The Scottish Government

Surely for many of the people here,someone like me shouldn't having the right to write his opinion here...But recently,after having, read many things about Scotland in a magazine,I couldn't just let the chance slip away...Alright I'm Greek.Totally different mentality,way of lfe,history and origins.But I'm totally informed about history,events and justice.Scotland's future is Independence and nothing more.For this,many people fought in history.And basically the Scottish mentality is tottally different than the british...I stand for the Independence of Scotland and wait patiently to hear the great event from the news!Good luck and God's justice with you...!

Neil when did Scotland join the EU?It was pulled in by the Conservative Party
in 1974,prior to which the UK was a leading player in the Commonwealth.Has the nation prospered in the EU?Or within the UK? No!Which means that the snp offer the hope of real prosperity for the first time in history.

Unionists are only delaying prosperity for Scotland.Look at the fact of Labour wasting 300billion on nuclear weapons.Now tell the forum the nation is not wealthy enough for independence.

608. James Gibson - Dreghorn, Irvine

"I'm sure an independant Scotland would stand up in the EU but what I want to know is, how effectively?"

Depends how we use our influence. Several countries would enjoy permission to enter our fishing grounds, others would enjoy Scotland if we continue to send them our oil and also our respresentatives (up to 20) could be a king maker and push legilisation through EU.

How much power would be handed over to the EU or indeed taken back?

Scots Gov would have to negociate that.

Would an independant Scotland automatically become part of the EU?

We will need to re-apply.

Would we use the Euro as our currency?

Alex Salmond has stated we would keep the stirling but then we may change over to Euro if it was going to be a benifit for us.

I think a lot of people fear independence because we have been told for years and years that we are so heavily subsidised by England, that we wouldn't be able to manage on our own and that we are much better off financially under the status quo. This is rubbish. The Scottish people need to be shown the other side of the argument, like what our resourses are and what benefits could come about with independence. The public needs to be shown clearly what our country could be like in 20 years time under independence. With facts and figures to back it up. If the real fear of independence is the myth that we can't survuve then we need to dispell that myth.

I believe so far the SNP have done a excellent job with governing Scotland. I would love to see an independant Scotland free to make her own decisions and not ruled by westminster.

In answer to Neil Anderson's point about our population decline. Before the imposed act of union our poplulation was far higher than after (the clearances). there was problems in Scotland back then however such as the english blockade of our trade to name but one. You point out the disgraceful poverty levels in what was the empires second city and your right to. However even Wendy bringiton could not convincingly blame the snp for that. That would be labours legacy. (last time i checked they were still a unionist party) so in FIFTY odd years the main unionist party delivered did they then eh? How can we then hope that AFTER the economic boom that they will do anything for us. Maybe your feeling flush but im certainly not.

I cant understand why so many still seem to think that membership of this one sided union is still so important to us in Scotland. It looks increasingly worse for labour every week now as more evidence of incompetance emerges. Soon your precious union will once again be run by people who us scott's dont vote for and who do not give a dam for us. If we dont elect them but they rule us then that's what's commonly known as a dictatorship (in my understanding). I'd like someone to enlighten me as to how being dictated to by others is better than electing your own leaders. Why does freedom and democracy not seem to matter to so many of our own people? The uk govenment is spending billions of our money forceably imposing democracy abroad, some of our people are dying for this cause, surely it must be important?

thanks to the SNP for this forum to begin with. in the future this is where the true policies of scotland will be made.

we cannot deny or soverinty. we gave birth to many of the worlds greatest ideas, inventions, thinkers, and warriors. our history is rich with a feeling of indivdualilty and patriotism. we are recognised and respected the world over as a people of our own.
so why not a country of our own!!

independence is the only way forward to be truly free to make our own decions on our future. north sea oil will subsidise the econemey for the first few years until new industrys are set up and begin to flourish. ( renewables nuclear dumping embryo research) and being free of th EU we can finaly ditch the dredded human rights act and sort out our communitys police prisons and schools.

respect brought back to the authories
safety brought back to the community
disipline brought back to the schoolyard
prosperity brought back to the economey
punishment brought to the crinimals
labour brought to the idle
good honest values brought back to life.

A Note to David Cameron:

You used your latest flying visit to Scotland yesterday to again misrepresent and attack the legitimate and essential aspiration of Scottish independence as ‘the ugly stain of separatism’.

Despite our growing accustomed to such negative and poisonous language from the unionist camp, it scarcely befits a would-be-statesman – and one who seeks to govern us at that – to deploy the politics of hateful prejudice upon Scotland’s fresh, popular and empowering administration, or its compelling aspirations for our country’s democratic future.

Mr Cameron, Scottish democracy is a matter for the Scottish people – which is in sharp and principled contrast to your own party’s inherently middle-English ethics, and your plans to impose them in all parts of this ‘United Kingdom’.

Whatever the self-indulgent ‘feel-good factor’ resulting from your by-election victory over Labour, Scotland is enjoying her own ‘feel-good factor’ of considerably greater substance and significance.
Adopting your own theme, the ugliest and most indelible political stain on the memory of the Scottish people is the one left by the callous and invidious legacy of Thatcherism - and your party’s trustworthiness and popularity will find itself justly continuing to struggle to attain a distant third place in any foreseeable Scottish election.

You presume the right to govern Scotland ‘with respect’. That scenario requires two fundamental factors:

 Your effective demonstration of that notional ‘respect’.

 The mandate, or consent, of the Scottish people.

On all available evidence, and by the manner and means of your Tory predecessors, you will certainly not be governing with either.