http://www.icmresearch.co.uk/pdfs/2007_dec_sunday_telegraph_union_poll.pdf

Some interesting points.

Firstly on the issue of a UK football team, Women are far keener than men, and where as people in England are two to one in favour, Scots are split fifty fifty.

On the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union, only a quarter of those in England were aware of it as opposed to half of those in Scotland.

On English votes for English issues it was again two to one, but this time across the whole UK, with Scotland as in favour as in England.

On spending per head it’s the picture we are familiar with, only a quarter in England think it’s justified as opposed to half of Scots.

On whether England would be worse off without Scotland it’s a bit of a mix, close to two thirds in both Scotland and England think it wouldn’t make much of a difference with the rest split fairly evenly between better and worse.

Fewer in Scotland seem to think it would be better off, and about one in five in England worse of, as opposed to almost half of Scotland. So Scotland thinks the UK needs it more than the rest of the UK does.

The How long will the Union last question gives a real mixed bag of results although I think that might be because it gives six options.

As to whether people want Independence the message is a lot clearer, seventy percent North and South want it to continue, although from the point of view of England without the perceived subsidy.

With regards to the future, the status quo has a third support with all the other options lower, one in five support an English Parliament.

just over half think Labour and Tory stand up equally for England, but the Tories have a clear lead when people make a choice, I think that highlights the problem for Cameron in anything that looks to weaken the Union.

So what does this all tell us? Well for what it’s worth my take is that it’s back to our old friend salience. Beyond the media village the whole issue of Independence and the West Lothian Question isn’t a burning issue in England.

There are irritations about voting and public spending, but nothing that will really be a significant factor in the next election. I suppose I should also admit that disappointingly for the SNP there is still a strong sentiment for the Union to endure and that may well be of real importance if it comes to a referendum.

Peter.

You can take this as a partisan post or you might want to risk an early £10 on a pre election bet based on info from the inside.

Peter.

I would agree that it would be unlikely for Tories to take Argyll & Bute at next election – but not that the Lib Dem incumbent will retain it. The SNP win in May was pretty conclusive and unless they stumble in Holyrood, I doubt the LD will hold them off on the Westminster seat.

From The Scotsman:-

Trump 101 The Way to Success lists “Aberdeen Golf Club, Scotland” in a section on Trump Organisation golf clubs.

A spokesman for RSPB Scotland, one of the environmental groups opposing the Menie scheme, claimed: “The fact that Mr Trump can publish a book which states that not only does he own a golf course in Aberdeen but also implies that it is consented, constructed and operational, gives a very clear signal of the regard with which he holds the decision-making process and the decision-makers themselves.”

Something about supping with the Devil & the length of Spoons comes to mind.

“Who says politicians aren’t driven by principle rather than expediency”?,

Unless it just isn’t expedient to be seen as unprincipled.

Peter.