You have reached your destination…………………………….

One of life’s dangers is that of going too far, overplaying the hand that providence has dealt you. “Pride goeth before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs, 16:18) sums up the modern use of the ancient Greek concept of hubris.
Such a fate seems to have befallen one of the West Riding of Yorkshire’s most famous sons, Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson who it appears has taken things too far and his career at the BBC may well be over.
To use Clarkson’s hyperbolic literary style, the man has an ego the size of a small planet. Like Mars.
Another of this nation’s sons, Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond from West Lothian aka Linlithgowshire, (whose ego is also the size of the Red Planet) seems set to follow a similar fate. The tragedy however in this case is that whereas Clarkson’s folly impacts only upon himself (and his dependants) Salmond’s (and Nicola Sturgeon’s) folly will impact upon the People of Scotland.
The whys and wherefores and prospects for a so called “independent” Scotland have been detailed in the two previous articles below and need not be reprised in detail again.
http://www.british-gazette.co.uk/2014/09/03/now-you-see-me-now-you-dont/
AND
http://www.british-gazette.co.uk/2014/09/07/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-you-might-get-it-2/
We shall deal with the proposals that Salmond and Sturgeon are putting before the People of Scotland in the General Election, the campaign for which is effectively now upon us.
We know what they are: Vote SNP and let us dictate terms to the Labour Party to have the government (of the UK) that we want. The SNP’s little problem is that this will require Unfortunate Ed to emulate Socrates and drink the hemlock that they are proffering him, for be in no doubt, Labour’s spin doctors will understand that Labour governing England with SNP support will be catastrophic for their hopes at the next election – even if Unfortunate Ed does not!Above, Jacques-Louis David’s famous “The Death of Socrates” (1787).
But then the wily Salmond knows this and therefore relies on “Plan B.”
Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond of Linlithgowshire’s “Plan B” is of course to summon up all the pompous, feigned and outraged indignation he is so good at doing when it is announced that the new leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties are entering into a Grand Coalition.
See our earlier article: http://www.british-gazette.co.uk/2015/03/07/choose-your-poison-messrs-johnson-johnson-or-mmes-harman-may/
The tragedy for Scotland seems that Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond of Linlithgowshire and Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon of Ayrshire appear to have committed the ultimate act of hubris – believing their own nonsense. That they actually believe that Scotland will and can prosper by severing the union.
The best strategy for the People of Scotland following a “sweep of the board” victory by the SNP would be to put the following offer to the other parties elected to the Commons:
1. “DevoMax” Plus. The Plus being that whilst the number of Scottish members [in the Commons] remains a Westminster competence, the election of those members in terms of the requirements for the franchise and also the method of election of those members becomes a devolved competence.
2. Removal of the Trident base from Scotland by the end of the Parliament. NB: This does NOT mean the abandonment of the nuclear deterrent but the relocation of the bases. Which in all likelihood would be Norfolk, Virginia until new facilities at Falmouth in Cornwall are constructed.
3. EVEL. English Votes for English Laws. This will mean that England will gain the same degree of devolved competences as Scotland.
4. Make a statement that the SNP had changed its opinion on the matter of Scottish independence and now considers that given the nature of the global economy Scotland’s best interests lie in the Union but with the practical maximum degree of devolution given to the Scottish people.
Were David Cameron to be in the position of being the leader of the largest party but unable to form a majority government, he would be an utter fool to reject such an offer.
Furthermore, Salmond and Sturgeon are utter fools NOT to make such an offer to whoever leads the largest party on Friday 8th May 2015, for such will give everything that can practically be given to the People of Scotland – consistent with Scotland remaining a prosperous nation.
But like the errant Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson from the West Riding, both seem set on a course of self destruction. The tragedy being this: They are taking Scotland with them.