Scottish Independence, yay or nay?

[Baltar 814]

I used to think Scotland would be making a mistake by leaving the UK but the more I think about it, the more it would make sense for Scots to vote for independence. The biggest plus point of independence would be to be free of the Tories - forever. Doesn't get better than that.

 

There's a few more benefits of independence and some drawbacks I suppose but getting rid off Cameron's mob is worth a 'Yes' vote alone.

[Bjornebye 24,918]

och aye

[Liverpool lad 1,960]

Let them have it, it will be like Lord of the Flies

[VladimirIlyich 7,379]

Yes if I was living in Scotland but No because I'm living in England and we will have an almost permanent Tory government.

[JohnnyH 6,483]

I think a lot of Scots will talk up voting yes, but when the time comes they'll vote no. I've a lot of Scottish mates and they are all undecided. They tend to think while independence is a great thought, it probably won't happen.

[Red Banjo 1,449]

Let them have it.

 

I can only imagine how much the free prescriptions and tuition fees cost the budget.

 

That money can be wasted on immigration and benefit cheats instead.

[Trumo 13,956]

If it pushes up the price of Scotch, I'm voting 'No'.

[Guest davelfc]

Didn't they join the union because we bailed them out of huge debts?

 

I remember some years ago being behind two women at the small passport checkpoint to the domestic terminal at Heathrow. "British Passport?" asked the official, "No scottish" came the reply. Maybe soon enough their dream can come true.

 

If it means total independence then I'm all for it, more likely parachute payments from the rest of the UK for many many years otherwise they'll be back looking for us to bail them out again.

[brucespanner 48]

No.

 

The only reason the UK has Labour governments is because of the Jocks, without them we are Tory by a landslide.

[Baltar 814]

Didn't they join the union because we bailed them out of huge debts?

 

I remember some years ago being behind two women at the small passport checkpoint to the domestic terminal at Heathrow. "British Passport?" asked the official, "No scottish" came the reply. Maybe soon enough their dream can come true.

 

If it means total independence then I'm all for it, more likely parachute payments from the rest of the UK for many many years otherwise they'll be back looking for us to bail them out again.

That's the biggest danger, if the shit hits the fan who will bail them out? The SNP have placed their faith in the EU but which country in their right mind wants to be enslaved to the EU's "bail out" plans for decades? I think if Scotland are sensible and manage their oil resources well, they could become a successful nation independent of both the UK and the EU. Norway would serve as a good example for the Scots, another small, northern European socialist country with a large natural supply of oil.

[Guest davelfc]

No.

 

The only reason the UK has Labour governments is because of the Jocks, without them we are Tory by a landslide.

 

Hmm the entire country of jocks or the tories, it's a difficult one.

[Guest davelfc]

Barroso's interview with the BBC on Monday, in which he stated that an independent Scotland would "obviously" have to apply to join the EU afresh, as a new member state, was a severe blow to Salmond's previous stance that membership would be automatic, and a seamless transition; or at most a box-ticking exercise.

 

Barroso has driven that home in a letter to the House of Lords, published on Tuesday by the Scotsman, asserting that "the separation of one of part of a member state or the creation of a new state would not be neutral as regards the EU treaties ... the EU is founded on the treaties which apply only to the member states who have agreed and ratified them."

 

Brussels is hostile to Scottish independence 'because it is weak' | Politics | guardian.co.uk

 

I'd say nuke em quick but they actually maintain our nuclear deterrent.

 

For 44 years, the U.K. has stored its nuclear weapons in western Scotland. It now could be faced with finding the Trident missiles in a foreign country should Scottish nationalists win their bid for independence.

 

Nuclear Weapons Hide in Pandora’s Box as Scots Seek to Quit U.K. - Businessweek

 

(I know a few other little secrets about other areas in Scotland but I can't tell)

 

 

Two SNP lawmakers in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh quit in October after the party voted to retain NATO membership. They said they could no longer remain in a party wanting to join a first-strike nuclear alliance. The U.K. is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

 

“A real question for proponents of independence is, how would an independent Scotland argue for membership at the same time as opposing nuclear weapons and seeking the removal from its territory of the U.K. deterrent, part of that NATO security umbrella?” Hammond said in a speech in Edinburgh last week.

