Some time next month the Scots will have a vote on whether or not they want to stay in the UK. It's not an issue that I care too much about (and I don't see the Scots voting for independence next month either). But what really surprises me is the total lack of understanding for the realities of the world today the SNP leadership has. Virtually every time the issue of post-independence relationship with the EU comes up they will say things to the effect that Scotland will get the same treatment as the UK has negotiated, be it immigration, currency and pretty much every other EU-related issue.

It's virtually unthinkable that the EU will cut Scotland any special deals. For starters Scotland will be the asking party. Then we see a EU that is so little inclined to do special deals with anybody that it is even willing to risk losing the UK itself as a member. Towards third states (Switzerland) the pressure to conform is drastically increased. And then finally we have the matter of EU memberstates (more particularly Spain) could be against any special treatment in order to make independence look like a sacrifice of sovereignty rather than the gaining of it.

As usual the Scottish referendum shows that you can't trust politicians to inform the people. They'll tell the most outrageous lies to make their point. (No, I don't find that especially surprising, but the blatant lies, that is what gets at me).