GallowayBlue

Great, thanks. List is a bit concerning and with that context I would agree. Felt like we had a good run with Stevie Aitken, Brian Reid and Stevie Farrell.

I just don't think a lack of trust in voters is a good enough reason to have a less democratic system. For better or worse, it should be Scotland's choice in the same way that leaving the EU was the UK's choice. I understand the legal position is not the same, but there's a point of principle which the majority of Scots (58%) agree with.

Absolutely, obviously more thought would need to be given and I suppose the SNP and people like me say we should be able to vote when Scotland want. However, set out something like: 1. Maximum of one vote every 15 years 2. Majority of votes in Scottish Parliament election I don't believe that should be the approach but at least both sides would know what they're working with/towards and have a route rather than potentially blocking the will of voters in Scotland.

Yes but I believe in democracy and in Scotland's right to choose whether to remain in a union or not. If people can't manage that responsibility or vote in a way I don't like then that's okay by me - it doesn't mean we should then just ignore their verdict or not give people a choice. The potential conclusion of this line of thinking is a lack of confidence in the ability of the people that live in Scotland to make decisions.

I just don't think we need to move the goalposts or create extra obstacles. Adding bits about level of support required when there's precedent for a referendum when Scot Gov requests it. Even then, it is ultimately on the whim of a few individuals. I do think part of the SNP strategy should be about trying to working with the UK Gov to define the goalposts, with both sides ceding a little.

We also don't operate on majority of votes. Labour will get to do as they please with 33% of the vote. The UK and Scotland are Parliamentary democracies.

Why do they need to get more people to support it? Why is it not enough for the Scottish Parliament to be pro-independence referendum? The UK isn't run by opinion polling.

Could go back and forward on the once in a generation stuff all day, however I'm more interested in the second part. The question is not what is the position (which is what you've provided) but what should be the position. Do you think that a decision on whether Scotland should have a referendum/be independent or not should be made in Scotland? 58% or respondents answered the Scottish Parliament should decide in the poll, so even as an (I presume) opponent of independence, it would be interesting to get your view on that. I appreciate the back and forth, we're evidently not on the same side, but to me the decision over whether Scotland should be independent or not should ultimately be for people in Scotland to make. I'm keen to learn from your different perspective why you don't think that should be the case. Perhaps for some opponents of independence the UK approval requirement would act as a layer of protection from nationalist whims? Coming from a place of genuine curiosity.

To be fair, some of the cut offs in this clip are a bit suspect. No opportunity for the additional context which I'm sure was given. Also it is possible to have a "once in a generation opportunity" more frequently. Aberdeen have the once in a generation opportunity to finish second this year. If they fail they can still have that once in a generation opportunity next year... Regardless, in a democracy things are surely judged on votes rather than statements made by politicians many years ago?

There has been a pro-independence majority of Scottish MPs and MSPs for almost all of the last ten years and no referendum was granted. How would you respond to this question from a recent poll? “Thinking about the balance of power between the Westminster Parliament and Scottish Parliament, which parliament should have power to call a referendum on Scottish independence?”

Consecutive Westminster governments - and the only two parties ever likely to form a government - have said that they won't allow a referendum to happen. Unless that position changes, does your answer not essentially become "there is no democratic route to independence for Scotland"? Just out of interest, regardless of thoughts on yes or no, on a philosophical/theoretical level, do you think the question of whether Scotland should be independent should be asked/acted upon by those in Scotland? Or do you think it should be a question that can only be asked/acted upon with the blessing of people in some kind of combination of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland?

The better question would be, what's the democratic route to independence for Scotland?

I notice that John Swinney has been talking about the "Yes Generation" with 600,000 newly registered young voters since 2014 heading for 1,000,000 soon. However if you consider that along with the fact that a similar number of people have probably been removed from the voting register in that time (deaths mainly), why has polling stayed basically at the same level? I'm sure we'd all like to buy into the matter of time argument but why does it not seem to be playing out that way and why should we think that over time we will naturally arrive at a "yes" majority?

That's the point I was trying to make (maybe badly) between bites of my lunch! People say that the yes side didn't accept the result, but that is clearly nonsense when Donald Trump has demonstrated what not accepting a result actually looks like. Nobody could seriously say the SNP or Yes side haven't accepted the result given we now have a very prominent example of what that actually means

The not accepting the result schtick has been shown for the nonsense it is by Trump who demonstrated what that actually means...