Norway is a good example. I have family out there and whilst the country is rich and their high taxes promise them one hell of a good state pension etc, there is a problem..

The problem is that to survive economically, they have to trade with The EU whilst due to xenophobia at referendum time, cannot be members.

The result? Being bound by the dictats with no say in them whatsoever.

That is the situation an independent Scotland could find itself in. Using sterling would mean being bound by the interest rates and fiscal policy of The UK. At present, Scottish people can influence that. But they can't after any independence... Monetary union? The law requires a referendum. No party can take us into fiscal union without a referendum, as those advocating the Euro (myself amongst them incidentally) have found.

If Scotland doesn't take its share of debt, it could never dictate anything to anyone, as The IMF would put it in a peer group with Somalia. If it does take on its share of debt, it will be interesting to see what parties can promise to provide in the first elections...

The most galling bit about this is The UK government bending over backwards to appease voters in Scotland. The message should be clear. How many Salmond promises will he negotiate away once he wins? What single promise can you rely on?

More importantly, how can you be sure the promises don't make his party policies a constitutional obligation if he argues, rightly, that they form part of the independence criteria?