Voters' views: Keith Brockie

MEET THE PANEL Name: Keith Brockie Age: 32 Lives: Falkirk Job: IT analyst Current voting intention: SNP

I am a believer in equality, therefore I want Scotland to be equal with other countries in the world - and govern itself.

I want to live in a compassionate Scotland that does not have nuclear weapons and whose soldiers do not take part in illegal wars.

I want pensioners in Scotland to have dignity and our children to have the best start in life.

I want Scottish education to again be respected in the world and Scotland to be a world leader in technology again.

In this election, the issues for me are immigration, Europe, Iraq and North Sea Oil.

The war in Iraq was illegal. The premises on which the war was based were false.

VOTERS' PANEL INTRODUCTIONS Jim Monaghan Michael Marley David Hamilton Stephen Edenborough Jennifer Mackay Bob Crozier Michelle Hunt Duncan King Olivia Drennan Keith Brockie George Whillans

Immigration is a means for the three London based parties to "out-Tory" the others, whereas I believe those fleeing oppression should be made welcome - not treated as pariahs.

The longer Gordon Brown prevaricates on the Euro issue the more Scottish businesses suffer, by not trading on an equal basis with those in the Euro zone.

Scotland's North sea oil money has again been used by the Westminster chancellor to fill holes in his spending - when it should be used to invest in Scotland's future.

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Our oil is running out. Not much money left there. Nice thoughts. However, to get what you want we need money. This will only be delivered by enterprising Scots and attracting foreign investment to a competitive Scotland. You're faith in the UN could be misguided, ref the 'illegal war'. Happy for Robert Mugabe to cast a vote on an international security issue?
Bill H, Edinburgh

Nay! Scotland couldn't survive on its own, it needs the support of our friends in England. Rule Britannia!
Liam Mckay, Glasgow, Scotland

With reference to Bill's comment. Its already been proven that Scotland still has over half of her oil reserves left. That is more than enough money to redevelop this country into a leader not a sheep! Scotland already sends more money down south than it receives back, so we could more than survive on our own. All you have to do is look at examples in the world, such as some of our close neighbours like Norway and Ireland. Both are doing very well!
Robert, Glasgow

Mmm, I wonder how Scotland would cope without the revenues from English taxpayers? If Scotland ever becomes independent, and then the oil runs out - they will all be crying out to rejoin the UK again. I used to live in Scotland, and I wish the Scots would just chill out and stop whingeing about everything. I moved back to England in the end - much more fun and more chilled out happy people.
Steven Davies, London, England

As a Scotsman living in England, I can tell you it's a lot more fun living up north than down here. Steven, your comments are based on nothing at all. Scotland gives more to the UK central government than it receives back, Scotland's oil reserves won't run out for a good 30 years yet, worth hundreds of billions over the years. More than enough to turn the economy of Scotland around and invest the revenues like the Norwegian Government has recently done, for the future! Their fund already generates more for them than their oil reserves, that's one way of keeping it going.
James, London

"Mmm, I wonder how Scotland would cope without the revenues from English taxpayers?" Mmm, Imagine that! Scotland would have to cope on the revenues of Scottish taxpayers. What an extraordinary suggestion. It would never work. A better suggestion would be to spread England's wonderful generosity even further and Norway should also be incorporated into the UK, after all, their oil will run out eventually as well!
Andrew, Edinburgh

It is well documented that Scotland have economic potential through the North Sea oil, but there is so much more that could be made of the Scottish economy under independence. Business could be attracted to Scotland under SNP plans to cut corporation tax and people could be attracted to these shores under the SNP's positive stance towards immigration. Scotland has just as many if not more opportunities than it's neighbours in Ireland, Norway and the other smaller European states, under independence these opportunities can be used to Scotland's advantage.
Calvin, Glasgow

Scotland is a great country but it would be a disaster if it became independent. The quality of the politicians is very poor, do you want John Reid leading us? We should merge with England and be happy.
Hamish McDavey, Cupar, Scotland

