I meant as a contribution but do you think the Bank of England's reserves are only circa £60bn? It's currently £408 billion. 9% of that plus 9% of its other assets is a good start.

BIB.... if Scotland was independent and in the EU, the trade deal between rUK and Scotland would be decided between the rUK and the EU. If you think realpolitik will dictate a good deal, why is a hard Brexit an issue?

Because I want to retain the right to live, work and travel freely in Europe and want that right to be passed down to my children.

The BOE foreign currency reserves are circa £68bn and as mentioned we need probably at least 40bn based on Denmark. Given it would be a new currency probably more...

How are you going to capitalise the other assets... George Kerevan SNP MP suggested mass privatisation.

We'd be taking a share of all of the reserves and assets. For starters.

EU membership is transient. It is not birthright. In other words, you have no "right" to the things you mention. The things you mention are afforded to you as part of the membership package, but they are not a right.

There wouldn't be an indyref2 until it becomes clear what the options (for Scotland) are - this won't be until 2018 or even 2019.

The package of powers that the Government is seeking (retaining EEA membership) is alot closer to de-facto independence, so they can't loose. If they are rebuffed, then Scotland's voice in the 'Union of Equals' is being ignored and indyref2 comes straight off the back burner.

Denmark operates a quasi-currency board system with the Euro.

There are a number of options available, but given the poorest countries in the world can afford a central bank, Scotland should be able to sort something out.

I know that adamsk won't believe that but it's true. Even though he didn't know the Scottish NHS operates separately to the English one - much like the Police, education, legal system and infact most of government apparatus.

In the words of the ECJ, the EU created a new legal order which includes European Citizenship and related rights. EU Law has been incorporated directly into Scots Law which is remit of Holyrood and is underpinned by the Acts of Union.

We're not a poor country though and have a large financial services industry for our size, hence we'll probably need bigger foreign exchange reserves than Denmark.

As I was born during the era of FoM, it is a birthright to me. We did have the right. As EU citizens, it was a right which we had.

No matter how you wish to dress it up, you 17 Million brexiteers have removed rights which were important to me and millions of others. The idea you can dismiss something so important as "transient" is disgraceful. It has literally changed people lives. How ignorant do you have to be to have this attitude.

If EU associate citizenship becomes a thing I would obtain it as I value my RIGHT to freedom of Movement much, MUCH more than i do the right to live anywhere in the UK. If I could trade my UK citizenship for anything else in the EU tomorrow I would do so in a heartbeat as being lumbered with the word British on my passport is now a huge hindrance in my view and is absolutely nothing to be proud of.

That's how you Brexiteers have made millions of your fellow citizens feel. Absolute shame in their country. Happy?

No chap, whichever way YOU want to try and dress it up, there is no such thing as being an EU citizen by birthright. Anybody who currently qualifies as an "EU citizen" only does so so long as the country they are a national of qualifies as being in club EU. If that country in no longer party to the EU, then bang goes their EU citizenship as well.

Good lord, this is nonsense. Worrying that people have this attitude. Then again, the First Minister does seem to be descending into complete insanity.

To be born British is to win the lottery of life (someone said, can't remember) but it's true. You and your children can live and work pretty much wherever you want in the world. Australia, Africa, Dubai, Europe etc etc

That won't change.

It was actually to be born English. The rest of your post is just silly. I cannot go and work in Australia for example.

Yes, if you hate the UK that much why don't you bugger off and live on mainland Europe and let the Germans dictate youre life.

For someone who is quick to criticise both other posters and the UK system at present you seem to lack any solutions to the problems facing Scotland. Not one of which you bring here while continually telling us independence would be better.

I am more than willing to have my presumed economic illiteracy guided by someone who can show me the solutions required.

I'd also like to see how Brexit is shown as a Cliff jump but independence is somehow to be an economic miracle. As someone who voted against Brexit I fully realise how damaging it might be to our economy but I also take any points concerning that for Scotland and can't see any benefit of being outside of the UK and EU.

Please feel free to make me aware of the advantages Scotland would have outside both unions if being outside one alone will be damaging.

I don't think anyone is saying Scotland couldn't be independent it's just that would we be better or worse of economically being so.

The EU didn't feature in the top reasons why the majority of folk voted No and I can't personally understand folk who see a definite economic disaster for a decade or so staring them in the face and really think they would be better off voting for independence.

Scotland would face great challenges in setting up an independent country without Barnett in the near future. GERS shows us that we have a funding gap and so to tackle this we would have to have greater austerity and greater borrowing. We will also have to have a Central Bank and a currency policy and face the prospect of being outside the EU and UK.

On top of this we would have to seriously reconsider our NHS funding as it would be an economic stretch for it to continue to be free for all.

Branding others Naysayers because you have no answers to these challenges is an easy option but Scotland will never be independent until the majority have seen a solid plan to tackle real problems.

In fact just yesterday the FM essentially took an Independence referendum before the next Scottish parliamentary elections off the table.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...soft-brexit-eu

We now have to await the Brexit results before she considers whether or not its soft enough for Scotland which will leave no time for a Referendum before the next Scottish elections, if at all.

This sounds like a reasonable option and the only realistic one she could take to be honest.

I would say that she's put the independence referendum at the heart of the Brexit negotiations. Basically, unless there is a soft Brexit without Scotland remaining part of the single market, she'll call for a referendum. It puts May in an invidious position - the choice of giving Scotland special treatment or a good chance of losing Scotland.

"Losing" Scotland is of no consequence we should pursue a course that takes account of every citizens' best interests Scots cannot and should not expect some form of special deal, even if it were possible which it clearly isn't.

If Scots don't like the outcome they have a choice and they are free to make it.

Exactly what I said. If the rUK doesn't want Scotland, it will do brilliantly on its own.

Whether Scotland will do brilliantly I couldn't say what is clear is that the SNP is of no help to anyone outside Scotland and has no interest in other parts of the UK getting a reasonable outcome.

For that reason Sturgeon should put her case to the people again and preferably soon so that if necessary the rUK can remove Scotland from any part in the Brexit negotiations and move on.

But we do need her to get moving and stop time wasting.

I think this is, again, just damage limitation. I think she's realised that she was a tad too hasty with her knee-jerk "another referendum" straight after the EU Referendum result and has realised that there isn't actually much of an electorate appetite for it, so she's playing a hand that makes it look like she's giving some sort of ultimatum when in actual fact, she knows she has no chance of winning it so is just seeking an excuse not to have it.

Scotland would still be in the UK and in the EU after a successful vote for independence in the summer, so how will your suggestion work in practice?

Using this logic the Unionist parties should be demanding a second referendum.