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Can’t believe this question has not been asked before. Apologies if it has and maybe someone can point me (this thread) to a relevent thread if so. But…
What is your opinion on Scottish independence, the referendum, devolusion etc?
Please put your Nationality in with your post if you don’t have any objection to doing so.
Value Is EverythingI am British born and raised in the part of Britain known as England.
On the basis that Scotsmen have managed to completely shaft the country in the past 15 years, led by Bliar and Brown, then I would have no issue at all if Scotland wanted to go it alone and try and survive as the Socialist Republic of Scotland, if it meant losing the Scottish domination in Westminster.
The irony is though that Salmond and his ilk want an independent Scotland within the European Union – yet the European Union would quite happily see international boundaries and sovereignty disappear.
So what Salmond wants to do is move from being ruled from London to being ruled from Berlin – how odd.
Scotland can quite happily leave the Union – at least it will mean 59 fewer socialist MP’s in Parliament.
I’m Scottish but no rabid Nationalist.
As Paul mentions, Scottish people have been prominent in Westminster for quite some time. The media/intelligentsia/football/arts are all highly spiced by the presence of Scots.
It could be argued that Scots punch above their weight in being represented in ‘public life’. A national characteristic perhaps which will probably stand Scotland in good stead if and when they choose to go it alone.
Salmond is the SNP’s main strength by far and their main weakness because no one can match his guile or charisma, although he treads a fine border between intellectual confidence and arrogance.
I agree with Paul. The tories are such generous souls. It’s pretty heart warming to know that they’re so desperate to hang onto a country that costs them so much. All those many billions of pounds that the Scots get subsidised with, yet the tories are almost getting desparate in a bid to save the union. If only the rest of the world had the ethic morality of the tories, we would all be in a better place.
Being English born (London) and raised in Fife Scotland for 6 years till the age of 13,i couldn’t get out quick enough.What can only be described as Anti-English runs through every Scotsmans veins,its born into them.Even now they still love to tell you who the first team to beat the 1966 England world Cup winners were!
You try getting a Scotsman to work 3 days after Hogmanay,particularly if you need to find a Petrol station to fill up and get out.One doesn’t debate in Scotland as Fighting is the only way to resolve a problem so i’m all for their Independance,i can see a statue of Colonel Ghadafi being erected outside their HQ Ffs! Kingfisher – your knowledge of Scotland and the Scots is probably greater than mine (having lived in England most of my life), however, I would guess that the anti-English hatred of the Scots you depict is limited to mostly, the poorly educated numpties. Rabid anti-Scottish views are usually only uttered by the similarly challenged in England. We’ve our share of headcases too.
Apart from ensuring that the English have had a Labour government foisted on them for too long (in England more people voted Conservative in the 2005 election than Labour yet because of the over-representation of Scotland, we ended up with more of Blair & Brown), England and GB have benefited greatly from our Scottish brothers (and sisters). Scotland, as has often been said, has punched well above its weight when it comes to the armed forces, industry, invention and culture (although Susan Boyle is a negative).
I hope the union remains intact (but with many less Scottish seats in Westminster).
We (the English) moan about subsidising Scotland, etc. but even if this were true, I feel England has gained more from having Scotland in a union than it has cost.
Who knows, one day it may even be possible for an English person to win a seat in the Edinburgh parliament; can’t see that happening soon though. It is the nature of things that the smaller states in a union moan about the larger.I’m Scottish and like 2/3rds of us want to stay in the Union.
Alex Salmond, like him or not, is an astute politician who knows that his only chance of winning support for independence is to turn it into an anti Tory vote. It’s not hard in a country that has more Panda’s than Tory MPs.
Most Scots can see through the “Braveheart” and shortbread tin politics to know that we all benefit from the Union.
Who knows, one day it may even be possible for an English person to win a seat in the Edinburgh parliament; can’t see that happening soon though. It is the nature of things that the smaller states in a union moan about the larger.
