McGrath is absolutely right in that (and I am talking about the here and now and not the mid 19thC) no union is worth having if it is not about choice. The principle of choice exists re Scotland's relationship with the UK and I suppose prior to that it was accepted by both the UK gvt, the Irish gvt and the Irish people in both the Republic and the North in relation to Northern Ireland's status. As long as the bulk of the people living there now wish to remain part of the UK then they can. This doesn't seem to be shared though by the Spanish where Catalonia is being denied a legally recognized referendum on their status!

That is why I tended to dislike the way some Yes supporters used the word 'Free' when talking about Scottish independence. We are already free with the freedom to choose.