Scoville Units Unite

So after the release of the independence white paper it appears the gloves are off. From ministers dismissing it before they could have read it, nitpicking over the detail or demanding why particular questions are not answered the No camp have pulled out all the stops except producing any document of their own.

The highlights so far have been the Wright stuff show, Sturgeon demolishing Carmichael on STV, and of course James Kelly who scores a hilarious own goal in Holyrood.

I started off with an open mind, willing to be swayed either way, but nothing, nothing has moved me a single millimetre towards No from their campaign. The Yes camp have repeatedly released information or debated in a mature enough fashion so solidify my intention to vote Yes. I can certainly see myself being persuaded to spoil ballot between now and September but can see nothing so far to compel me to vote No.

To briefly explain why let’s take a look at the stooshie over EU membership. The No camp position is that on independence Scotland would be ejected from the EU and have to reapply for membership, taking around 9 years. The Yes camp position is that Scotland would stay within the EU and negotiate membership terms between referendum day and independence day.

So what are some of the factors to influence which camp you believe?

• Ruth Davidson yesterday in Holyrood said if a country becomes independent it is a new state and that if there is a new state, of course, that state has to apply for membership and negotiate the conditions with other member states.. Of course, she should then support that happenning, as clearly the remaining UK would then also be a new state and need to apply for membership too. As it was pointed out to her, the Conservatives want to leave the EU. So not only does her argument apply to the UK too if true, but she is clearly being disingenuous in her statement.
• The Spanish Prime Minister has stated Scotland will have to apply for membership from outside the EU, no mention at all about Catalonia whilst discussing the region of Scotland. No hidden message there at all. The Prime Minister of a country, currently saber rattling with Westminster over the sovereignty of Gibralter supports the Better Together position on sovereignty .
• Every person in Scotland currently eligible to have a British Passport is also an EU citizen. Duel citizenship is pretty guaranteed to apply to anyone who wants a Scottish passport the day after independence. Is it really credible that you can have a country where the vast majority of residents are also EU citizens where the EU will not want that country to be a member state?
• The only conceivable way that Scotland would be refused entry to the EU are if the following are true. Scottish government makes bonkers demands when negotiating to join, it’s far more likely it will give more than take given how much they want to ensure membership. the remaining UK/Spain/other countries facing internal crises of self-determination will block to deter those groups in their own state. If the UK government is seriously wanting to block Scotlands membership whilst also advocating leaving the EU, they should flat out say so now, so we can see them for the petty spiteful hypocritical idiots they are.

For me the biggest stand-out factor is that the No camp start from a position of opposition and then scramble to find arguments to support that position, no matter how inconsistent or mental they are.