First of all I want to thank all my friends who are non-politically aligned for enduring me for the last couple of dozen weeks.

But I'm vexed....

Right ok, so the Lib Dems have totally spat the dummy as they didn't do very well in the elections. They will not negotiate as they do not agree with the concept of a democratic referendum on Scotland's constitutional future. Despite referenda being the favoured form of major decision making for the Lib Dems (they've called for loads in recent years on a whole raft of issues such as, off the top of my head, a referendum on the abolition of council tax, on the introduction of local income tax, on PR, on ID cards, on Congestion Charges, on the Euro, on regional assemblies for England, on super casinos etc) they are still pursuing this untenable position. They don't have to agree with any other parties constitutional visions, just the concept of a referendum, but apprently this concept is far too liberal and democratic for such a party. Why don't they come to the negotiating table? They are being incredibly petty, their refusal to negotiate is clearly because they are pissed off at losing two seats to the SNP (they have never lost a seat to the SNP in history) and are to trying and cause a scene. 'If we cant have it neither can you' attitude.

In a week where a so called 'Labour' leader can congratulate a right wing victory in France and when DUP leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness can put their differences to one side in favour of good government, the Liberal Democrats can't quite face even coming to talks because it fears that totalitarian concept of a democratic referendum by the ballot box.

Scotland has chosen a new government and a new future. The Lib Dems clearly want to be part of the past instead of the future. Which is a shame.

I hope Menzies Campbell is content with the appauling advice he gave his colleagues. Hell mend them.

by Douglas Fraser

Brown Unveils 50 Zoo animals in favour of Union

Gordon Brown has claimed a coup in securing the support of 50 farm animals. Support for the Union is particularly strong among sheep.

1 sheep said "We don't want independence as that will mean scary things. We just want to graze and don't care about getting fleeced now and then".

A cow said "I'm getting milked now for everything I've got, under the SNP I'm told I'll be milked even more." and a pig said "With Labour you know they're snouts are in the trough. Better the devil you know...".

But Brown scored a real coup as support for Union was stongest among chickens: "We don't want to face those nasty nationalist foxes, we're thrown seeds to peck and are fatter now than ever under the Union, our future is safe."

Within the Union the animals are all happy.

....powers returned would be a disaster and that the four horses of the apocalypse will stalk the land. Lets see what the real businessmen and economists say, not some doom-mongering Labour hack. I have still to hear why Scotland, apparently unique in the nations of the world, cannot successfully run a prosperous and peaceful economy to rival our neighbours in Ireland, Norway or Iceland. (please take the time to read this admittedly lengthy list of 21)

Sir George Mathewson, Scotland's most influential business leader and former Chairman of the Royal bank of Scotland who made it the 5th largest bank in the World.
“It's difficult to forecast the future, but I see no circumstance where independence would be a serious [economic] disadvantage. I do not share the fear culture of independence which is currently being fostered by those who have most to lose by a change in the status quo and those who see Scotland as a source of safe seats, thus guaranteeing their rule over the UK.

"In addition, comments that have been made on access to the English market are patently absurd. Currently, a huge proportion of the English financial services market is supplied by companies in the US, in Holland, Germany, Ireland, etc. Globalisation is here and Scottish companies have embraced it and indeed have benefited from it.

"Alex Salmond and the SNP offer the best choice. The outstanding candidate must be Alex Salmond."


Ben Thomson, chief executive of the Edinburgh-based investment bank Noble Group
"I'm not at all afraid either of fiscal autonomy or independence. I would welcome it if it were used as a platform to help business in ways such as the SNP's proposal for lower corporate taxes in Scotland. Look at the wealth the City of London generates for England. If we could create something that would make it more attractive for more financial firms to be based in Scotland, then it would bring a huge amount of wealth, which would improve our overall tax take because earnings in Scotland would rise.


Professor Andrew Hughes Hallett, Chair of economics and public policy at George Mason University in Virginia. Until 2001, Chair in economics at the University of Strathclyde. He has acted as consultant to the World Bank and the IMF; also the Federal Reserve in Washington, the Institute for International Economics in Washington, and to the UN, UNESCO, OECD, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and to various governments and a number of central banks in Europe.
"[Labour's Wendy Alexander] offers no plans for improving Scotland's poor rate of growth; nothing to reverse the emigration flow that holds unemployment down; and nothing to boost competitiveness, investment or skills. There is no vision for the future, no goals for the economy and no plans to deal with the imbalances that have built up over the years. Where is the leadership in that? My point exactly...

"... The most revealing comment in Ms Alexander's letter is that she thinks that the budget deficit has risen from 7% of GDP to 12% in six years. What has she, or the executive, been doing all this time? That is a 70% increase. Yet she gives no explanation, no remedy, and no plans or targets for reducing it.

"Either there has been a colossal mismanagement, or the executive does not possess the means to stop a deterioration started down in London. If it is the former, then we may need a new team. If the latter, it is high time Scotland had the ability to look after her own economy.There is no basis in logic why Scotland could not operate successfully as an independent country"."


Crawford Beveridge, Former Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise
“I, for one, believe independence could focus the minds of politicians to create the conditions for economic growth, which would translate to better jobs, higher wages and stronger communities. My opinion on independence is based on my confidence that Scotland is just as