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Scotland leader quits; queen urges unity

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Farewell, and thanks for all the fish.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I predict a lot of reneging on promises and a lot of people wishing they had voted yes.

And I did not think about it before, but now I am kind of annoyed. Right at the cusp of an independence vote, the government in power should not be allowed to undercut it by making sudden promises. On the other hand, those promises should be not be believed. They treated you a certain way all these years, and now they are gonna change? Sure they will.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

'In Edinburgh, independence supporters were skeptical about promises from the British government.

“I really, really hope it does but I doubt it. I don’t trust the Conservatives at all,” said Laura-Beth Salter, 30, a musician and music teacher who voted “Yes”.'

She has every right to be skeptical of a panic measure, particularly from a party which has only one seat to lose in Scotland and so has next to nothing to lose by further pissing them off. With the no result in the bag and an election next year, the Tory focus will now return squarely to their English voters who are defecting to the kippers. They are the people who matter now. The Scots are not gone but they will be pretty much forgotten again by this party.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The SNP is through. Their political platform no longer has legs. Alex may not be much missed but effectively losing Nicola Sturgeon as well will suck ALL the fresh air (highland, lowland, and island) out of any popular enthusiasm for politics. It was the Labour Party of the coalition government which supported NO. Now they alone should stand front and centre to represent their new (majority) constituency in negotiating collective rights for the surrenderers. Cameroon will prove that he is very well practised and steadfastly secure in arguing the impracticality of keeping promises made in the heat of passion. One cannot keep such promises to one but not to others too - so the line goes. Regrettably it is come time to reverse the color SCHEME of The Saltire to make it a single Blue X on White (a final tribute) and then fold it away for good. If a popular vote against self-rule (sovereignty and independence) does not idiosyncratically define a society forever then nothing ever can. We can only watch impassively as the industry of Scotland tourism in all its global and local manifestations from Tartan and Twead to Whiskey and Shortbread enters its long and precipitous decline until it becomes something like the old American Indian Head Penny. The brand image of the irreverent but enduring and sentimental Scot has been forever tarnished. Only Robert Burns survives. GOWK

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Don't know why you say that. Politically speaking, Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP as a whole had a great campaign. Alex Salmond was a marmite politician, Nicola Sturgeon is much more inclusive. As the candidate most likely to win the SNP leadership vote she could well preside over all the decision making and spending power the Scots say they wanted. There just won't ever be an SNP Prime Minister.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

SNP would naturally be the first choice of Westminster to sit for Scotland at the Devo Max roundtable. It should be the last choice for voters of Scotland. Because, SNP now has zero political leverage ZERO. At least Labour can prosecute claims aggressively, assured that backsliding by Westminster will color all other negotiations by extention in repercussion. All SNP would really be doing is the dirty work of selling the deal back home in whatever form it takes (gets granted), and then becoming a whipping post for the inevitable public backlash. This is a job tailor made for Labour under Gordon Brown. Nicola Sturgeon has the all makings of a popular progressive. However she hasn't the right credentials to go toe to toe with the whole Tory mob down on their own turf. Her time in the limelight is over for now.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Because, SNP now has zero political leverage ZERO

I'm about as skeptical of the SNP's referendum once in a generation claim as I am that the tories are committed to real reform. If I were the SNP I think it would be in my best interests to scupper the talks as much as possible, declare them a failure and push for a new referendum as soon as possible.

I wary of the promises made - but I'm also aware that the referendum also happened yesterday. I'll hold off on the doom and gloom predictions until at least some time has passed. What is needed is well-considered constitutional reform that is the best interests of the union as a whole - shouldn't that take some time? I'm worried that there's a push for a hack-job that will only serve vested interests, hold things together for the short term, and create a new class of bureaucratic institutions.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

If the queen didn't intervene it would have been a different story.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

The union is preserved and moving towards English devolution. A great result. All four countries of the UK should be devolved like Scotland.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"SNP would naturally be the first choice of Westminster to sit for Scotland at the Devo Max roundtable."

Before we get to the round table, we are likely to see Westminster politicians tearing lumps out of each other. Nicola Sturgeon can probably afford to put her feet up for a while. I have visions of Cameron in a few months saying, "I know we asked you to vote No, but I've been thinking..."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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