SandyCromarty

International Relations? I wis in Baghdad when you were in yer Dads Bags.

I go as far back in HK as when there was two Chinese Communist stores on the Kowloon side during the cultural revolution, the big buy then was their camphor chests, on the desk next to me I have a first edition of Chairman Mao Quotations which I bought in one of the stores.

Gie yer heed a shake. Too much in the Mormond last night?

As far as I can recall not one Nationalist on here has called for UDI, it has always been suggested by the unionists to create division and argument. I posted an explanation on Catalonia a page back, by some member EU states Catalonia is viewed as a Spanish region not a country, prior to 1707 Scotland was an Independent Sovereign state, it is now a country, recognised as such worldwide, within a UK framework. The EU has repeatedly declared that as far as Catalonia is concerned they will not interfere in Spanish internal affairs. As far as I know Catalonia was never a sovereign nation and initially it was part of the Kingdom of Aragon. However I would back their determination to separate from Spain. Hong Kong is part of China, it was under english colonial rule for around 150 years and was handed back to China in 1997, part of the handing back deal was that China agreed to allow HK another 50 years of capitalism, I've travelled from HK to mainland china by ferry from Kowloon, it is easier for us to visit HK than it is for mainland chinese. As it is part of China the world can only negotiate for a peaceful process anything else would mean all out war, the Crimea is in a similar position though it was overrun by force.

Thanks for that, but why is there a need for another HMRC office when the East Kilbride office has been dealing with Scottish taxes for decades? Is this another attempt by Westminster to impose another UK office establishment in our capital.

NO.

The clear argument is that we have to shake off this attitude of being a lesser/minor partner in this Union and that we have to go cap in hand and tugging forelocks to our masters begging. We have a right to ask for a divorce if the union is not working to our satisfaction. It is a union between two separate countries with our own legal systems and one partner cannot deny another's will.

I missed this, what is it all about??

You're right in that respect, but as I recall the last major number of countries declaring Independence were in Africa back in the sixties where countries achieved Independence from Colonial Rule by various European countries. With these there are two large differences between them and Scotland. One is that the African borders were mostly drawn up under that Colonial Rule where borders did not exist previously and it was then they became defined countries. Secondly Scotland was an Independent Sovereign state and never a Colonial state, ( though some little englanders would like to think so ), centuries before the 1707 Union and now it exists as a recognised country within a UK frameworrk. As such we have every right to declare the UK is no longer in Scotlands interest, citing for example the differences between the two countries with the Brexit vote. Scotland as a Nation has the legitimate and god given right to withdraw and declare Independence. westminster can howl and attempt to deny all they want, but a Union is a condition of two or more equalities and any one can remove itself at any time if the people so desire. It's that fuckin simple.

That is 100% correct and what a lot of people over here will never grasp as they tend to compare US electorate with how the UK electorate respond and vote, you have to have worked with the average American and lived in the USA to get to know a little of their political nous. A clear example of this is how they voted for Trump as President knowing full well he had no political background, was a showman, a virtual fraud and yet because he displayed the air of a billionaire and flew to his rallies in his own plane he ended up President, and you know what there is a possibility that even with all the shite he has thrown around they could re-elect him. If you look back at previous Presidents they have voted in, crooks, B movie failed actors etc etc, you get the picture. And Biden for fucksake, unfuckinbelievable, the man is senile and he's running against a senile psychopath. American politics???????????????????????

Anthony Salamone a Managing Director of a Scottish political analysis firm in Edinburgh and an Honorary Fellow of the Scottish Centre on European Relations, had this to say in a paper to the LSE; 'Scotland’s prospective candidacy for EU membership would be completely novel in two respects. While First, it was previously part of the EU for 47 years. Second, it was a constituent of an EU member state, rather than a member state in its own right. The former would facilitate a faster accession process, the latter would necessitate significant domestic preparations.' So from this academic projection and with the ongoing EU total and angry dissatisfaction with Westminsters Brexit our, as I have said already a few times, acceptance into the EU will be fast tracked.

We are told repeatedly by westminster fools, the print media and posters on here that Scotland is a financial waste pit which costs the UK government far too much. If that is the case then why don't the fuckers lets us go??????? Surely that would be the answer financially for them to cut us loose.

Oh so correct, presently she is the most able and skillful politician within teh UK, as the Blurt finds to her cost on every FMQ's. The tories are well aware of her capabilities and thats why the tory print media fill their headlines with anti Sturgeon venom. Imagine her in a face to face debate with Boris, she'd wipe her arse with the clown.

