Comments on: The Edinburgh Agreement

By: An Duine Gruamach

An Duine Gruamach — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:37:58 +0000

Calvinism in this country is a non-conformist tradition, no?

By: An Duine Gruamach

An Duine Gruamach — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:18:19 +0000

That’s exactly what’s so interesting about Yes Scotland – it has exactly that structure, as well as the local groups.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:07:09 +0000

Type your comment here

Jeff: Sorry to accuse you of being a Labour supporter there Chris, my apologies.

I am a Labour supporter, a party member too, but not an uncritical one.

By: Alex Buchan

Alex Buchan — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:23:05 +0000

An unexpected example of cringe was seen on TV screens a couple of weeks ago when Artur Mas the Catalan President faced the press after his decision to push for a referendum on independence and felt the need to say we haven’t lost our sanity we just want to be a state like any other. When Bart De Wever, the leader of the Flemish independence party, was interviewed two days ago about the similarities with his breakthrough and what is happening in Scotland and Catalonia he honed in on this exact point. There are no similarities, he said, because we’re not a minority, in other words we’ve nothing to prove.

To claim Scotland rationally decided these last 40 years to give up on the chance of using oil and gas reserves to fundamentally address Scotland’s many chronic issues is facile. Many issues come into play in voter behaviour; their self-identification and sense of what they can realistically achieve as a society is widely acknowledged as one, and not just in Scotland. It is often commented on that a win for the English Football Team will have knock on effects in elections. The Olympics are being touted as the thing that’s going to swing it for the no campaign. All of these are all to do with self-image and feelings of pride or otherwise in one’s country. Regaining self-belief is one of the most enduring features in national histories, from the example of Joan of Arc onwards.

By: First Scottish

First Scottish — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:08:30 +0000

Do I throw away this ‘British bugle’ or keep as a future antique?
Saw this photo by someone at Flickr and says a lot -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyberparas/7757705704/in/photostream/

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 07:29:29 +0000

Surely ‘mistake you for’ is preferable to ‘accuse you of’?

By: Braco

Braco — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 19:16:17 +0000

Sorry to accuse you of being a Labour supporter there Chris, my apologies.

By: Allan

Allan — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:10:58 +0000

“Jeff – where your arguement falls down is that Scotland just does not do big public demonstrations for change, we just quietly go out their and vote for it in the ballot booth”

Might be wrong here, but wasn’t there a big demonstration in George Square in the aftermath of the 1992 Westminster Election and the election of yet another right wing English Nationalist government…

By: Juteman

Juteman — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:09:25 +0000

I don’t know why folk are worrying.
We’re not a demonstrative people.
At that moment in time when faced by Yes or No in the ballot box, the Scottish spirit will always say Yes!

By: Braco

Braco — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:05:16 +0000

Well as per my last post, ‘irrelevant theory’ on the constitution among the politicos will not turn into a practical and useful analytical thought among the general non politically obsessed electorate until general acceptance that a decision is imminent. This is what the nationalists are waiting ‘to turn up’ (a well considered and informed debate with a fixed decision date). It will be at this point that I believe the opinion polls may become relevant. On your other points. Westminster and it’s political makeup had no impact on the SNPs lack of holding a referendum. Holyrood mathematics, as I am sure you are aware, made the passing of a referendum bill impossible. As soon as a majority had been gained, hey presto, the SNP have produced a referendum.
On Labour’s record of producing the Scots parliament after referendum. Where are you counting from, because I seem to remember them reneging on its formation back in 1978, so that would add another 19 years to your ‘under 6 months of being elected’ figure. Don’t take my opinion on this but rather John Smith’s when he called the formation of a Scots parliament ‘unfinished business’. I am surprised that you as a Labour supporter, who I assume agrees that the independence referendum will be the most important decision facing Scotland in living memory, begrudges the electorate two years to mull over the various implications before coming to a decision. After all your own party has set up a far simpler committee to look into the much more limited proposal of modifying the existing devolution settlement and it isn’t due to report it’s findings until after 2014. That is longer than 2 years. But Chris, something tells me that we are just not going to see eye to eye on this one so luckily it will be out of both our hands after the Scots electorate have spoken. I hope that makes you feel as confident as it makes me. The bets are on the table. (smilywinkyface).