exile

Just curious, what is your view of the Republic of Ireland, the forgotten (half) brother in your analogy?

Just realised, if it's Yes and they postpone the general election, Boris won't have a chance to become MP in time if they ditch Cameron... rUK could be delivered Scot-free to a conservative majority under Osborne?? Osborne's been quiet lately...?

Mike Small with some good soundbites here: 5 reasons why yes... http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/04/scottish-independence-5-reasons-yes-winning-polls

The board was re-set this week, so the stuff on here is not representative of all shades of opinion - you can be sure of some more NOs sooner or later!

A grumpy Brian Wilson was on the radio this morning, kept banging on about 'nationalism' Here, he's countering George Monbiot http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/04/scottish-independence-nationalism-progressive-george-monbiot-uk

Simon Jenkins... Ok so he doesn't have a vote, but... http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/04/scottish-independence-yes-vote-leaner-meaner-scotland

You may be right but then again... Though there is a parallel with joining the Euro, which would be expected to have a referendum, that would be about 'losing' the pound and ceding to a continental central bank. It could feel like ceding sovereignty. Now you may argue (may already have) that a CU would be ceding some sovereignty, but it's not as dramatic, as it would be 'keeping the pound' and the central bank located at Bank, London, and the pound in people's pockets would be the same. Politically surely those are much easier to get past the electorate than the Euro scenario.. And, although maybe CU could be arguably ceding sovereignty, in one sense, of allowing a foreign country having influence, it would be no more than recreating something close to the good old UK, which already included an element of that country's interests in there somewhere.... And who knows what circumstances the decision would be taken in? If it was in the context of an emergency credit crunch type situation, all sorts of things could happen - if it is suddenly in the (rUK) national interest to stabilise the ship pronto, presumably it could be done, and framed as a necessary 'technical emergency measure' rather than a referendum issue. I'm not saying that's likely though.... just imagining the possibility...

The number of times I've heard political commentators looking ahead to the general election then possible EU referendum, without the hint they even considered what might happen in September.... Still... it's still a big IF

PM could face calls to postpone UK election if Scots vote for independence http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/03/calls-to-postpone-uk-general-election-scots-independence

You mean like before the Euro election, so it could be spun as 'SNP fail to win third seat...'?

Yes vote would trigger an 'economic earthquake', claims Danny Alexander http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-independence-yes-vote-would-trigger-an-economic-earthquake-claims-danny-alexander-9709677.html Scottish independence has finally rattled the City of Londonhttp://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/03/scottish-independence-city-rattled-sterling

Scotland Backed to Keep Nato Membership if it Wins 'Yes' Vote http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/scottish-independence-scotland-backed-keep-nato-membership-if-it-wins-yes-vote-1463697 Former UK ambassador to Nato will vote yes http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/03/scottish-referendum-former-uk-ambassador-nato-vote-yes

We beg for a piece of... what's already ours

As a footnote to that... (and at the risk of tinkering around the edges...) Gordon Brown was spreading this sort of message earlier in the summer, with Paul Nurse expressing 'fear' that Scotland would lose out - namedropping charities as well as research councils. Politically, there is a question here about whether Nurse was misrepresenting any of those organisations (who may or may not have taken a view on independence). Even then there may be worse examples of scaremongering and misrepresentation... ...though at the time, I seem to remember the headline was received here as a low blow: "Scottish independence would damage cancer research" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/10884172/Scottish-independence-would-damage-cancer-research-Nobel-scientist-says.html

Presumably, the sight of an over-confident First Minister prematurely predicting victory would be a sure way of getting the 'no' vote out...

I thought this was a bit of a red herring. I thought the most normal internationally agreed way was via the median line. I think this gives the pattern of the coloured map, for the other countries. It would give rise to a line that swings a bit north of the border at Berwick but then settles down to more like west-east. I believe this is the line settled on by Blair and Dewar. Although it may be spun as 'landgrab' (seagrab?) it could be considered more like making the border more like how an international border would be drawn. The test of whether it's a red herring would be to find the Scottish Govt position on it. They may well be comfortable with it, as being more defensible - hold what you have - than opening up this question to more scrutiny.

If you think Scotland can't be an independent country, but should be, then the correct answer is still Yes. If you think Scotland should be an independent country, but think the Yes campaign's proposals aren't proper independence, then the correct answer is still Yes.

No campaign scare of the day?

Is that now the best argument for the Union? Does Darling believe what he's being asked to say? This Edinburgh solicitor, and former Chancellor of the Exchequer, reduced to “we all love our families” Or is it Dougie Alexander's fault? http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/referendum-news/labour-critics-pin-blame-for-new-no-woes-on-alexander.25188352

If enough people think that...

Debate Is Making David Cameron All 'Emotional And Nervous' http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/30/scottish-independence-david-cameron_n_5740502.html

Something incredible is happening in Scotland. And if the result is a yes vote the shock to the UK will be extreme http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/31/scottish-independence-yes-vote-turnout-polls

Somewhere I thought I'd seen this picture in a 'yes thugs' context - turns out it's guys at Glasgow mosque, heckling Darling over Iraq and/or Gaza. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/29/alistair-darling-heckled-at-glasgow-mosque-over-iraq-invasion_n_5737376.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

BBC news.., "Arrest after confrontation between Yes and No supporters" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-29006306

Presumably bookies' judgements are based on knowing their customers - but those are only a (minority?) part of the whole population....?