A couple of posters have identified the key issues with this vote.
From an economic perspective I believe it would be a disaster for Scotland to go independent. The uncertainty created over the currency and associated fiscal management (stay with the pound vs euro vs new currency) is likely to cause a cash flow of billions out of Scotland from individuals and business. My own father-in-law, an Englishman who has lived in Edinburgh for over 50 years, has already transferred all his saving to English building societies at English branches from his Scottish held accounts. The reason being that he doesn't want either a devaluation of any new currency eroding his capital or a Cyprus-like tax of savings when the ScotNats cock-up the economy. Both are fairly long term and possibly low chance outcomes, but why take the risk? And if he has come to that conclusion you can bet your bottom Scottish Drachma it has occurred to those who hold significant wealth in Scotland.
As far as the outcome of the actual vote is concerned, I was at the Calcutta Cup on Saturday being corporately bribed; the party was wholly made up of Scottish business people who all said that none of them new anyone who wanted a yes vote. Some of them were concerned that the opinions of the business community were being kept quiet because, although they all wanted a no vote (including big hitters such as RBS) they were all keeping quiet to avoid alienating their customers. Which brings me to the crux. From my experience the two sides fall into two categories; those who look at the issue as one of economics and reason (how will it all actually work, how much will it all actually cost?), and those voting from emotional and political perspectives(romantic nationalists and those wanting more self-determination). The two sets of voters would appear to be quite separate social groups as well with the so-called middle classes likely to be 'no' and the less well off likely to be yes. The danger for the no-ers is that they don't create sufficient noise in the upcoming months to overcome the inevitable surge of 'Braveheart' claptrap, which will be foisted on the electorate in an attempt to sway the voters who will vote with their hearts not their heads.
Of course, all the employees of places like the nuclear shipyards who will lose their jobs after a yes vote might help sway the balance but you never know.
To those of you in the rest of the UK who say it doesn't matter, it does - a yes vote will cause a prolonged and expensive negotiation and separation of government and financial institutions for no ultimate benefit to either party.
Its all just a crap idea.
