WILL they stay or will they go now?

Like it or not, the next few days are set to be dominated by the Scottish independence vote.

Expect rousing rhetoric, claims and counter claims plus a plethora of polls and pie charts. This one looks dead set to go down to the wire.

And after a few good days for the go-it-aloners, it appears as though Better Together are edging clear.

But, as a 1970s games show host might have said, everything’s up for grabs.

If this narrow poll lead is overturned it does beg the question – if Scotland can go it alone, then why not Brighton and Hove?

Here a just a few reasons why...

  • Brighton and Hove is a political island.

Our city has long been known as a political island.

For years Brighton and Hove has wanted to raise its head from the surrounding sea of blue.

While West and East Sussex continue to return Conservatives at every level, in the city we like to shake it up a bit.

That’s why there was the Liberal rise in the 1980s, the Labour dominance throughout the 90s and 2000s. And now into the teenies we have the only Green council in the country plus the UK’s first Green MP.

  • We're full up Politicians often joke to me that Brighton and Hove is full and can’t take more people.

Given the recent planning blueprint shows a 11,000 housing shortfall, it’s easy to see why.

Going independent will allow us to set our own border controls.

Build a wall on the A23 just south of Hasscoks if we want, deploy patrol boats off the south coast, armed guards at the marina - anything is possible.

Or we could just maintain the current natural flow of people in and out of the city which has served it well for the last 250 years.

You decide!

  • Booming local economy A leading business figure once said to me: Brighton and Hove has the highest-qualified café staff in the country; everyone has got a degree or a PhD.

With such a large student population our city has that arrogance of youth, the feeling is that anything is possible.

And for that reason – with the addition of the more well-established financial service industry – the city is punching above its weight.

Brighton and Hove has had a good recession – and without the rest of the county weighing us down, that glass ceiling could well be smithereens in a few years.

With a few tax breaks here and there, those yacht berths in the marina will need to be expanded...

  • South sea oil?

The Scots may have North Sea oil which they claim will prop up the economy.

But we on the south coast have our own energy reserves.

In a few years time a huge wind farm is set to be built off the Sussex coast.

Throw in the fact we are one of – if not the – sunniest places in the country then we can harness the power of the sun too.

Thanks to our internationally-renowned eco firms leading the way, it will not be long before we can add tidal power to this too.

And dare I mention fracking?

  •  Transport links Two ports, an airport and mainline railway station – plus a direct link to London and an international airport less than an hour away – need I say more?
  • International presence Brighton and Hove is blessed with a collection of some of the sharpest wits, expressive souls and creative types.

Any city would give Van Gogh’s left ear to have the creative talent that we do.

With world class festivals round the year, a buzzing music scene and an arts scene which lends to people exhibiting in their own homes it really is special.

In sporting terms, we have a top cricket side and a football team that really could give Gibraltar and Andorra a run for their money.

  • Military Now this may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but every country needs some form of guard to protect those in power – look at the Pope.

And with the city now the protest capital of the UK, there are plenty of people who would be prepared to join a band of brothers.

And for cavalry? Well how about getting people to ride around on bicycles (clothes optional)....

  • where does Brighton end and Sussex start?

Now the wall doesn't have to be built just around the city. After all it would cause a little bit of a problem in Saltdean and Portslade where the boundary with neighbouring counties runs directly up the middle of roads.

So why not let our brothers east and west join in.

Let’s have the People’s Republic of Greater Brighton.

After all, places like Southwick and Peacehaven have far more in common with Brighton than leafy villages such as Balcombe, Cowfold, and Fulking.

  • All of the above is just a starting point.

I know a few people in North Laine who could find us a few flags and even a uniform for those who like that sort of thing.

And there are a plethora of accountants and civil servants who would be able to ensure the smooth running of local services and finances.

Or we could just sit back and enjoy the benefits that being a small fish in a big pond allows.

After all, the reason why revolutions have never really taken off in the United Kingdom is that most of us just like a quiet life.

Why have disruption when we can all tend to our gardens or go for a walk?

For that reason alone, I imagine the Scots will say No to independence when the country goes to the polls.

Small minority of private landlords giving the majority a bad name

Another week, another load of complaints from friends about dodgy dealings with lettings agents.

In the last few days I was told of a friend who was forced to pay electricity at a place for the two weeks before she moved in.

That was after the agents lost the paperwork meaning she had to delay moving in and left her on a mate’s sofa.

Another friend lost his house despite paying a holding deposit after the owner told them he had found other tenants.

He threatened them saying unless my friend and his posse increased their rent by £100 a month then they would lose the house and deposit.

Such complaints can only be met with a sigh and a forced “oh dear, that’s dreadful”.

It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just the complaints are so often heard that I’m becoming a little tired of them.

With Brighton and Hove having more than 34,000 homes in the private rented sector it’s no wonder that housing is such a common cause of conversation.

Estate agents I have spoken to in the last month all say the same thing: a small minority are giving the majority a bad name.

Maybe. But given the number of complaints I hear from friends it really can’t be that small a percentage.

That’s why a meeting on Wednesday of estate agents discussing plans to license all private landlords will certainly make for interesting discussion.