The Scottish Government says that independence will create a richer, fairer, and nuclear-free nation that would keep the British pound, the queen, and its membership cards in the European Union and NATO.  Critics say that’s poppycock.

The referendum on leaving England and Wales behind in the UK while Scotland goes its own way is less than a year away.  The Scottish National Party’s (SNP) Alex Salmond touted the newly released book “Scotland’s Future”, the government’s 670-page tome for addressing topics as diverse as currency arrangements and the provision of free childcare for all preschoolers.

Critics dismissed it as little more than a wishlist.

The white paper “ducked the opportunity to answer the big questions about Scotland's future.” Said former UK Chancellor Alistair Darling, who leads the unionist “Better Together” campaign, alleging the document is “thick with false promises and meaningless assertions” about the obstacles Scotland would face as an independent nation of 5 million people.

By keeping the pound, “The SNP are asking for a divorce, but they want to keep the joint bank account,” added opposition lawmaker Johann Lamont.

“The positive beats the negative,” responded Salmond.  “We’re on the ‘yes’ side of this campaign, the positive side of this argument, and we will win this referendum.”