First Minister undermines support for independence with EU comments.

First Minister Alex Salmond has failed to offer an olive branch to the supporters of independence who don't want to be part of the European Union.

Speaking yesterday ( after a Bill for a referendum on the EU in 2017 was published by the Conservative Party ) he said...."A vote for independence is now the “only way” to ensure Scotland’s continued membership of the European Union".

And..."If people voted Yes to independence next year, he said, Scotland would remain within the EU, leaving the rest of the UK to decide for itself."

This will leave the 50% of Scots who favour leaving the EU in a quandary. Although they won't all favour independence for Scotland there will be many who will. They will have to weigh up the option of voting to get out of the EU via the Tory referendum ( and so voting against an independent Scotland which would deny them an EU referendum) , or hoping that the EU rejects Scotland's bid to join the EU after independence. There will probably only be one chance of both referendums in their lifetime so it's a difficult choice to make.

Governed from London in an independent UK or governed from Brussels in an 'independent' Scotland ?

There's the slight advantage in favour of being governed from London as we have a 10% say in who governs us from London and a 0% say in who governs us from Brussels.

Although the EU will finally die due the endemic corruption and incompetence it will not be gone in the near future unfortunately so the Tory referendum might be the only chance to get out of it.

I see the EU budget will rise yet again this year. Another £1.2Bn extra from us to help pay Baroness Ashton £400,000 for doing nothing, despite her being voted the most incompetent Minister in the EU by her other incompetent colleagues. That's going some Cathy !

Wanna see my bank balance ? I've pocketed over a million pounds so far !......