"It is the people of Scotland who have been seduced by the rhetoric of the SNP."
"It is NOT the English, Irish, Welsh, Manx or the inhabitants of the Channel Islands who are at fault here.
"It is quite simply - the SNP!!!!"
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No, No and No. To debate, review and take a decision to reform an agreement of union is an entierly legitimate democratic and indeed healthy activity for any part of any political union.
I'm no student of history but I do not beleive that the act of union was framed by the words "in perpetuity". Nor for that matter was our membership of the EU and the right to question and debate that union! If one debate is legitimate and healthy the other certainly is as well.
The Scots have not been seduced by any rhetoric - they will listen intelligently to the debate and ask some searching questions of both sides. Salmond's "milk and honey" nor Cameron's "we all benefit from the union" will not go without inquiry and call for further disclosure.
Above all it is certainly not "It is quite simply - the SNP!!!!". The Scots live and breath democracy, recall the Declaration of Abroath. I would argue that they are more tuned to the democratic process than many within the UK; it's Calvanistic, it is in their roots. Whatever the outcome the decision and consequences will be theirs alone and they are well aware of that. The debate that has just caught the attention of the UK media and Westminster politicians has been pondered and considered in detail by the Scots since the establishment of devolution over 10 years ago and earlier - it is certainly no longer an English/Scottish thing to them, in truth it never has been.
Last edited by TomJoad; 26th January 2012 at 21:24.