Boris is up in Scotland today ???????

You could move there trisher there are no border controls.

mcem and Granny23 you are sounding very defensive about things....Nessie, who mentioned it first and isn’t that nonexisting beastie a huge source of tourist revenue anyway?
Braveheart Boris was a joke btw.
Jane10 good for all to remember that not all Scots are dead keen on Surgeon and the SNP.

I'm still in favour of having the border moved back to Hadrian's Wall then when Scotland goes independent I'll be with them. Nifty Nicola instead of Bumbling Boris-Yes Please!

Is the possible increase in support for independence just a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to the feeling amongst some that NS has handled the pandemic well?

Isn’t it likely that once we are more or less back to normal that people will view the situation much as they did over the previous two referendums and realise that they are so much better staying?

As I said before Boris has to give permission and he’s going to resist as long as he can isn’t he?

Noooo Sussexborn-don't condemn us to life under that useless lot. We've had 13 years of their mess while simultaneously talking themselves up. Empty pots make most noise and they certainly do!

I didn't realise Nicola Sturgeon has German ancestry.

Was just about to say the same Jabberwok. If I could vote Scotland would be independent by now under the leadership of Frau Sturgeon. Hopefully we would not be subjected to her whinging and whining whilst she finds the reality of dealing with Germany’s domineering behaviour and can kowtow to them along with France. She can share the crumbs with Italy and Greece when Germans are installed to tell them how to run their economy and their country.

Jennifer Eccles - if he refuses, there will be a revolution.

biba I look forward to reading about your move north.

To Jabberwok et al -
if you (pl) and we agree that separation and sovereignty suit us then why is WM so desperate to hold on to Scotland?
Simple question. Are you able to answer in tones that don't reek of "Little Englander"?

I do believe that if Scotland gets independence- money, business and industry, + agriculture - will pour in - from the EU and others who want to access the EU. And tourism will thrive as never before.

I think I’m right in saying that the PM has to grant permission to Scotland to hold yet another independence referendum.

I think that’s unlikely to happen, certainly not in the near future.

Tbh it's a thousand pity's that independence didn't with the day back in 2014! Scotland would be gone by now and the rest of us could have a bit of peace from almost continuous whining. At the time I was pleased Scotland stayed,but now,another referendum asap and God willing that country can revert to pre 1707, or better still 1603. Bring it on!

Well we've been in the EU a long time and “they” haven’t “decimated” Scottish waters which sell loads of fish to - guess where their biggest market is - the EU. So much Project Fear!

The usual "predictable nonsense" from unionists who have never bothered to find out FACTS and just accept everything WM tells them .What IS it you find so wonerful about being a colony-....oops part of the union?

Jabberwok such tosh!
Holyrood is simply saying that by freeing up the ability to organise our own borrowing BJ would not have to put on the act that fools so many of his gullible supporters. No begging bowl involved.
We should not need his permission to assume such powers. He continues with his power-grab by not returning power from the EU directly back to the devolved parliaments.
Rant away m'dear it will get you nowhere. Much as you and others would like to write off the move to independence as the madness of rampant nationalists you'd find, on closer inspection, that vast swathes of moderate middle-class professionals are now seeing it as the only way forward.
And while you're carrying out your research, have a closer look at the Barnett formula which is not some pseudo charity but is a way of paying back a proportion of Scotland's contribution to WM/UK coffers.

England fully dependent on Scottish money,without it we'll go broke!!!!! That statement is SO absurd as to not be worth answering! Never heard of the Barnett formula? If we're so dependant on Scottish money how come NS is desperately holding out her begging bowl for more money to guess who, Westminster!!!!!?
Scotlands resources are finite, yes oil, but for how long? yes fishing, again till EU trawlers decimate your waters, leaving your own fishing fleet and you destitute, renewable power, well yes, but others will catch up and you won't be needed anymore. The EU probably will welcome you at first but when they've bled you dry and have no more use for you they'll spit you out for sure! Not only that but you'll also be stuck with the Euro and moving forward with a European tax system and more besides, ask the Dutch, they'll be more than glad to tell you about the joys of being a small insignificant country inside the EU! Happy days!

We’ve holidayed up in Shetland And Orkney, I remember a lot of local, Scottish, Norwegian and EU flags but no Union Jacks!

Urmstongran, his words did sound good. We all know now that the reality is that he is a feckless inveterate liar. I think the Scots know it even more than most. Was absolutely for the Union - but no more. I hope Scotland makes a go of it and gets massive investment and infrastructure moving in from all over the EU and the world.

If they do, I shall sell up and move there.

He’s trying to cosy up because most U.K. fishing is Scottish.

Yes granny23 well,said.

The usual predictable nonsense from dyed in the wool SNP fans.
It's irritating that non Scottish people somehow think Nicola has handled coronavirus well. If she hadn't covered up the outbreak at the Nike conference in February yes February then lockdown could have started much sooner. 2000 old people discharged untested to care homes where the virus went on and ravaged the inmates. The death toll is high.
There is so much that SNP have done wrong that it's hard to know where to start. From education standards absolutely plummeting to money wasted on huge white elephants then more money wasted on consultants to see where eg the ferries building went wrong and so on. SNP grasp of economics is tragically poor as will the country be if they were ever foolish enough to vote for independence.
I'm not a Boris or Tory fan but even they are better than SNP.

That goes for me too granny23.
See lemongrove s post and my reply earlier on this thread!

wish there was alike button for that Granny23well said .

Scotland will be recipient and will have to obey the big boys, Are you sure of that? With more oil, more renewable power and more fishing grounds than any other country in Europe, Scotland will be welcomed into the EU with open arms. MEPs do not always vote along nationality lines but rather as groups - left wing right wing, Christian Democrat, ect. SNP (and Plaid) MEPs were members of one of the larger groupings in the EU - the Greens and European Free Alliance - who have said that they are keeping the seats warm for Scotland when it returns to the EU as an Independent Nation.

Can I point out that the same old jokes, fake Scottish accents and references to Nessie, Deepfried Mars Bars and Braveheart, do nothing to endear you to GNs in Scotland. They only show ignorance of the real history, culture and ethos of modern progressive Scotland.

It's a bit 'thin end of the wedge' at the moment, maddy but here's an article about it:

www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-devolution-what-powers-does-holyrood-currently-hold-and-how-could-brexit-affect-devolved-laws-scotland-2911856

As Parliament (i.e the huge tory majority) has voted to not have any scrutiny of trade agreements Scotland could well find itself forced to accept lowered standards. They couldn't even vote against it at Westminster because of the tory action.

I think it's just another crack in the composition of the UK

Is there some evidence that Parliament is planning to take back powers from Scotland? Maybe I’m ignorant, but I truly don’t know and would appreciate a little knowledge if anyone has any.

I didn’t really like Nicola Sturgeon before the pandemic, but I absolutely agree that she has stepped up to the mark and done well during this time.