The Scottish Government

Another reason I left Scotland, was my frustration at labour being voted in again and again. Before I left, I had to pay Maggie Thatchers poll tax (let's try it out on the Scots first!!!) and our politicians could do nothing to stop her. We allowed it to happen because we didn't vote SNP - we should have been independent years ago - but the Scots kept voting in a
labour government who dictated to them what Westminster decided even if it was Conservative and not what Scotland wanted. Margaret Thatcher paid the Scots back by introducing the poll tax and I left mad and frustrated saying to myself - we get what we deserve because the people won't vote for an independent country.

The Unionist parties will never accept that the people of Scotland have spoken, albeit in a modest way at the moment, but I am confident that a government, free of East Lothian situations will convince the electorate we are on the way to deciding our own future in Scotland.
We have quite a battle on our hands competing against a hostile Unionist press and a biased B.B.C.
Let,s ensure the "ma faither voted labour"brigade will come to their senses and realise Scotland has been sold short for 300 years. Publicise the information released in the 30 year rule which received scant notice in the press.

More power to your elbow! I have worked abroad many times but always came back home between and after. Improve national confidence, growth and opportunities and there's no limit to Scotland's future. Considering the massive inventive contributions made by Scots in the past, imagine the potential if we had control of our own economy, education, industrial growth etc. Go for it but please present independence in a non-isolationist, non-nationalist, inclusive light where we will become a friendly partner of other nations with England amongst our best friends and allies.

I left Scotland in 1989 to come to Canada and would love to come home to Scotland but to an independent Scotland. The SNP always received my vote before leaving. I have met so many Scots on my travels who left Scotland to seek better opportunities and who are indeed very successful. Scotland should concentrate on keeping our talent in our country - make it a better place to live with econcomic growth. I have heard over and over again from Scots that they left to seek a better standard of living for their children and for more opportunities. If we stopped voting in a Labour government who take their instructions from Westminster and the scraps that Scotland receive then we might actually start to accomplish a better place to live. Scots need confidence in themselves; too many complain but won't make the move by voting for an independent government to start to rectify the problem. Also in Canada, no one cares what religion you are and everyone gets along just fine. I would agree that sectarianism is a problem mainly in the west coast of Scotland (I am from the East) so I didn't really experience it. I have heard over and over again that some areas in Scotland have the best new schools being built (one denomination seem to have preference and it is said depending on the local council who decide where the funding goes). In Canada, everyone has to complete a Tax Return every year and submit it to the government. On the form it asks each tax payer a question - where do you want your portion of your education taxes applied to "either public or Roman Catholic" - if you had children attending public school you would check off public and if Catholic you would check off Catholic. That way each person knows where there taxes are being applied and they are not going to where the local government dictates or prefers. I am not sure how that could be achieved in Scotland but I thought it was a good thing that someone cared to ask where I wanted my taxes to be applied.

Provide more money for students. removing the graduate endowment wasn't enough. and plough more money into widening participation!

We left about 25 years ago but aim to come home soon. We left because of much better opportunities and rates in London. Secondary issues were the apparent lack of national self-confidence post-referendum and the ongoing, embedded dourness and bigotry.

I see progress in recent years but we need a step-change in attitudes and drive. Confronting sectarianism at every level is a sound start.

Stop fighting and blaming others at individual and national level, grow up and take responsibility for our future. We have so much to build on if the mindset is right.

I can't understand those who can't see why scotland needs independence england has been bleeding us dry for years they've took our railway industry,our steel industry our oil and gas etc 6.ooo square miles of scottish coastal waters it's time we stood up to them and stopped listening to unionist lies