Scottish Independence

[mart 71]

Thatcher started the rift with the Scotts, and then the bedroom tax was a big nail in the "friendship". No smoke without fire as they say.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

If the 'Yes' camp wins historians will probably view the coalition as one of the most reckless and irresponsible in the last 300 years.

 

For a country like Scotland that is generally and genuinely left of centre the coalition has pushed just about every agenda possible that could serve to tip the balance. The NHS, tuition fees etc... Etc... Etc...

 

History will also view the opposition as utterly inept. Salmond will wipe the floor with Miliband every day of the week.

 

Aren't things like the NHS Scotland and tuition fees in Scotland ran from Holyrood and not Westminster?

[Anna B 1,414]

If not London centric then what?

 

Investment shared out round the country for a start.

[Alan Ladd 10]

Thatcher started the rift with the Scotts, and then the bedroom tax was a big nail in the "friendship". No smoke without fire as they say.

 

I don't blame Thatcher, I blame Edward 1st.

 

Actually I blame the Italians, they built Hadrians Wall, without that there wouldn't be an England or a Scotland.

 

---------- Post added 09-09-2014 at 18:03 ----------

 

If not London centric then what?

 

Investment shared out round the country for a start.

 

Administered from where?

 

---------- Post added 09-09-2014 at 18:05 ----------

 

If the 'Yes' camp wins historians will probably view the coalition as one of the most reckless and irresponsible in the last 300 years.

 

For a country like Scotland that is generally and genuinely left of centre the coalition has pushed just about every agenda possible that could serve to tip the balance. The NHS, tuition fees etc... Etc... Etc...

 

History will also view the opposition as utterly inept. Salmond will wipe the floor with Miliband every day of the week.

 

If the Yes camp win, and I hope they do, Cameron will have done exactly the right thing if he keeps out of it. Its a Scots decision let them get on with it. They will be back eventually with the begging bowl, look at the paddies 7Billion bale out from us. And they HATE us!

[spilldig 190]

Just for the curious. Here is a list of other European areas with strong separatist politics (taken from a study by a Frisian institute, who, interestingly, don't deem the Frisians as such, presumably because the Frisian Nationalists don't actually want separation, instead work to safeguard Frisian culture):

 

Beginning closest to home:

 

Wales

Northern Ireland

Brittany (FR)

Flanders (BE)

Wallonie (BE)

Galicia (SP)

Basque (SP)

Catalonia (SP)

Andalusia (SP)

Corsica (FR)

Sardinia (IT)

South Tyrol/Trentino (IT)

Northern Cyprus

 

And outside the EU:

 

Republic of Srpska (BOS)

Herzegovina Bosnia (BOS)

Kosovo (SRB/independent)

Transnistria

North Ossetia

Abkhazia

Chechnya

Nagorno Karabakh

Kurdistan

 

As you can see from the first half of the list there are some big European players who would worry about Scottish independence, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain most notably.

 

What the study does not mention is how strong the independence movements exactly are, it just states it is strong.

 

Just a thought, but who gave permission for Scotland to have a referendum ?

If Scotland just decided, then why can't Northern Ireland, and if Westminster decided, then why can't they give permission to Northern Ireland ?

[JFKvsNixon 11]

Just a thought, but who gave permission for Scotland to have a referendum ?

If Scotland just decided, then why can't Northern Ireland, and if Westminster decided, then why can't they give permission to Northern Ireland ?

 

When the SNP gained power of the Scottish Parliament it was inevitable that a referendum would be held, because it was one of their manifesto promises.

 

Theoretically only Westminster could decide whether or not a binding referendum could be held, but the SNP said that they'd hold one regardless of what Westminster decided, so in effect they forced Westminster's hand.

 

If the majority of Northern Ireland wanted independence or join with Ireland then their assembly would make a similar request to Westminster.

[I1L2T3 10]

Aren't things like the NHS Scotland and tuition fees in Scotland ran from Holyrood and not Westminster?

 

Yes but given the chance to never the Tories wreak havoc on their public services ever again is likely to be enough for many Scots to vote to split. Looking at the news the last few weeks that seems to be a major theme - no more Tory government ever.

 

All Cameron has done this time is show the Scots what a really bad ideological-driven Tory government looks like. Can't blame some of them for wanting banish that prospect for ever. He's been very careless over the last few years.

[drummond 10]

Yes but given the chance to never the Tories wreak havoc on their public services ever again is likely to be enough for many Scots to vote to split. Looking at the news the last few weeks that seems to be a major theme - no more Tory government ever.

 

All Cameron has done this time is show the Scots what a really bad ideological-driven Tory government looks like. Can't blame some of them for wanting banish that prospect for ever. He's been very careless over the last few years.

 

Actually that's pretty funny given that independence would be a great unknown and no guarantee they would have any public services. But I suppose the politics side is a possibility. Instead of having Labour or Tory governments they would have a choice of Labour or SNP.

The rest of the UK however would be shut of 59 MPs most of whom are part of any opposition to the Tories in the UK. So the impact on the politics of the rest of the UK is likely to be at least as great as in Scottland. Perhaps a few die hard socialists will head north to their perceived Utopia and a few of the opposite persuasion may well head south. But given the boundary changes that are coming to Westminster old Ed would be saying goodbye to a lot from his side of the house.

[BEDROCK 10]

I'm Scottish and I vote "YES", we should self-govern ... 6.43%

 

I'm Scottish and I vote "NO", we should stay in the UK ... 5.00%

 

I'm English, Welsh or Irish, and I vote "YES", let them go ... 56.43%

 

I'm English, Welsh or Irish, and I vote "NO", keep them in ... 32.14%

 

If only this result will happen next week, please let it be a big fat YES YES YES !!!

[L00b 441]

Yes but given the chance to never the Tories wreak havoc on their public services ever again is likely to be enough for many Scots to vote to split. Looking at the news the last few weeks that seems to be a major theme - no more Tory government ever.

A glance at how the Irish have haircut their own public services in the past 5 years might provide a useful insight, in this context: we've had "Tories wreaking havoc"...they've had "hordes of barbarians raping, burning & pillaging".

 

Just sayin', re. greener grass, being careful about one wishes for <etc>

[I1L2T3 10]

A glance at how the Irish have haircut their own public services in the past 5 years might provide a useful insight, in this context: we've had "Tories wreaking havoc"...they've had "hordes of barbarians raping, burning & pillaging".

 

Just sayin', re. greener grass, being careful about one wishes for <etc>

 

Indeed. Going to be fascinating if they do vote yes

[Tommo68 10]

The bbc bias towards a NO vote is very subtle but still clearly visible.

 

I'm was amused to see that the No campaigners have resorted to using gordon brown, ... if ever there was a man that should be up on charges for treason I think it ought to be him.

 

I think allowing him to say anything has really helped boost the yes vote.

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