Well, there's certainly a lot to deal with here.
A lot like Brexit then - in fact it is exactly the same principle. Have a look at that and see if the "ah it'll be alright on the night" mentality is how Scotland should start life as an independent nation.
Unless you're suggesting any referendum on independence should not be binding in any way whatsoever without some *waves hands* period of...reflection and discussion?
No, I'm suggesting that after a "yes" vote there will be a period of time where negotiations take place between Scotland and the UK government in order to thrash out the exit plan. Just as happened with the EU referendum. I don't honestly see why there's a problem with this. I didn't once suggest that "ah it'll be alright on the night".
Who would Scotland's armed forces be? Has that conversation even remotely happened yet? How will you control your own destiny? How will an independent Scotland ensure it isn't a vassal state of England, as it has hilariously claimed to be over the last ten years? What money will you use, and who will actually control your monetary policy?
Scotland's armed forces would be a proportion of the UK armed forces. We already conveniently have one single regiment in the country. Navy and air forces will be divided accordingly. On the currency issue we have a few options of which keeping the pound is one. If you'd bother your arse to go and do some reading you'd probably find out.
Isn't one of reasons for wanting Scottish independence so that Scotland can rejoin the EU.
"Control your own destiny" and membership of the EU are incompatible, no matter how much Nicola Sturgeon may try and gloss over this fact.
Oh, here we go again: "How can you possibly be in charge of your own destiny if you want to rejoin the EU?" Members of the EU are sovereign states in their own right that happen to belong to a single body in order to further common interests. I'm not even saying that Scotland
should rejoin the EU. EFTA is an option, perhaps as a stepping stone to full EU membership. Once again, this will be something that will have to be put to the electorate in a future vote; no party can decide
now what the future will be.
I agree with you that there should've been more positive dialogue after the Brexit referendum - but what makes you so sure the same problem won't happen if a future referendum produces a (narrow) pro-independence vote? Can you really be sure the SNP won't act in the same way that the pro-Brexit politicians did after 2016: Just say, 'Independence means Independence' and proceed to steamroll through whatever they want, ignoring any concerns of everyone in Scotland who didn't vote for independence?
The SNP cannot steamroll anything through. They don't have a majority government and will have to rely on the support of other parties. This is the way that the Scottish Parliament was supposed to be. They had a majority just once and I don't think it's likely to be repeated. I wouldn't want it to be repeated, to be honest. It's not Westminster where the aim is to have a majority of seats, and it's about time that you realised this.
When you say discussion between the parties, do you mean between the UK and the EU, or internally to the UK?
The former was difficult as the stated position of the EU was that there could be no talks before Article 50 was triggered. They were also keen that it should be triggered as soon as possible to avoid the UK remaining a member into the next budget period and having to have another round of EU Parliamentary elections in the UK.
There’s no such formal process for Scottish independence, which is going to be far more complicated due to how much more integrated the UK is.
I meant between the parties of the UK. Once it was decided by the electorate that we were leaving the EU it was tory Brexit or nothing. I'd like to think that in the event of an independence vote there would be a broad consensus on how we moved forward.
If IndyRef2 were held tomorrow, I reckon the Borders constituencies would vote No and either of the following 2 outcomes would prevail.
1. The rest of Scotland would narrowly vote Yes but the Borders would swing it into a collective No result. Thus the Borders would keep the rest of Scotland in the UK against its will.
2. The final result would be a narrow Yes. Thus the Borders would be dragged out of the UK against their will.
Whatever way it went, if there was a majority for one or the other the minority would have to abide by the decision. That's what happened in the EU referendum; while I don't like it, that's democracy. It's funny how some folk are happy to shout that when the result goes their way, but immediately cry foul if it doesn't.
Even in the 90s they were talking about "independence in Europe" which is a contradiction in terms. It would just be an alternative partnership, but with Brussels instead of London.
See above. States which are members of the EU are still independent, sovereign states. Change the record!