Insomniac,there is every chance of an English person winning a seat in the Edinburgh Parliament,more so than there is an Edinburgh person winning anything in Glasgow as the Glaswegians see the elite Edinburgh folk as ‘almost’ Anglian! Should Scotland ever get true independance and become a totally self sufficient state creating revenue via export etc,there would be a Civil War within a fortnight,History supports that view! In the REAL world we know it will never happen mind!
If the Scots want independence then it’s up to them. Really hope they say no.
I like the Scots and until recently thought it just banta, but the SNP should really change their name to AEP the Anti-English Party. Convinced it is not all Scotland, but the sad thing is Salmond knows his best chance is to whip up anti-English feeling. Using the word "Tory" at every available opportunity and portraying them as interfering. For sure Thatcher did a lot of harm, but it is only in the AEP/SNP’s interests to keep that image of England in voters minds. Salmond even wants a referendum on the 700th anniversary (1314 to 2014) of the Battle of Bannockburn, when the Scots sent the English packing. Also trying to use the 2014 Commanwealth Games held in Scotland to help the feel good factor. Am sure the vast majority won’t be conned, but it might sway the floating voter.
The SNP was struggling before Salmond went back as leader.
So Salmond is a popular chap, but what happens when AS is gone? Will Scotland want to come back to Britain?What will independence mean?
How will everything be agreed?
Will Scotland pay for all investment by the (what’s left of) British tax payer in to Scotland?
How can anyone outside of Scotland invest in the country when they don’t know what is going to happen? Surely the earlier a referendum the better.
What about Scottish Banks? Will Scotland pay the British tax payer back for bailing those banks out?Not sure I’d want my money in a Scottish Bank after independence.
Salmond wants to keep the Pound. How?
It’s the British Pound. One of the biggest reasons for Euro countries finding it difficult is they can’t alter their currencies value etc. With some (richer) Euro countries needing to contribute to help other Euro countries out of the mire. If Scotland has the pound it could bring us all down if things go wrong. Would England, Wales and Northern Ireland bail out Scotland even after independence? Or would it happen the other way? With Salmond’s Scotland helping bail out England, Wales and Northern Ireland. HaHaHa!
What right has Salmond/SNP/Scotland got to keep the British Pound without all Britain having a referendum on whether we want them to?
Same goes for other things the SNP say they would do. May be the rest of Britain won’t want a Scottish Army.Then there’s the "saving of money" they claim. For example not having to elect and then send MP’s to London. What about money needed to set up and run all the new embassys?
Before "Deviolusion" I always regarded myself as primarily British, with English coming a distant second. Even now am cheering on all teams of the Union. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are better together than apart.
Scottish independence is up to the Scots, but Mr Salmond should aknowledge it is not just something to interest Scots. We will all be affected.
Value Is EverythingDoes anyone know Salmond’s opinion regarding the ‘West Lothian Question’ ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Lothian_question
patriotism is admirable but nationalism stinks
I believe Drone, that Salmond and the SNP voluntarily do not vote in the Westminster Parliament on issues which ONLY effect England.
He’s always delighted when anyone mentions the West Lothian question, as it suits him to create ill-feeling between English and Scots.
I can’t see why Scottish MP’s have been allowed to vote on English/Welsh issues for so long. It certainly puts the "English interfering in Scotland" arguement in to perspective.
Value Is EverythingEnglish, lived in Scotland for 22yrs.
I don’t see any significant suppoort for independance amongst the people that I know, in fact quite the opposite.
I voted SNP at the last council election because they are the only real alternative to Lab/Con who more or less have the same policies.
The crunch will come when it becomes apparent to the people up here that they won’t ever be self governing without control over their own fiscal policies, ie having their own separate currency, their own central bank and the ability to set their own interest rates. Without that they will be in the same boat as Italy in 10yrs time.
Salmond ultimately wants to join the Euro and therefore he cannot be trusted, neither his intentions nor his judgement. He hasn’t thought that the UK government might not let him use Sterling or he might not be able to use the Euro?
Who would be head of state for an independant Scotland?
Without a proper and convincing arguement put forward by the SNP which addresses the basic questions of how the above will be addressed I will be voting NO.
Jobs and living standards are the only things that really matter to normal people everything is horse dung, imo.
