Top 10 aspiring Nations according to TIME

In light of the independence referendum taking place in South Sudan, TIME Magazine compiled a top 10 list of aspiring nations, their introduction to the article states ‘Sudan held a referendum on Jan. 9 to decide whether to split into two sovereign countries. Here's a sampling of other places vying for independence — some with more legitimate claims for freedom than others’

The 10 listed are Scotland, The Basque Country, Tibet, South Ossetia, Kurdistan, Quebec, Western Sahara, The Republic of Cascadia, Padania and Second Vermont Republic.

No surprise Scotland is on the list and this is what they had to say ‘Scotland has been formally joined with England since 1707, when the two nations dissolved their parliaments and united to form Great Britain. Yet despite centuries of being under London's yoke, Scotland still considers itself a separate country and periodically pushes for independence.

The Scottish National Party (SNP), which supports full independence from Britain, formed in 1934 and won its first British parliamentary seat in 1945. In 1999,

Scotland elected its first Parliament in nearly 300 years (though Queen Elizabeth II formally began the opening session — maybe to remind them who was boss?). The Scottish Parliament controls domestic policy in Scotland, while Westminster still handles everything else. Because of this, Scotland could ban smoking when the rest of Britain still allowed cigarettes in public places. The SNP won the nation's 2007 parliamentary elections and has periodically urged Scotland to take up a referendum on independence ever since. Even if passed, the referendum would not be binding unless approved by the British Parliament.

Correction appended: The original version of the slide incorrectly stated that the Scottish National Party won its first Parliamentary seat in 1967.

The rest of profiles are here

A potent sign of Wales lack of economic clout and underperformance

There couldn’t have been a more powerful image of Wales lack of economic importance or its underperformance over the years compared to our Scottish Cousins as there was at Edinburgh Airport today, when the Vice Premier of economic powerhouse China, Li Keqiang started his 4 day visit to the UK in Edinburgh and was met by Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond.

As well as the obvious diplomatic boost Alex Salmond got today he could also point to the confirmation of a £10million renewable energy deal between Scottish and Chinese companies, some WAG Ministers could only dream of.

Mr Keqiang will also meet David Cameron, Nick Clegg, William Hague and Chancellor George Osborne during his trip, so Alex Salmond’s inclusion in welcoming shows what’s possible for Devolved Government and their leaders. Can anyone see Carwyn or Ieuan being in a position where they would be included in something like this, no me either.

But back to issues at hand, even if we over look the fact that Cardiff Airport couldn’t have handled the landing of the Vice Premier’s plane due to the lack of vision of Cardiff Airport’s Management and Owners plus the lack of engagement from Wales First Minister Carwyn Jones and Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones of the business, social and cultural opportunities that China offers, the fact that the man tipped by many to be China next Premier started his trip to the UK in Edinburgh, met by Scotland First Minister and announced a multi million pound investment in Scotland by one of the world’s rising economic powers highlights how far behind the rest of the UK we have fallen and how far our political leaders still have to travel in their economic thinking to make Wales visible on a UK stage never mind a European or International one.