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I presume you also read at the end of the report
Take the aforementioned report with a large pinch of salt. Their presumptions are just that no better nor worse than my own

Interesting discussion between Angus Young and George Kerevan. However, there was one point that they didn't cover - the uncertainty that the endless delay is causing. Speaking from my own experience, I need to make big decisions about my business and life in general and can't do it until I know what Scotland's future will be. Am I expected to just "calm down" (as George said) and hang on nervously for 4 years? There is also a worrying historical precedent. The Parti Quebecois came to power in 1976 in Quebac and waited until 1980 before calling their first referendum on Quebecker independence. These four years saw massive economic turmoil in Quebec province with many businesses simply choosing to relocate to Ontario. I worked in Montreal for a few years around the turn of the millennium (just after the second failed referendum attempt) and this experience has deeply affected my view of "neverenda" and the problems they cause.

Where is this report published? I was interested to listen to the discussion this morning but cannot find the report on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã site.

Found it. The report is here:

How refreshing that the Sunday Herald is offering the Independence movement some much needed support. It only requires the Scottish Media to tell the truth rather than acting as propaganda machines for Westminster.

Derek, maybe you should consider these facts:

(taken from Stephen Noon's blog 10/11/11)


There has been much discussion among politicians and the press in recent days, including at FMQs today, about whether or not an independent Scotland would be required to adopt the euro.

As someone newly qualified in EU law, I thought I would take a look, not at the political arguments, but at the black letter law - what the Treaties actually say.

So lets explore the 'worst case scenario' put forward by Labour and Tory politicians: Scotland as an accession state.

This is the legal position on euro membership:

The most recent accession treaty (for countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Poland) contains the following provision:

"Each of the new Member States shall participate in Economic and Monetary Union from the date of accession as a Member State with a derogation within the meaning of Article 122 of the EC Treaty"

Article 122 of the EC Treaty has now been replaced by Articles 139 and 140 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). If you stop at this point, the argument seems won - all new members "shall participate" in the single currency. However, there is another step. We need, also, to look at what Articles 139 and 140 TFEU actually say.

These articles apply to all Member States without a euro opt out, whether old or new, whether accession or not. Article 139 TFEU sets out that "Member States with a derogation" do not participate in the single currency or monetary union. Article 140 TFEU then makes clear that euro membership is not automatic. In order to join the euro, a Member State has to satisfy certain criteria, including currency convergence as part of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II).

So what are the rules for participation in ERM II? These are set out in the 16 June 1997 Resolution of the European Council establishing the Exchange Rate Mechanism and the 16th March 2006 agreement between the European Central Bank and the national central banks of the Member States outside the euro area. These make clear "participation in ERM II is voluntary for the non-euro area Member States".

So, in summary, the Treaties make clear that a Member State can't join the euro without demonstrating currency convergence as part of ERM II "for at least two years" and because Scotland (or any other Member State, old or new) can choose whether or not to join ERM II, we can't be forced to join the euro. There is a point of decision - whether or not to join the Exchange Rate Mechanism - which is ours to take, and if we don't join ERM II, we won't be joining the euro.

As a final thought, I started work for the SNP in the House of Commons and have huge respect for the House of Commons library and its highly effective staff. It is therefore very disappointing that they should put out a report on euro membership for an independent Scotland without referring to what the Treaties and other provisions of EU law actually say. I hope that mistake is now remedied.

Derek, you come across as a very reasonable guy.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Scotland have stopped comments on their politics and business blogs. Yours next? Can you get someone to tell us why the Ö÷²¥´óÐã treats Scotland differently from the rest of the UK?

amjhaj, if you don't mind me adding to your post:

This is a list of Ö÷²¥´óÐã reporters who have pages like Brian Taylor's and Douglas Fraser's that all have comments enables on all of their reports, unlike Messrs Taylor and Fraser.

N.Ireland:
Mark Davenport: Political Editor

Wales:
Betsan Powys: Political Editor
David Cornock: Parliamentary correspondent

UK:
Mark Easton: Ö÷²¥´óÐã Editor
Robert Peston: Business Editor
Stephanie Flanders: Economics Editor
Nick Robinson: Political Editor
Paul Mason: Economics Editor, Newsnight
Mark Urban: Diplomatic/Defence Editor, Newsnight
Torin Douglas: Media Correspondent (sometimes uses Twitter)
Phil Coomes: Picture Editor
Mark D'Arcy: Parliamentary Correspondent
Martin Rosenbaum: Freedom of Information Specialist
Fergus Walsh: Medical Correspondent
Tom Fielden: Science Correspondent 'Today' programme
Richard Black: Environment Correspondent
Rory Cellan Jones: Technology Correspondent (sometimes Twitter)
Will Gompertz: Arts editor (not all reports have comments enabled)

England:
Richard Moss:Political Editor North east and Cumbria
Len Tingle: Political Editor Yorkshire
Tim Iredale: Political Editor Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Patrick Burns: Political Editor Midlands
John Hess: Political Editor East Midlands
Martyn Oates: Political Editor South West
Deborah McGurran: Political Editor East of England
Peter Henley: Political Editor South of England
Louise Stewart: Political Editor South East

World
Andrew Harding; Africa Correspondent
Damian Grammaticas: Beijing Correspondent
Soutik Biswas: Delhi Correspondent
Gavin Hewitt: Europe Editor
Nick Bryant: Australia Correspondent
Maggie Shiels: USA Silicon Valley Reporter

Why is Ö÷²¥´óÐã Scotland the only area of the entire Ö÷²¥´óÐã website where licence fee payers are not offered the opportunity to add their comments anymore on political or business issues ?

They can take away our lives but they can never take away our freedom to comment. Oh wait, on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã they can and they will.

#9 xyz - they did exactly the same thing on the run up to the Scottish Parliamentary elections . it didn't work for them then and it ain't going to work this time either.

you can smell the fear wafting out of pathetic quay .

and did shereen ever find the silent majority ?

what we are seeing right now is the unionist party's playing catch up (again)
someone in the SNP worked out when unionist support would be at it's lowest ,when the westminster coalition had really started with their real agenda really cutting spending ,cutting benefits ,cutting jobs and not replacing them ,ripping the public sector apart.
the unionists have finally worked it out and don't fancy their chances at that time hence their new found demand that it happens now whilst they think they still have a chance.
Sid

Congratulations Derek! You are the sole survivor of an active Ö÷²¥´óÐã Scotland Blog site. How have you managed it and where is todays blog or have been cut off in your prime?