Without in any way wishing to put darling down, every argument against independence could be presented to any other country, in history which strove for independence at some point, couldn't it? It all boils down to "it's risky, what's plan b, and you the leader, are a bit shifty" Which might all be true but so what? Many Irish voted against independence for similar reasons a hundred odd years ago but not many Irish would rekindle that particular relationship