The Breakup of Britain”? It sounds like a fantasy fiction title. To many people across the world, including the English themselves, it is inconceivable that this deep-rooted United Kingdom, the oldest royal democracy in the world, could split apart.

In the last few weeks, however, official London has panicked over the rising clamor of voices from all over the British Isles suddenly agreeing that the archaic structure of “Great Britain” is overdue for a shake-up — even a breakup.

Nowhere are these voices in better harmony than in Scotland. If “Britain” is more than a word on a passport, why do most Scots now feel their primary identity is not British? What would it mean to be English if the Scots walked away? And should the Welsh follow them? A fresh wind of new ideas is blowing from Scotland and tempting all the queen’s subjects to reimagine their identities.

Last month Alex Salmond, Scotland’s first minister and the leader of the Scottish National Party, introduced a “consultation document” on a referendum to decide his nation’s future. After an unexpected triumph in last year’s elections to the Scottish Parliament, the party is now fulfilling its promise: a vote to declare independence.

If Mr. Salmond has his way, the vote will take place in 2014, just shy of 700 years after King Robert the Bruce defeated the English at Bannockburn. And he wants only one question on the ballot paper: “Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?”....

I thought this was an interesting piece. I didn't realize how lightly Scotland is populated compared to the rest of Great Britain. How likely is Scottish independence and what would that mean for the UK?
Will Scotland Go Its Own Way

It'd be interesting to hear Yogi's take on this.

the trouble with England is it's full of English

It'd be interesting to hear Yogi's take on this.

Well listen to you....feisty little bugger aren't ya?

No doubt about which way you should see the vote go eh?

For the record i am no lover of David Cameron and as for the "shame on you" comment??

You can stick that up your arse mate!!!

First Minister Alex Salmond has said he wants to face Prime Minister David Cameron in a TV debate on Scottish independence.

The SNP leader was speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr show from his party's conference in Inverness.

The electorate in Scotland will be asked to vote yes or no to independence in a referendum on 18 September 2014.

Mr Salmond accepted there would be a number of TV showdowns, but he thought the first should be with Mr Cameron.

When asked by interviewer Eddie Mair whether he would debate with pro-union head Alistair Darling, he said: "My first mark is David Cameron the Prime Minister.

"I think as first minister of Scotland I should debate with the prime minister. We signed the Edinburgh agreement. He's against independence - I'm for it...