Support for Scottish independence rises.

A UK Government report that said Scotland would be a new entity with all treaties and obligations written off after independence has seen a rise in support for independence.

From 'The Scotsman'...

"The Ipsos Mori poll for the Times shows a 4 percent increase in backing for Scotland as an independent country compared to the pollster’s last survey in October. The increase has been built on a stunning increase in support for independence among 18-24 year olds, up from 27 percent four months ago to 58 percent.

The thought of a new debt free country has proven popular in Scotland as it was assumed we would be liable for 10% of the UK debt run up under both Labour and Tory governments via the London Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulations. It would have cost Scotland about £120Bn if it was the admitted debt or £700Bn if hidden debt was included ( hidden bank underwritings /unfunded pension liabilities etc)

From the report...

" Scotland certainly was extinguished as a matter of international law, by merger either into an enlarged and renamed England or into an entirely new state.[UK]

It had previously been assumed that Scotland was an 'equal partner' in the United Kingdom with England, Wales and Northern Ireland but according to the UK report this isn't the case.

Speaking on STV's Scotland Tonight, the Tory MP David Mundell confirmed that Scotland had indeed been extinguished by joining the Act of Union in 1707 and so was never an 'equal partner' in the Union.

Asked by interviewer John MacKay if he was comfortable with a UK Government report that said Scotland had been “extinguished” by the 1707 Act of Union, the Tory MP replied “yes”.

It's not known how the misunderstanding that Scotland was an equal partner in the Act of Union arose but this new UK report denying any obligations on the part of Scotland means we will have a 'clean slate for a new state'.

A 'Newco Scotland' sounds good to me.