Scottish independence

[Balti]

having followed the debate, in the media and on here, I still cannot see why the torys oppose the 'YES' vote so vehemently. All they offer is conjecture and supposition. A yes vote would definitely damage labour, that's what makes it all the more confusing.
Osborne blatantly trying to buy ''No'' votes shows how desperate they have become. Maybe what is behind the campaign will be revealed, after the vote.

a yes vote murders labour in England

come on you jocks

 

[Balti]

having followed the debate, in the media and on here, I still cannot see why the torys oppose the 'YES' vote so vehemently. All they offer is conjecture and supposition. A yes vote would definitely damage labour, that's what makes it all the more confusing.
Osborne blatantly trying to buy ''No'' votes shows how desperate they have become. Maybe what is behind the campaign will be revealed, after the vote.

a yes vote murders labour in England

come on you jocks

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

Theres no coming back from this no matter what the result. If they vote yes the ill feeling will just increase between the two countries and if they vote no there will still be ill feeling between the two countries and the issue will just boil until they have another vote a few years later. Basically they are going to end up independent at some point because the history between Scotland and England is so heated.

There should be no ill feeling mate

I dont blame the jocks for wanting to be independent, how can anybody 'blame' them for wanting to be in control of themselves as a nation ?

Because of the long and bloody history between the two countries. Everyone is brought up with some form of prejudice about the Scotts or English. I agree if they want to go it alone they should be allowed but you need only look at the Andy Murray situation to see how quickly people froth at the mouth over the whole England vs Scotland thing and independence will just make it worse.

I wasn't. Always liked the Scots.

 

[malg]

Theres no coming back from this no matter what the result. If they vote yes the ill feeling will just increase between the two countries and if they vote no there will still be ill feeling between the two countries and the issue will just boil until they have another vote a few years later. Basically they are going to end up independent at some point because the history between Scotland and England is so heated.

There should be no ill feeling mate

I dont blame the jocks for wanting to be independent, how can anybody 'blame' them for wanting to be in control of themselves as a nation ?

Because of the long and bloody history between the two countries. Everyone is brought up with some form of prejudice about the Scotts or English. I agree if they want to go it alone they should be allowed but you need only look at the Andy Murray situation to see how quickly people froth at the mouth over the whole England vs Scotland thing and independence will just make it worse.

Spot on with that post. You only need to read this forum for proof.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I think relations between the two peoples will remain pretty good if Scotland goes her own way.

 

[Skashion]

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.

 

[bluemoon32]

Salmond is a winner either way, if it's a yes vote he gets his independent Scotland and if it's a no vote he'll get huge concessions from Westminster and independence at a later date anyway.
I love Scotland and loved living there for over a decade, my children were born there too but it just might be best all round if they go on their own now and not hold the rest of us over a barrel for the near future in the event of a no vote

 

[mcfc1632]

Salmond is a winner either way, if it's a yes vote he gets his independent Scotland and if it's a no vote he'll get huge concessions from Westminster and independence at a later date anyway.
I love Scotland and loved living there for over a decade, my children were born there too but it just might be best all round if they go on their own now and not hold the rest of us over a barrel for the near future in the event of a no vote

My view as well - whilst there are lots of things that will have to be 'sorted out' following a yes vote - well that is just natural transition planning and should be easily resolvable over a period of joint working. It only becomes difficult if the Westminster parliament act in bad grace.

The one thing that does stump me though is why Scots would have a vote in the UK elections next May meaning that they can strongly influence the make up of the UK government for the following 5 years - a government that they will independent from - does not make sense that.

 

[TGR]

Salmond is a winner either way, if it's a yes vote he gets his independent Scotland and if it's a no vote he'll get huge concessions from Westminster and independence at a later date anyway.
I love Scotland and loved living there for over a decade, my children were born there too but it just might be best all round if they go on their own now and not hold the rest of us over a barrel for the near future in the event of a no vote

My view as well - whilst there are lots of things that will have to be 'sorted out' following a yes vote - well that is just natural transition planning and should be easily resolvable over a period of joint working. It only becomes difficult if the Westminster parliament act in bad grace.

The one thing that does stump me though is why Scots would have a vote in the UK elections next May meaning that they can strongly influence the make up of the UK government for the following 5 years - a government that they will independent from - does not make sense that.

Or the Scottish choose to walk away and not to pay their fair share of the national debt - which they continuously threaten to do so.
If a yes vote is the result I'm pretty sure the next general election will be put back for the reasons you state.

 

[Benarbia_is_god]

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

 

[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.