As I've said already given the EU hostility over Brexit and Boris and his cronies I've no doubt that we would be welcome with open arms and various obstacles could be waived, possibly just to piss off Westminster. As for Spain, presently because of the quarantine against Spain the loss of essential British tourism income, when the pre covid unemployment was running at 14-15%, was a hammer blow much to the Spanish Governments dissatisfaction, (to put it mildly), and that has been aimed at westminster and not so much at Scotland, so possibly we could see positive vibes towards Scotlands EU application from Spain, as I'm sure they won't forget. We are all aware of the Catalonian drive for Independence and Spains opposition to it, but all along the EU has maintained a firm refusal to intervene in Spains internal affairs, there has been discussion among some EU states that Catalonia is a Spanish region and not a sovereign state, Scotland until 1707 was fully recognised as an Independent Sovereign state and then voluntary entered into a union with england, Scotland presently is a nation within the UK framework and there is the distinction between Scotland and Catalonia, and that will be the argument. For sure there are but's and if's but as I have said already Brexit was a Scottish Independence Cause gift.

Well trained security type personnel in interviewing/interrogation techniques have more value and success in most cases and that's without resorting to extreme stress on the interviewee.

Seems like I hit a nerve. And I have spent time in High Wycombe and I do know it for what it is, he's welcome to it. I can hear his kids asking him to try and speak properly Daddy and not embarrass us in front of our top school highly educated chummies.

Ah that would be a surprise if the P&J wasn't a very pro-Union leaning publication. Pal of mine did some work there before and said the political reporters were staunchly Conservative in their viewpoints. The owner of the Press and Journal is DC Thomson. The Thomson family wealth through journalism was put at £1.28 Billion by the Sunday Times Rich List. To me that would not suggest they read the left wing Morning Star on a daily basis but it would indicate they lean in the opposite direction.

As I've said before on another thread what is a cooncil hoose loon from Elgin doing fronting the Scottish tories? his father was a cattleman working for farmers. As for the farming vote in Scotland NFU figures show that 67,000 people are directly involved in Scottish Farming, that doesn't represent a major voting bloc in the overall Scottish voting public of 3.9 million.

And one of the Army engineering regiments based in Kinloss.

Kelly on BBC Radio Scotland this am calling for Leonard to resign, so far another two Labour MSP's have joined. If Leonard goes how many labour leaders have there been in Holyrood. I know there is always bitching in political parties but over the years hasn't there been various attacks on Baillie from within her party, some even calling her a liar. At 14% support for labour within Scotland I doubt any new leader could revive their political fortunes.

He lives in Buckinghamshire which has many areas of social deprivation, High Wycombe a prime example and an absolute shithole, I would suggest his unionist postings is really the reverse of what he really means to convey in that he would love a return to his country of birth and to be able to converse with his own people, sad really.

It's a nonsensical scaremongering article and one which we will have to get used to in the run up to next year's Holyrood elections, given that 99% of the print media are tory owned we can expect and brace ourselves against Armageddon type headlines spewing anti Independence venom, the daily express is so far leading the way with 'daft end of the world as we know it' predictions if we leave their warm enveloping blanket of the UK, childish immature shite trying desperately to turn the pro independence movement doing well in the polls. As for Shetland and The Western Isles wanting autonomy, why not, Shetland especially with an Independent Council has done very well in raising oil revenues from the the major oil companies over the last decades which they have spent wisely amongst their community.

Their is no doubt that many Scots who were active in WW2 and served/fought alongside english compatriots viewed themselves as British first and Scottish secondly, however that generation is fast disappearing and our young Scots these days do not possess that type of affinity and put their country of birth first. Where that Britishness does still exist is in areas of the military in which Scots are serving given that members of the royal family are designated as heads of all aspects of the forces. I always find the nonsense displayed by royalty amusing with the likes of prince charles strutting about in a Field Marshall/Admiral/Marshall of the RAF uniform weighed down with medals of every description but never has he took part in any conflict in his lifetime. How fuckin anachronistic is that ? In our Independent Scotland there will be none of that shite.

For what it's worth, on both the old EU and now the new UK passport my nationality is stated as British Citizen. Hopefully in the not too distant future we will see our nationality stated as Scottish Citizen.

A 'Barry Wilson Talking' album could be sold as an instant cure for insomnia. Barry's wonderful talent was in his feet.