git-intae-thum

What has happened to Oakskoft?..... this is one of P&B's best rants in recent times!!! I do not understand folk in Scotland who object to immigration. Without it our country will die in an economic sense. It is one of the reasons Brexit is and continues to be a tragedy forced on Scotland. We need the ability to have an immigration policy that suits Scotland's economy......not London and the South East.

When they start arguing partition, it means they know they have lost the arguments

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/did-dark-money-and-dirty-tactics-swing-scottish-election/ Surely some agency must take responsibility for looking into this whole dark money issue. It is deeply worrying when you consider the potential for outside interference during a future referendum.

Up until the not too distant past, before the establishment of Holyrood, Westminsters position was that if the majority of Scots Mp's elected had been SNP, this would have been a mandate to start independence negotiations. That was in the days when there was not a hope in hell of it happening of course.......and when UK gov still kept up a pretence of being democrats.

You finally catching up?

This is obviously very true. Much like not all votes for greens and Snp can be directly transferred to pro independence votes, the same works in reverse for labour, lib dem and even some Tory

Lifted from depths of crazed yoonatic Twitter no doubt.....but if it makes you feel better and all that. Yer wee map obviously takes no account for demographic spread. Despite the early bumpkin claims of the forelock tugging simplerati......now the dust has settled, it's clear this election has produced more votes in Scotland for pro indy parties than vice versa. That does not necessarily equate to votes in a referendum but it does corroborate the trend in polling we have been seeing for about the last year now. You are in a minority with yer fellow submissionist dafties pal...get used to it.

heads gone.

https://youtu.be/X43IHuuE9Ws Every one in Scotland should watch this video. Young folk should be very angry. Those aged over 50 should be ashamed they allowed this.......and very very angry.

But less than what Scotland gives.

...You are maybe getting yourself a wee bit confused between ferry ports and container/cargo ports. If Scotland is to become an independent state and specifically an EU member we will require ports. Not passenger ports but freight/container ports. Without them all our import/export goods will continue to transit rUK and attract probable delays and punitive tariffs. It is something that needs addressed pre independence. Fwiw, I was just using the unused facilities at Methil as an example. I am not making a point about Methil docks in particular Scotlands only sizeable container port on the East coast is Grangemouth, which is understandably mainly adapted to suit the petrochemical industry. We do not have a freight container port. Now if Independence in Europe is the goal, then long term Strategic thinking would suggest that targeted investment for regeneration of deprived East coast port towns and their facilities ain't a bad idea. Despite the nonsensical blabber about trade and immigration you came out with, such regeneration initiatives are completely within Scotgovs competence. If they are marketed as regeneration and show some creation of wealth and enterprise, Audit Scotland would have no reason to criticize. If an intended consequence is increased port capacity, then job done. ......and who cares what the Yoon opposition or MSM thinks...they would criticize anyway. It is something that is long overdue serious consideration.

Eh...naw. It has nothing to do with immigration.....or reserved trade powers.....It's about boosting Scottish infrastructure and transport links to the continent, which most definitely does not come under the auspices of reserved powers. It's completely within the competence of Holyrood. If Scotgov are in any way serious about independence and rejoining the EU in any of our lifetimes, then it's exactly the kind of project they need to be seriously looking at.

And that stops Scotgov making strategic long term planning and spending decisions?

Why?

There are currently in no UK passenger ferry services to Scandinavia. There is a freight route, but it is a 26 hour route from Immingham to Sweden. Surely then a big gap in the market for a Rosyth-Stavanger combined passenger/ freight service. Regardless...... if Scotgov are serious about laying down the foundations for us rejoining the EU, they have to seriously think about building up our port infrastructure and connections on the East coast. Methil docks is the obvious example of a mothballed existing structure with container port potential. Once the rail link is back in to Levenmouth even more so. As it stands at the moment, all the below is currently just crumbling into the sea

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/scottish-independence-cost/ This article posted by Sandy a few days ago, has now been taken down.... apparently "at the request of the authors"

https://archive.is/Dt4jP Interesting read this. UK gov advisors assessment on future economy of an independent Scotland and it's trading links. Blurb: Note: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, the Department for International Trade, or the UK Government. Note: The second author "Geoffrey Chapman is an Economic Adviser at the Department for International Trade, UK Government"

Call me old fashioned.....but I remember the days when SNP leaders used to own these type of debates...coming 2nd to Anas Sarwar......Anas Sarwar ffs

FFS....

....after reading that I truly feel it's all pointless and we should just shut up and eat our cereal. A message from the dementor wing of the independence movement right enough. Let's just drain the hope and happiness right out it. The depressing thing is though that you are probably accurately reflecting the thoughts of the SNP leadership. But as Picklish has pointed out...it is up to the political class to come up with the solutions to reflect the will of the people. Otherwise it is a failure of democracy. That will is independence, and the demographics of the situation suggest that will is only going to strengthen. Doing nothing is not acceptable. The leadership need to find a solution.

^^^^ Doesn't realise they are a British Nationalist type post.

There's quite a few that are not interested in the risks involved in staying in union.... Thankfully a diminishing minority.

I think he was talking beyond this election. Fair doos......me bad for not looking at the preceding posts

I believe Alba are standing only on the list. They are not in competition for the SNP seats. The aim is to pick up the 2nd vote, which for most of Scotland is wasted on the SNP.....therebye electing more pro independence msp's

The poster in question is probably not the best example to be calling an "SNP fanboy" to be fair. However I certainly concur the sentiment applies to a number of posters on this forum, although wouldn't even call them "SNP fanboys" tbh. I will continue to associate the SNP with independence. These people have just used the SNP to hitch a ride on the independence vote to promote their own wee fringe movements. A definite tears and snotters reaction to the launch of a new party from some. Look at this beauty from just a few posts above.