How can there be two new countries? You need a referendum to abolish The UK?

Is there a referendum I don't know about? Have I still time to register to vote in it?

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. What's difficult about that? We have The United States of America, and I don't see all the other American countries moaning? (Apart from when The CIA interfere, or contra rebels are funded, or Bay of a pigs excursions, but I digress.)

The United Kingdom is a member of The EU. I don't see what alters? If it did, it would be challenged legally as nobody has asked the population a question regarding the status of The UK.

Regarding currency union, the chancellor has a duty to advise and act in the interest of the fiscal state of The UK. Rather than accuse him of interfering, Salmond is (jumping ahead of himself) interfering in the treasury status of what he hopes will be a foreign country by telling the Scottish electorate everybody will be as he says if he gets his Wallace moment.

Fascinating talk over Norway. I have family there, (moved from Scotland ironically) and when I was staying with them last year, (they are popular, living next to a ski resort...) their take on matters, with no axe to grind, doesn't exactly favour the Norwegian model. After having to go to a state owned shop to get overpriced wine, reminiscent of less developed totalitarian countries, I started to agree.

Mind you, the high taxes that dissuade foreign investment do give you a beast of a pension in Norway.. Snag is, Scotland depends on enterprise, something the small population of Norway makes a point of ignoring. Their poverty gap is remarkable, but there again, you don't get prizes for initiative and career advancement either. Real socialist principles, you see. Adam Smith was a Scot after all..... If Norway had the answers, it would be to tell us all to use our energy reserves in a less cooperative way and sell the excess to neighbouring countries at prices just, but only just cheaper than them extracting the gas themselves. Most European countries, The UK included, don't have the reserves to support their population in the lo term, and before you say it, Scotland would have to sell their 30 year supply, not live on it.