, stated that if we rejected independence there would be an immediate transfer of powers and that the UK would move as close to federalism as possible. That's just one of the many broken promises made. Cameron pleaded, "don't leave us, lead us". So if the UK government follow through with their promises, maybe we Scots can consider the 'once in a generation' thing too.

Trust doesn't come into it, not that I particularly care if you have trust in Scots. You trust or otherwise is irrelevant. If we lost the second referendum of course I would demand a third. Political beliefs are not based upon their acceptance by others. It's simply naive to suggest otherwise.

There we go - the true state of mind of so many "we gave the Scots a referendum". Clearly this is not a union of equals nor a voluntary union: We (i.e. the English) gave the Scots a referendum. We won't give them another.

Here's the thing - in both Holyrood and Westminster we have elected a majority of representatives who expressly campaigned upon that very issue. They have a democratic mandate which is being blocked by MPs from another country. If we were a democracy we would have referenda as often as the electorate wished to have them. Scottish voters have made their desire clear. English MPs are saying no.

The Express? Sigh...

But you see this thread is full of: 1) accusations of independence supporters being anti English with nothing to back that up; 2) posts which are genuinely anti Scottish. Personally, I am sick of the hypocrisy of those who claim Indy Scots are anti English yet their posts reek of anti Scottish sentiment.

I wouldn't be so self congratulatory if I were you. The 2014 vote was less of an endorsement of our relationship with England and more a fear of the unknown. Most people recognise that the Union is corrupt and has served Scotland badly since day 1. We just need to spell out the case for independence better - and thankfully the last 8 years of Tory incompetence and corruption plus the disaster of brexit has helped on that front.

Why? Are the English anti-Scottish?

We do have a currency - the pound sterling. It belongs to the UK, which will cease to exist if we depart it. But who do you think sets our monetary policy now? Do you think that Threadneedle St's current thinking has much of a Scottish slant, and that independence will see a radical change? That said, I think I would prefer we went full tilt towards the euro - a bit of stability would be preferable to remaining hitched to a sinking ship. But you never addressed a single point I raised - mainly how would England replace the loss of trade you insist will occur.

Which racist nationalists are you referring to? Can you have them? As someone who has supported independence my entire adult life, are you including me in that category? Why do you think that independence means no trade between Scotland and England? Where will those English companies which do significant trade with Scotland find alternative customers? What about the current net transfer of commodities such as hydrocarbons and electricity? How would England replace those? And water? England is already experiencing increased drought events and expected to require to import water within the decade. If you don't want to buy it from your nearest neighbour, you better get those divining rods out.

Sauce for the goose? Scotland isn't the EU - and the EU did not receive 90ish% of the UK income and return what it saw fit.

What great deal is that? We are obliged to give the majority of our income to the country next door and they subsequently decide how much to return to us, and how much extra to charge us for the pleasure of being governed by them. Doesn't seem that great to me.

Somewhat patronising to suggest that half the voters in Scotland are unable to ascertain the effects of their vote, don't you think? Or do you have a unique insight alien to us Scots?

Sorry, beer o'clock here. Are you sure that oil in the North Sea belongs to Shetland?

Are you are about that?

I read somewhere that Islay generated more revenue for the Exchequer than Birmingham. Maybe a bit tongue in cheek but not far from the truth. https://manufacturingdigital.com/lean-manufacturing/uk-generates-more-revenue-scotch-whisky-it-does-shipbuilding

The problem with the UK in general and England in particular is that we don't really produce anything that the rest of the world wants. The UK has become a rentier economy - not a good place to be when the world is in recession.

If I had made a similar point but with the roles reversed I would, quite rightly, be called anti English. You are genuinely anti Scottish.

The talks will come after independence has been won.

Sunak just counted on an £80 billion windfall from North Sea oil so we aren't as poor as some suggest. Reminds me of a joke - geologists are perplexed as the size of North Sea oil reserves grow and shrink in direct relation to the strength of feeling towards independence.

Yes, a democratic outrage, but the representatives of the country next door are going to deny the mandate handed to our representatives. That's going to go down well. To be honest, the SC ruling was a forgone conclusion. What it does, however, is amplify (as if that was actually necessary) how Scotland has no say in the direction of the UK. With northern Irish support for the Union dwindling by the day (majority support,I believe, for reunification) and Wales equally realising that the UK doesn't work in their favour either, it's not only the Scots who need to do all the heavy lifting. A 3 pronged will be much more effective. And don't discount the forces from within. The English independence movement may be small but it's growing, and it's fostering ties with it's Scottish and Welsh brethren. Together, we can end the Union, I am sure.