[Kreuzberger]

I have only spent three day in Tallinn, when we moved the Brexit-endangered business there, but I found it breathtakingly smart. They are digital to the point of old ladies having their smart phones scanned for their travel passes on the tram through to banks being able to open accounts with just one, carefully vetted signature. All accounts and taxes are filed online and the tax-code means that there are no exceptions, no dodges, and no wriggle-room.

It was and remains a breath of fresh air. Although that is just my hobby-business these days, it is one less thing that I need to worry about. Everything works and the New-Nordic approach to food is also a thing of prandial beauty - this fad for sustainability, careful presentation, and zero waste really tickles my fancy.

Downsides: the Russian speed is fucking brutal, Airbnb is trying to destroy the social fabric of the capital, and the accounts women will grind you in to the permafrost if you try to game the system. That and the weather should mean that the Scots will fit in nicely.

Oh, and the Tallinn Old Town makes Prague look like Stevenage.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I reckon Lesley Riddoch had a nice time when she was there.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Nomination for worst ever argument for anything here. The SNP first minister is scandalous, so independence needed.

[youngian]

Also they’d be no point in the SNP existing after independence so that solves that one.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Sturgeon-Salmond thing is quite something, if you haven't seen it.

[Tubby Isaacs]

It's probably covered by Parliamentary privilege though.

[Arrowhead]

Also they’d be no point in the SNP existing after independence so that solves that one.

A post-independence SNP would probably morph into a middle-of-the-road, centrist party à la the Lib Dems circa 2010, and mop up in the process with Sturgeon still at the helm. There would be a lot of flag waving left wingers in Scotland who would be left wondering what the hell happened to the socialist utopia they presumed was just around the corner.

[Bones McCoy]

Also they’d be no point in the SNP existing after independence so that solves that one.

A post-independence SNP would probably morph into a middle-of-the-road, centrist party à la the Lib Dems circa 2010, and mop up in the process with Sturgeon still at the helm. There would be a lot of flag waving left wingers in Scotland who would be left wondering what the hell happened to the socialist utopia they presumed was just around the corner.

Post Independence (Should it happen) there are a number of unpleasant scenarios.

One is a Scottish mirror of Arlenes "community activists" kicking off.
Perhaps more likely is Scottish Labour going fullblown Momentum.

[The Weeping Angel]

[Tubby Isaacs]

"New thinking" from the bloke who Team Jez couldn't be bothered with.

[youngian]

Salmond’s opening credits- the boss of a tough elite crime buster outfit that bends the rules. Probably the FSB.
https://www.rt.com/shows/alex-salmond-s ... scenarios/

[Tubby Isaacs]

Looks like Richard Murphy didn't disappoint.

Your regular reminder tht the Scottish Government's statisticians produce the figures he's talking about, not "Westminster" (it would be the ONS anyway, headquartered in Newport).

One of Murphy's risible arguments previously is that it's mathematically incredible that Scotland can be responsible for so much of the deficit. But there are some regions with positive balances, some with negative. When you add them up there's a deficit. That's like looking at a football league table, seeing that Rovers have a goal difference of -6, and saying they don't believe that just one game (where they lost 3-0 to City) can be responsible for so much of the negative goal difference.

Is we have to add more expense to NI and Wales, his head must be exploding at how much of the deficit these two "regions" are responsible for.

[youngian]

Murphy’s an ardent Remainer egging on the Nats. Fair enough but becoming the Craig Murray of economics is a high professional price to pay.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Talking of Craig.

On balance, I think it's unlikely that Stugeon said "all men put on trial for rape did it". Still, we're lucky he didn't repeat his party piece of blurting out out the complainants' names live on national TV.

Craig has a following BTL who approve of him saying the "unsayable".

[youngian]

What a toilet of misogynistic twattery. Women make stuff up like Jews is particularly appalling