A Statement of the bleeding obvious.

Obviously the big news of the week is David Cameron's speech on Europe. The latest major poll on Independence only confirms what we all knew already.

But, just to put the boot in a bit further to the SNP, I want to make a brief point about where they stand now on Europe.

They  suggest that the best chance of Scotland staying in the European Union is to vote for Independence in 2014. This is a logical absurdity.

Scotland's current exports to the EU are approximately £9bn. Our exports to the rest of the UK, £45bn.

On any view then, if we have an important single market then clearly that single market is with the rest of the UK.

And if we then vote  for separation in 2014 and then in 2017 the rest of the UK votes  to leave the European single market then, at that point, joining (or remaining in) the European Single Market would not be an option for us either. For we'd have to choose between an open border between the location of our overwhelmingly dominant export market or.............well actually we'd have no choice at all..

So if the rest of the UK voted in 2017 not to be part of the European Union then neither could we be part.

Only we wouldn't have had a vote in that process at all. Except for the vote in 2014 to entrust our future to others

And most ironically, had we had still had a vote in 2017 the (rest of) the UK would have been less likely to vote (for us) to leave the European Union.

Still, at least we'd have our own flag and anthem.

Even if we otherwise have virtually no control of our own affairs.