UK at'ers..what is your view on Scottish independence?

[SAWYER]

I am clueless on the situation and wasnt even aware until I stumbled upon a lengthy thread about it(a vote coming up) on another forum I read. What is your take on the situation and why?

 

[mmntech]

I can't really comment much on UK politics but it reeks of the same issues that Quebec keeps saying they want to separate. The separatists just do it to extort more money out of the feds, since the province is pretty much a shithole outside Montreal.

My relatives in around the Edinburgh area say there's not much in the way of jobs there any more. So I don't think they're really in a good economic position to go at it on their own. I'd be surprised if they vote yes, and if they do, I'd be very surprised if they actually go through with it.

 

[bradley]

Scottish GDP per capita: US$47,369

UK GDP per capita: US$37,955

 

[Markbnj]

'Twas love of our prince drove us on to Drumossie
But in scarcely the time that it takes me to tell
The flower of our country lay scorched by an army
As ruthless and red as the embers of hell

Cold the wind on the moors blow
Warm the enemy's fire glows
Black the harvest of Culloden
Pain and fear and death grow

Red Campbell and fox did the work of the English
MacDonald in anger did no work at all
With musket and cannon 'gainst honor and courage
The invader's men stood while our clansmen did fall

Cold the wind on the moors blow
Warm the enemy's fire glows
Black the harvest of Culloden
Pain and fear and death grow

Now mothers and children are left to their weeping
With only the memory of father and son
Turned out of their homes to make shelter for strangers
The blackest of hours on this land has begun

Cold the wind on the moors blow
Warm the enemy's fire glows
Black the harvest of Culloden
Pain and fear and death grow

 

[techs]

 

[master_shake_]

canada is still waiting for independence from britain...

good luck scots.

 

[acheron]

 

[Markbnj]

 

[brianmanahan]

paging hal 9000

he would have some raging things to say about this

 

[StinkyPinky]

Well, if anyone wants a serious answer my sister-in-law is Scottish and is strongly against it. Her sister is strongly for it. Apparently they have huge arguments over it.

The polls seem to suggest the status quo will remain. Looks to be about a 10% gap which will be hard to pull back in 2 months, especially as on this type of issue people have deeply ingrained feelings.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Scottish GDP per capita: US$47,369

UK GDP per capita: US$37,955

Scotland has a lot of oil, but I wouldn't want to bank a countries future on oil deposits.

 

[Ruptga]

Scottish GDP per capita: US$47,369

UK GDP per capita: US$37,955

Also according to this Scotland is doing pretty well, even excluding oil money. But I'm pretty sure I'd been told they weren't doing very well in recent history?

 

[DigDog]

there is not going to be any independence. Cameron just bought the Yes vote with £500 million of scotland investments, which also involve him touring scotland and showing everyone how awesome england is.

besides that, only nutters (weirdos) want independence. sensible people know the scottish GDP would mean nothing once they have to pay for everything twice as much (which is what would happen to a new nation; or, you can ask africa about that), and that Salmond is only doing this because he wants to be PM (fat chance).

oh and not having the pound anymore. yeah thats gonna happen.

source:

<------------i heard it at the pub

 

[WelshBloke]

It's going to be a clusterfuck if it happens.

What currency will Scotland use? The SIP says they'll continue to use the pound, the UK gov says "nope" .
Will they even be in the EU? SIP says "yeah no probs", EU commission says "nope".
Head of state? Half the SIP say that they would stick with the Queen the other half say "nope".

As Scottish people wouldn't even be EU residents they would lose the right to work in the UK without a visa. We'd have to have immigration control on the borders.

It's just a bad joke really.

That said part of me wants them to vote for independence just to see the chaos that ensues.

 

[DigDog]

That said part of me wants them to vote for independence just to see the chaos that ensues.

HHAAHAHAHHHA

me too

 

[Printer Bandit]

if the scottish get indepedance and it fails, at least they can get drunk and fight each other.

 

[bononos]

Scotland has a lot of oil, but I wouldn't want to bank a countries future on oil deposits.

But its also just as bad letting London fritter away Scottish oil revenues without setting some long term projects which would benefit Scotland like setting up an oil fund as a first step.

 

[Veliko]

I'm English with Scottish heritage on my dad's side... I want to keep the union but ultimately it's their choice.

Alex Salmond is a fat slimy prick.

 

[Paladin3]

Everything I know about Scotland I learned from the movies Braveheart and Trainspotting. Since Trainspotting is more current...

It's Shite being Scottish!

 

[WelshBloke]

How do you Americans feel about Scotland being able to have a vote to leave the UK?

I know things get "fraught" if someone mentions secession in America.

 

[steve wilson]

I'm English. I really don't care if they stay or go. I don't think it will affect England that much after the dust settles. I doubt Scotland will be any better off either. It would of done them good if they had managed to go 50 years earlier and they could reap the benefits of all the oil they had.

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm English. I really don't care if they stay or go. I don't think it will affect England that much after the dust settles.

I think the border issues, the trident shipyards, what currency Scotland uses and if the UK has to back it, who is the lender of last resort for Scottish banks, and a bunch of other things could well be a pain in the arse not just for the Scottish but for the remainder of the Union.

In short its a bad, bad idea driven by romanticism and emotion but lacking any real planning or solutions for the problems it causes.

 

[norseamd]

How do you Americans feel about Scotland being able to have a vote to leave the UK?

I know things get "fraught" if someone mentions secession in America.

You know how I feel.

 

[WelshBloke]

You know how I feel.

Would you mind posting it here?

It's an interesting topic and it's nice to look at as many opinions on the issue as possible.
There's certainly cases to be made just from the romantic or dogmatic side of things, and people should always have the right to self determination as far as that can be accommodated within a functioning state.

I'm actually fairly proud that the vote is happening regardless of the end result.

 

[norseamd]

I am for Scottish, Cornish, Channel, Welsh, Orkney, Shetland, and Manx independence. And the reintegration of Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland. Also for Greenlandic and Faroe independence.