Scotland leader to tell party she's 'never been more certain' of independence

[Denzil_DC]

38. On your last paragraph,

the emphasis in Scotland is not on "blood and soil" native-born nationalism, but rather civic nationalism. If you've settled in Scotland and pay taxes there, you're considered Scottish to all intents and purposes, and that's likely to be the model for residency and citizenship in a future independent Scotland.

As an illustration of this, the franchise has been extended in Scottish elections (i.e. not those concerning Westminster) to include non-native citizens who are resident here. This means that people like my partner, who's lived in Scotland for many years but is still a US citizen, will be able to vote in next year's Scottish parliament election, as will any EU citizens who've managed to survive Westminster's efforts to eject them.

Scotland has a demographically ageing population, so immigration is seen as something to be encouraged, and a necessity. Similar pressures apply in the rest of the UK to a lesser extent, but nevertheless Westminster's attitudes to immigrants are notorious.

As for Scotland's economy, there's a lot more to it than oil, whisky, textiles and fish, though those sectors would thrive better with closer attention and more support than Westminster gives them. I don't propose to fill this page even more than I have already, but as just one example, Dundee is a major centre for computer games and other high-tech initiatives, which is a significant market. As another, the central belt is a serious player in the space satellite industry. The country is rich in natural resources, from fresh water to renewable energy - the latter a sector that's been hampered by lack of UK government investment over the years - and has a well-educated population, so its future will depend more on initiative than raw resources.