Scottish Independence

Fascinating to hear Alex Salmond on the Andrew Marr show arguing just now that if Scotland had been independent for the last 10yrs it would have built up a reserve from RBS & HBOS taxes which would have been retained in Scotland over that time rather than being remitted to London. This reserve would have allowed Scotland to rescue its' own banks. Since there is not a shred of evidence that these taxes would have been so retained one must admire Mr Salmonds capacity for spin. Indeed , given that most of the leaders of the failed banks were Scots, & that Gordon Brown, whose policies enabled those bank leaders to bust the economy, is a Scot, & that many of the leading Westminster Labour politicians who supported their Government are Scots, such evidence as there is suggests that those taxes would have been most unlikely to have been retained for the purpose Alex Salmond suggests.

I lived & worked in Scotland for almost ten very pleasant years. I have children who still live there & grandchildren who were born there. But I have to say that Mr Salmonds relentless 'victimhood' at the hands of the wicked English, & the support that he is gathering for that view, is now getting to me. I find myself wishing that he had got his wretched independent Scotland ten years ago. Then I wouldn't have had to put up with his snivellings nor have to cough up huge taxes to bail out his arrogant greedy compatriots.

I also hear that Scottish LibDems are prepared to collaborate with the ScotsNats. I don't know what that means but if it means some form of pact beyond that which already exists then it's the straw that breaks this camels back.