I’ve been struggling with this puzzle for the last few years.  Four pictures, all apparently different from each other but I’m damned if I can see any difference between the first three clowns.

In the UK with our backward first past the post voting system we’re stuck with only three national political parties that stand a chance in Westminster.  As Tony Blair clambered on to the rampaging Neo-Con bandwagon in the late 1990s any differences between these parties became increasingly fuzzy until Nick Clegg rammed a stake through the heart of democratic choice when he jumped into bed with Cameron in 2010.

Faced with this disgrace the Scots can consider themselves extremely fortunate in having the chance to leave this whole charade behind.  Especially when you consider there is only one Conservative MP in the whole of Scotland, up from zero at the previous election.  So why is there still so much doubt in Scotland about whether to go it alone?  On the one hand there is the near constant thumping of the Project Fear drum threatening all sorts of punishments such as denying Scotland the pound, denying entry to the EU, denying TV time – no Dr. Who for you, you disgraceful heathens.  And then there are those who distrust the SNP.  You know those that would rather suffer under the certainty of extreme austerity and increasing gulf between rich and poor, and all because Alex Salmond has not got a good plan B for some eventualities.  Well rUK is going to play dirty and throw muck every which way it can in a giant screaming tantrum – that’s a given.  Salmond’s tried his damnedest to outline the plans in a 700 page manifesto, but of course he’s not allowed for what would happen should Scotland dump trident and then be attacked by giant space aliens, or what his policy is should the sun decide to stop working.

But this is all missing the point.  A vote for Yes and an independent Scotland has got very little to do with Alex and the SNP.  In 2016 there will be elections and then you can vote for any bloody Scottish political party you like.  You can set up your own.  You could even vote Scottish Conservative.

The UK, its values, its social fabric, its economy is going to the dogs, that’s a given.  It’s rule by the 1% for the 1% and the rest are cannon fodder.  Scotland has great natural resources but more importantly it has a population that has consistently shown itself to be more inclined to fairness, equality, sustainability and attracting and educating skilled people – get independent then  concern yourself with the details of which parties will run the show.  And be bloody glad that in Edinburgh you will have political parties that actually have differing views.