They can have independence and we have the military strength to seize the oilrigs. the border should be sealed and all present scots down here should be deported (clear the streets of dossers for a start) and if they fail to move back, should be made to wear those ginger wigs for identification
Also by banning the export of Buckfast wine and Mars bars they will soon have nothing to live on
English
Don’t really care either way if Scotland stays. goes or decides to move to Discworld, as long as we lose France, Germany, Greece and most of Eastern Europe from the political set-up., And Itly, Spain too. By the way, how come the Spanish keep asking for Gibralter and refuse point blank to discuss the 2 cities in Morocco they still occupy, Ceuta and Melilla. Morocco in turn won’t give Western Sahara back to the Sahrawi, as ordered by the UN 50 years ago. And round and round it goes.
Sovereignty is a point of view in many places. Eg Kosovo, Somaliland, Abkhazia, Transnistria, Niue Island. Take Somaliland. It split from Somlia some time ago, completely, the Somali government has no control at all in that area, they pretty much run their own country, but no-one recognises it. If Scotland got independence, what would it mean? They already have a football team, language (Gaelic, not Rab C Nesbit), and their own TV network etc.
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By the way, how come the Spanish keep asking for Gibralter and refuse point blank to discuss the 2 cities in Morocco they still occupy, Ceuta and Melilla. Morocco in turn won’t give Western Sahara back to the Sahrawi, as ordered by the UN 50 years ago. And round and round it goes.
Well, Spain did grudgingly cede Ifni back to Morocco, so perhaps they think that’s enough, and Gibraltar would be fair recompense
The status of Western (Spanish) Sahara remains unresolved doesn’t it with both Morocco and Mauritania laying claim?
And I daresay some ‘nationalist’ (yuk!) group in that part of the world has their eyes on The Canaries too
No doubt it’ll erupt in a plume of smoke sometime…but let’s get Scotland out of the way first
round and round and round…indeed
Paul, I get this sense that there is something of the little Englander in you and that the dear chap is prostesting too much.
I have never held much store in the West Lothian question – afterall there is NO English parliament. It is a British parliament.
I could it flip round and ask: should English born people, who are resident in Scotland qualify to vote on Scottish affairs: e.g. the vote on independence.
As for sovereignty; Alex Salmond has already said from the outset that he wants to retain Elizabeth Windsor as Scotland’s head of state. See "Union Of The Crowns" for details. An act ( 1603 ) which preceded the Acts Of Union ( 1707 ) by 104 years.
Whereas Scotland and England became one nation ( Great Britain ) under the Acts Of Union, both did however remain separate sovereign states. The English nobles even urged the Scots to refer to themselves as North Britons. Aye, right !
You should read both "Acts", Paul. You might learn something.
The vast majority of Scots did not vote for unification with England in 1707. A few Scots nobles were bribed into signing up in return for land and a potful of coins.
Robert Burns referred to them as " A Parcel O’ Rogues In A Nation."In 1979, the Scottish people ( and residents ) were given the chance to to vote on Independence. The BRITISH Government of the time moved the goalposts and put a percentage cap on the result. Although the majority voted in favour, not enough did, therefore it was vetoed.
The same will happen in 2014. The majority will vote in favour – but with Cameron and his cronies already insisting on a cap to the voting age. No 16 or 17 year olds they say – which would of course return an overwhemimg YES for independence vote. That chance, they cannot take.
My own view is that after the vote is counted in 2014, the majority will have voted for independence (again ) but that the legal wheels of Westminster will be set into action and the British parliament will once again find a way for the status quo to remain.
Could Scotland go alone? Yes, I have no doubt about that. Do I think it is a good thing. I’m not so sure. We live on a little Island where most of us get on quite well as it is – but if we have to go our separate ways, then I’m fine with that too.
“Scotland is a nation of which the commerce is hourly extending, and the wealth increasing” – Samuel Johnson.
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You try getting a Scotsman to work 3 days after Hogmanay,particularly if you need to find a Petrol station to fill up and get out.One doesn’t debate in Scotland as Fighting is the only way to resolve a problem so i’m all for their Independance,i can see a statue of Colonel Ghadafi being erected outside their HQ Ffs! 
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