After reading some of the comments below it is not surprising that Scotland is not an independent nation. There is a strong negative misconception that we can't go it alone contrary to my own belief. As a Scot living abroad I sometimes have to take time to tell our European neighbours where Scotland is on the map and that annoys me as we are always regarded in association with England (nice enough people but a different nation). We are terribly under-represented in the Euro arena. Evidently the propaganda machine has done its job in convincing a lot of people that Scotland can't stand alone. Do you honestly think for one minute that England would remain attached to Scotland if it was costing them money? Unlikely. 'They' would call for independence. However, Scotland has to see past the oil. Everything associated with the industry lies at the source of a lot of problems. Brutality the world over often takes place in the name of oil - Iraq, Chechnya, Sudan (to name a few). Military force used to secure land and labour to construct pipelines results in displaced populations which results in impoverished people seeking asylum. Countless problems lie ahead as the environment strains under the use of fossil fuels. Scot's people have got to visualise a new world without dependence on oil then make the vision real. The Scot's have been one of the most inventive people. Renewable energy sources are the way forward. But don't believe the hype when politicians say it can't be done as often they have personal financial interests at heart. I say independent, green, and socialist in Europe.
Desmond MacDonald, France

Keith, I totally agree with what you say about immigration. I am disgusted that the Tories in particular have stirred up this issue in the full knowledge that their noise on the subject will simply make life harder for ethnic minorities already in this country and for people fleeing oppression who deserve the chance to make it here. I would love it if there was more immigration into Scotland to help top up our dwindling population and to bring us a bit of diversity.
Don, Edinburgh, Scotland

I can't believe the ignorance of some of these comments, along the lines of 'Scotland could never survive without the UK'. What a ridiculous proposition! We are talking about the nation that has given the world the TV, the telephone, economics, the steam engine, the first cloned animal, the list is endless. We are a potentially dynamic and successful nation bound up in a straight-jacket of self-doubt. I just want Scotland to be a normal small country, like Ireland, Estonia, Norway, Finland or Denmark. Many young people feel exactly the same and I have no doubt it will happen in the medium-term.
C, Edinburgh, Scotland

There are plenty independent countries out there that have far less oil reserves than Scotland. They manage. There are many countries that have got independence from larger countries. None have wanted to go back. We should recognise that we already have effective independence in devolved issues and I can see no argument for stopping where we are and gaining more independence in more issues. It's time this country was treated as an adult, we are mature enough now to make all the decisions for ourselves rather than falling back on Westminster, the nanny state.
Craig Cockburn, Scotland

Why is it that 'self respect' and SNP are continually bandied around as if one logically followed the other? I want much of what the writer describes but simply slicing the UK across the middle in pursuit of it is the most facile argument one can imagine. Precisely how all or any of the outcomes would follow the financial and legal complexities of a split from the rest of the country is anyone's guess.
Steven Kelly, Renfrewshire

I have never understood why independence would lead to a Scottish utopia. The only real advantage financially would not be a slice of the pie going to fund silly wars. Oil is a major asset to Scotland but will run out, however, if there is investment the renewable energy market could provide a future in both terms of energy production and manufacturing. But Scotland should remain part of the UK, London could support itself as a city state on its financial earnings, but does that mean it should leave Barnsley or Wolverhampton or Belfast to fend for themselves? In the context of Europe, subsidiarity and devolution, nationalism is irrelevant, backward and wishful thinking. The UK does better as part of Europe (whatever the Tories think) and Scotland does well as part of the UK in Europe
Paolo, edinburgh

I agree with much of your sentiment, especially on immigration and Iraq. I don't agree about the oil. The UN now tells us that if we don't cut back on CO2 emissions massively by 2010, billions of people will starve to death around 2050. I am voting for a party which supports independence, because it believes that any given decision should be made by all and only the people it affects, and that a country of five million is a better unit than 60 million, but that also recognises that global resources are limited and that our future matters.
Adam , Edinburgh, Scotland