Scottish independence

[Dubai Blue]

If they vote 'yes' when do they actually become independent? How long is the transition period to sort things out?

2016 (I think March of that year).

Passports won't be needed, as is the case between Ireland and Northern Ireland/IOM and mainland UK etc.

And we'll use the £.

Passports won't be needed IF you have the same immigration policy. Ireland, in order to be in the common travel area, has always had an immigration policy which is virtually identical to ours. An independent Scotland will therefore need either border controls, or will have no right to determine its own immigration policy.

You can use the pound, but it won't be in a currency union because the UK will not want to be a lender of last resort to an economy it has no control over. Also, you cannot join the EU if you go down the sterlingisation route because it requires you to have a central bank.

Salmond is trying to convince you that you can have your cake and eat it as well.

I find it incredible that such a monumental decision is about to be made when no one really has any idea of how it will actually work in practice. Surely the very basics (immigration, currency, border controls etc) should have at least been laid out so people have a clear idea of what they're actually voting for. I can see lots of people voting YES and then not liking the reality of what they find on the other side. It'll be too late then. Good luck to Scotland whichever way it decides to go, but the lack of any real information about potentially very serious issues is alarming.

 

[Scottyboi]

I want to know why the Tories are so desperate to keep hold of Scotland? What are their motives?

The north sea

 

[kippaxwarrior]

If they vote yes does that mean the the price of Irn Bru will go up?

 

[Len Rum]

If they vote yes does that mean the the price of Irn Bru will go up?

or (God forbid) the whisky as well?

 

[JackFlash74]

Why is everyone getting so het up? Scotland is a drain on resources is it not?

<a class="postlink" href="https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyNews/status/508722552366460928" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyNews/stat ... 2366460928</a>

 

[laserblue]

Miliband must be shitting himself more than anybody. If Scotland splits from the UK Labour will automatically lose 40 seats in the Westminster parliament compared to the Tories one and Lib Dems 11. Although the Lib Dems will be hit hard it will make it considerably more difficult for Labour to win a future (rump) British general election.

 

[JackFlash74]

how many other foreign countries have a 'share' of the Bank of England I wonder?

I'm winging it a bit and talking bollox of course George,can you explain to me how this will work?As I see it the only hassle is that the debt transferred to Scotland would have to be underwritten by the Bank of England.

Like you I have no idea but a separate Scotland will weaken both itself and what remains of the UK for an antiquated vision that will also divide the Yes & No camps for years to come (if it happens - which I doubt)

Is democracy an antiquated vision?

 

[JackFlash74]

Miliband must be shitting himself more than anybody. If Scotland splits from the UK Labour will automatically lose 40 seats in the Westminster parliament compared to the Tories one and Lib Dems 11. Although the Lib Dems will be hit hard it will make it considerably more difficult for Labour to win a future (rump) British general election.

Only 2 elections since the war (2010 being the last one) have been influenced by scottish voters.

 

[laserblue]

One point I haven't heard that uber-smug twat Salmond address is EU membership. He seems to be assuming an independent Scotland would be welcomed into the EU with open arms, completely missing the point that all existing members of the EU vote on new member countries' applications to join and each one has a veto. With Spain already having to deal with secessionist movements of its own in Catalonia and the Basque country you can bet your house they will veto the application of an independent Scotland. There are also rumblings that Belgium would veto it too as there are Flemish militants who want Flanders to secede and that's the region where most of Belgium's wealth is.

 

[SWP's back]

Miliband must be shitting himself more than anybody. If Scotland splits from the UK Labour will automatically lose 40 seats in the Westminster parliament compared to the Tories one and Lib Dems 11. Although the Lib Dems will be hit hard it will make it considerably more difficult for Labour to win a future (rump) British general election.

Only 2 elections since the war (2010 being the last one) have been influenced by scottish voters.

4 actually, including the latest one.

And Blair is the only Labour PM that would have had a majority in 60 years without the Scottish vote.