Lib Dem 'Unionism' - Why ?

I continue to find strange the complete attachment to 'unionism' from the Scottish Liberal Democrats. My point of view is well expressed by Simon Jenkins in today's 'The Guardian' He writes :

"That the party of Irish home rule should reject so liberal a proposal as territorial self-determination is odd"

As Jenkins further argues, all that is being demanded is merely a vote on independence and one seemingly tempered with the alternative option of increased self-governance for Scotland, which LDs support.

If the union is that strong then Scots will recognise this and vote accordingly. Why be so afraid of a vote ? Give the people of Scotland the outcome they choose. As it happens, rather than a vote for separation it looks from here as if much of the SNP support came in this election from leftist voters sick of Blair and McConnell, hence the transfer of votes from Labour and socialist parties.

Maybe north of the border there are other complications, but the independence referendum seams a strange deal breaker from t'other side of the border.

Don't get me wrong, Alex Salmond's rhetoric about Labour not having the moral authority to be in government and that Labour was on the decline for good in Scotland was utter cant. So 47 seats and well short of a majority gives you authority, whilst 46 spells the end for Labour is fatuous to say the least. What price the SNP not winning either a majority in either vote share or seats at the next Westminster elections ?

The rest of his Jenkins' opinion piece is utter tosh BTW !

Lib Dems and Scotland

I may be missing something here but I don't really get the Lib Dems attachment to the union. Surely the Scottish Lib Denm position ought to be more fluid and not take such a rigid Unionist position. Surely it is a matter for the people of Scotland and we should be happy to reflect the will of the people and make their preferred constitutional settlement work, whatever that may be. Instinctively we are for powers being devolved to the lowest practicable level so outright opposition to independence doesn't seem apt.

Mind you, being (very much) south of the border it is none of my business, but I am curious as the what party members / supporters feel in Scotland. Any feedback would be most interesting !