What will it be like to live on a foreign frontier?
It's not something anyone English has experienced for hundreds of years - but will some of us soon find out what it's like to live on the frontier of a foreign country?
That was the prospect raised by the Scottish National Party this week, when they set out their plans for an independence referendum.
You suspect they'd love to see a Conservative government elected next Spring, as they suspect that would be the final straw in convincing Scots to break with England.
They're convinced of the benefits for Scotland, but where would it leave those living just south of the frontier in Cumbria and Northumberland?
They've already seen stark differences develop due to devolution.
People living within shouting distance of Scotland have seen their elderly near neighbours getting free personal care, and any families with students avoiding tuition fees.
Scotland has lowered the maximum class sizes in the first year of its primary schools to 25, and from 2011 it'll have no prescription charges.
But what if it really became a separate country - with different taxation levels, a distinct foreign policy, and even its own armed forces?
That's something we'll be investigating on the Politics Show before Christmas.
We've come across some interesting practical problems - how would independence affect a Cumbrian farm which straddles the border, or a Northumberland care home which serves mostly Scottish residents?
And what about some of the people who've moved a few miles over the border into Scotland to take advantage of some of the benefits of devolution?
Might they come rushing back if a future independent Scottish government increases taxes?
And there'd also be the real cultural change of knowing you're living on the edge of a foreign country.
Let me know what you think.
* This was going to be debated on the Politics Show on Sunday December 6, but because of the news of 1700 job losses at Corus in Teesside, it will now run on Sunday December 13.
I'm Richard Moss, the BBC's Political Editor for the North East and Cumbria. Welcome to my irreverent - but hopefully insightful - northern take on reporting politics for Look North and the Politics Show.
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