ATTN of Arabian_Ian... serious question fella

Re: bugger that

As an Englishman I want Scotland to have independence. My condition is that they repay to the English Treasury the money it cost to bail out their Derian enterprise, which necessitated a bail out of a considerable sum. In today's money £945 billion. Let.s face it Arabian Ian, we own Scotland, we support you through the Barnett formula, and on that basis I do not see what you should have a referendum.

 

Re: bugger that

You'd like to own Scotland mate. All will be revealed on Friday morning. Not looking forward to the treatment we will receive should the vote go the other way.

 

Re: bugger that

Many of those things DT would be issues for a future Scottish government to decide on. For example, vehicle excise duty, that isn't something that you determine at te stage of independence, one party in power could decide to keep it, another party could choose to scrap it.
BT is a private company, why wouldn't they want to still operate in Scotland?

 

Re: bugger that

but what did the romans ever do for us ?

 

The answer to any question is North Sea oil/trident. That's all you need to know.

 

They are 2 very important pieces in this debate. Keep one and get rid of the other making Scotland a very wealthy country.

 

Ian - Trident costs about 2 - 2.5 billion per annum to maintain. The benefits bill (not including child benefit) is around 160 billion.

I don't know how much of that 2 - 2.5 billion comes from Scotland but I'm pretty certain they do quite well when it comes to benefits.

Even if you pay 25% which I doubt that would be approx 0.6 billion. In terms of national economies that's nothing.

 

This.

If you ask Alec Salmond any economic question he will say 'Saving money on Trident and keeping North Seas Oil'.

Sadly - as you have already pointed out - Trident savings are not that substantial compared to the cost of running an independent country, and outright ownership of the Gas and Oil is at least as debatable as the use of the pound. Which of course Salmond doesn't want to talk about.

 

But we are also hearing that North Sea oil (assuming they do keep it all) will last 25 to 100 years. That's four generations at best. One at the worst. Not much of a legacy.

 

If we don't share it with you it will last a lot longer. Lol

 

No one in the country should pay a TV licence fee ..why wouLd anyone in their right mind support a corrupt paedo supporting organisation that wouldnt know the meaning of unbiased reporting if it bit it on the ARCE...

 

Apparently a crowd of 3 to 4 thousand people has surrounded BBC headquarters in Glasgow this evening in protest to biased reporting and to protest about that liar Nick Robinson.
Doubt that will be truthfully reported on.

 

A crowd of 3-4,000? Bigger than most grounds see in the SPL.*

* Tongue in cheek.

 

No need to add the last bit mate. I'd have laughed. I do have a good sense of humour.

 

I know. It's just that it's more fired up than Sauchiehall Street on here so I didn't want there to be any doubt!

 

Re: bugger that

Not sure theses much specifics that would convince me to vote Yes there. You got to vote on a government already or is it a case of 'the democratic process didn't work for Scotland so we will have our own democratic process'. People are happy for Salmond to do the bargaining and lobbying but I bet he wont be voted into power next round. All the rest of your comments, whilst I support, are no different to what many here all want. I don't see the Yes vote solving it though. Be interesting to see how a) if vote goes YES who will be to blame when its not Westminster or the BBC, there will be homeless and health service issues despite Oil and Trident b) if its a NO vote, if the minority in Scotland will support and get on with the majority decision.

This whole debate, in my mind tests the whole concept of democracy.

Good Luck Ian hope the process all goes well.

 

Forr the last time..Scotland does NOT own the Oil..

The Continental shelf treaties and subsequent treaties are all subject to UN membership which a independent Scotland would have to apply for. Furthermore the oil belongs to the Sovereign State (i.e. the Queen) not Parliament who cannot over-rule her. It is far-from straight forward except to say Salmond is wrong to say that you will walk away with the Oil revenues. Remember the Oil Companies only hold licences granted to them by the relevant Sovereign State.

Throughout your posts it is clear that your heart is ruling your head. No-I don't read the press or take notice of Politicians but do research the internet and use multiple sources to x reference. Whatever I do wish the Scottish people the best either way.

On the subject of TV. BBC will switch off Scottish based transmitters to Freeview. Satellite (Freesat) will be unaffected or BBC via Sky. Freeview via internet will most likely be 'blocked' to Scottish Postcode addresses as it is here in Italy so you will have to use VPN to spoof a UK IP address like expats do around the world. subject to the speed of the ISP though and BB speeds you may find a drop in picture quality. Border towns will probably have no problem if they receive their signal via transmitters South of the border.

All the above assumes a Yes vote which I hope for the sake of Scotland doesn't happen.
I am astounded by the amount of vitriol and propoganda victims I see on both sides of the divide. I also sincerely believe if a 15 year old is deemed not 'adult enough to know the consequences of his actions in law' when he burns down a kennel full of dogs then a 16 year old cannot have sufficient grasp of the issues and financial repercussions to make an informed decision about Scottish independence.
I don't trust either Osborne and Cameron nor Salmond and Sturgeon as far as I could throw them. In fact I wouldn't let any of them run me a bath let alone a country.

 

Re: Forr the last time..Scotland does NOT own the Oil..

They could do the same on Sky and Freesat, as those are also based on postcode, particularly with Sky as it's down to the viewing card. But it could work the same way as how it currently determines which region you are in for your local news etc.

 

Re: Forr the last time..Scotland does NOT own the Oil..

You don't need a viewing card to access BBC on Sky from "abroad".

 

Re: Forr the last time..Scotland does NOT own the Oil..

Not a SKY subscriber but did not know that. How can Freesat be blocked though since the satellite footprint covers the whole UK and France coastline. When you by a satellite dish and set top box you can set it up anywhere?