 

I think it's fair to say if they did get independence then I'd be watching on with interest and plenty of popcorn.

[Code 747]

 

 

[Guest davelfc]

An irishman and an australian.

 

Anyway, surely they would have to take a portion of the national debt with them too, that's around £1b off the books.

 

 

Doesn't look good for the oil either, madness if they vote yes.

 

The basic facts are that Scotland accounts for 8.4% of the UK population, 8.3% of the UK's total output and 8.3% of the UK's non-oil tax revenues - but 9.2% of total UK public spending.

 

Scottish Executive figures for 2009-10 show that spending per capita in Scotland was £11,370, versus £10,320 for the UK. In other words, spending in Scotland was £1,030 - or 10% higher - per head of population than the UK average.

 

What about revenues? The same source shows Scottish total non-oil tax revenues coming in at £42.7bn in 2009-10, or £8,221 per head, which compares with total public expenditure attributable to Scotland of £59.2bn, or £11,370 per head.

 

BBC News - Scotland: A case of give and take

[Code 747]

Norway have found some massive new oil "fields" so we will not have any problems in the forseeable future.

 

 

But we are looking more and more further north though and that will not help the Scots much obviously.

[lifetime fan 10,773]

Yes if I was living in Scotland but No because I'm living in England and we will have an almost permanent Tory government.

 

 

This.

 

Same for Wales.

[Carvalho Diablo 14,457]

Rebuild Hadrian's Wall while we're at it too.

 

Just high enough so that the barmy Scotch bastards cannae fly their jumbo jets over it, ken ?

 

[Strontium Dog™ 8,442]

I remember some years ago being behind two women at the small passport checkpoint to the domestic terminal at Heathrow. "British Passport?" asked the official, "No scottish" came the reply. Maybe soon enough their dream can come true.

 

 

Cheeky fuckers. I would have made sure they were diverted into the cavity search line for that.

[Kevin D 7,425]

With only one MP elected from Scotland, the government cannot claim to have legitimacy in Scotland. David Cameron is, in effect, a modern day proconsul. That's not acceptable in the 21st century. If the people in England want to be ruled by reactionary bigots, well, that's their business, but, I don't see why that should be imposed in Scotland and I don't see how anybody with genuine democratic ideals could.

[Nightcat 836]

I'm not quite sure how Independent will be an Independent Scotland in the E.U. Have a look at Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Spain.

 

The weird thing is that the SNP which is supporting devolution is also advocating for a strong Scottish integration in the E.U. Do they actually follow what's going on inside the E.U. madhouse?

 

It's plain simple for Scots imo. Who would like to be ruled by, the English or the Germans via Brussels?

 

If you want real independence follow Norway's example and stay away from the E.U. and especially from the Eurozone.

[Nunavut Patrick 4,840]

Hang on..... the Jocks with nukes???

 

Fucking hell I don't want some Begbie character with his finger on the button.

[Champ 4,706]

Who will they have to blame when it all goes wrong? Not a chance it will happen *she said bravely*

[Rico1304 6,594]

Let them fucking have it, lock up the borders for 15 years and when they've all either drunk or smacked themselves to death go back and reclaim it.

 

Allow Champ to be ambassador to a country of her choice to avoid the carnage.

[xerxes 1,312]

The Scots love the idea of independence, but would find the reality expensive.

 

The Royal Mail would love to be out of Scotland, the BBC would save money and the education budget would benefit hugely, all that rural education costs. Then there is the cost of setting up a national administration- with no new money to pay for it, which means reduced services.

 

The loss of the Navy nuclear facility could never be replaced in jobs, or investment, and may make the English government see sense and scarp it all together- win, win.

 

I don’t believe that Salmond actually wants independence, he does want to push as close as he can get though to screw the maximum amount of power and money from London. In reality an independent Scotland would centre on Strathclyde, the highlands and islands would be even worse off.

[skaro 5,071]

Let them fucking have it, lock up the borders for 15 years and when they've all either drunk or smacked themselves to death go back and reclaim it.

 

Allow Champ to be ambassador to a country of her choice to avoid the carnage.

 

Champ would go into exile in Brittany and come back triumphantly as "Cath, Queen of Scots".

Only to be beheaded by a jealous ex-primary school boyfriend, the Thane of Ormskirk.