If you were Scottish....

How can you be confident in the long term future of a country looking to go it alone when they don't even know what currency they are going to use.... Surely something that important would have been dealt with first?

 

I'd vote Yes, as I'd want independence for my country. To be able to run our own economy, to vote in politicians representing the parties chosen by my people. Smaller countries with far smaller populations than Scotland, with none of Scotland's natural resources have been successfully independent so there's no reason why Scotland can't be.
As for those demanding a vote for the rest of the the UK on the matter, I look forward to them being just as vociferous & demanding when/if we get the vote on Great Britain leaving the EC and insisting everyone else within the EC gets the opportunity to vote on whether we stay in it.

 

That's the view of my mates kids, its not that they don't like the English (well err lets move on there) its they don't like the tories

 

How represented do the provincial areas feel at Westminster ?

Very little I'd suggest. I'd also suggest we need better politicians who have actually held down real jobs and life experiences rather than researchers and professional politicians who are blinded by dogma and self interest (all political colours) rather than dismantling the entire system

 

Ha Ha Sounding more than a wee bit bitter there Jay.

You said, Watched a bit of the debate and read a few articles.
Well maybe you should have watched ALL of the debate and maybe read more articles on the subject.

No one is saying or believing it is going to be Utopia but by fk it will certainly be a hell of a lot better than the **** getting dished out to us from Westminster Cameron, IDS, Osbourne and that lunatic Boris.

"We're going to have this and we're going to have that."
"No you're not sunshine."

Sorry to disappoint but Oh Yes We Are. LOL

 

FFS Selby, How many more times. It WILL be the pound. Absolute FACT. Mr Darling last night admitted that last night.

Absolutely nothing to stop Scotland continuing to use the pound as the currency of choice.

Got It?

 

I should like to know when the rest of the union gets to vote on whether Scotland is independent or not! Surely Wales, Northern Ireland and English voters should have a say on this matter for the whole union.

I firmly believe as a United Kingdom we are stronger than as individual parts.

I do not believe the currency issue has been resolved. Scotland have been told they cannot have the pound.

Also the EU will not accept Scotland in as an independent country. Places like Spain with strong regional identities are watching this closely with real fear. An independent Scotland could open the floodgates for the same question been asked across the continent and other countries breaking up.

 

I would be voting "NO".

I just don't see how spinning Scotland out of a combined UK would have any economic benefits for them. Their GDP is ~216 billion USD and sits alongside countries such as Portugal, Algeria, Peru in terms of GDP size.

The feeling of political independence would, I guess, in the short-term, feel good. However, at some point in the future, when you then hit hard times (and we have all seen this to one extent or another), the fact that you are out there on your own with little/no support, would definitely be a less than pleasurable experience.

Those looking for independence, for me, are very short-termist. Common sense would say vote "NO" and then see how the wider political picture changes over time (which it always does).

 

FFS you are just no getting it. Its not a case of us not getting the pound. We have it now and England CANNOT take it away and stop us using it. FACT.
A fact that was ultimately admitted by Better Together spokesman Alistair Darling last night.

 

Also if Westminster throw their teddy out of the cot, who will act as a lender of the last resort for the Scottish currency / banks??

 

Well said that man

 

With the huge gas and oil field being in Scottish control and saving Billions, not Millions but Billions of pounds by not having to finance Trident I don't think we will be a borrowing nation.

We possibly will be lending to our poorer neighbours south of the border.

 

FFS you are just no getting it. Its not a case of us not getting the pound. We have it now and England CANNOT take it away and stop us using it. FACT.
A fact that was ultimately admitted by Better Together spokesman Alistair Darling last night

This was from the debate last night from the BBC feed on it

Currency union?

Posted at 20:53

Mr Salmond said he was seeking a "mandate" (a word he has used a few times already tonight) to keep the pound sterling in a currency union. He says he would not go into a negotiation with something that was "second best".

Salmond and Darling debate
Mr Darling says a currency union would be bad for Scotland because the country's budget would have to be approved by what would be a foreign country. The Better Together leader is back to asking Mr Salmond what his plan B is on the currency.

Yes, you are keeping using the pound in practical terms it seems, but the budget will be managed in the remaining UK and Scotland would need some sort of mandate to use it, in Alex Salmond's position. I cannot see that been a negotiation Scotland can win to their benefit and the controls through the budgeting process will be out of Scotlands

 

I don't know why you're laughing mate. I'm not even slightly bitter, I'm concerned. I like Scotland and I like Scottish people and I don't want to see a situation where a country I love is sold down the river. For reasons I've yet to fathom, anyone who ever expresses any concern over the idea of Scottish independence is treated as an enemy by those about to vote 'yes'. I'm not, not in the slightest, I'm worried you're being promised things that can't possibly be delivered.

You say you don't expect Utopia but then laugh because you think you will get everything you have been promised. If you do, it won't disappoint me, if you don't you really will be disappointed. One of the prime reasons for independence I hear time and again, which you have repeated in the above post, is that it will rid you of politicians you don't like. However, many of the yes vote appear to believe everything they are told by different politicians, just because they're from a different side. I've never lived in Scotland, it may be that Scottish people think it's only the Tories who are liars, but we have learnt to our cost that they're all the same, whatever colours are on the rosette.

Winning the vote is the least of Scotland's problems. Convincing the Scottish people they can have everything that is being promised is the easy bit. It's the negotiations where it gets difficult and it scares me a bit that you really do believe you'll get it all, but you haven't stopped to consider that the people who are telling you you won't are the very people who have to sign the documents that give it to you. They won't do it, they're already telling you they won't do it, but because you believe you have the right to have it you're not listening. It doesn't matter what Salmond and other yes campaigners are telling you you can have, it matters what Westminster and Brussels will allow you to have and they're not going to let you have it.

 

The view of the ill-informed

...... i.e me.

I fully understand Scottish patriotism and sense of identity. As a Yorkshireman I know how important and cherished identity is, albeit on a regional, not national level. I kind of understand not wanting to be governed by Westminster too.

The things I don't understand though are why they have to leave the Union ...... would some sort of devolved governence not work better ? Like Wales ? All this talk of independence over the last couple of years, coupled with strife in Europe (has Europe ever really worked ?) has made me do a lot of reading and I never realised until doing so just how strong the Union has been. Talk to a chav on a bench in Sauchihall St supping his can of Stella (as I have) and you will get a "**** the English", ill-educated kind of reply. Likewise, talk to an attention-seeking English "wit" and you will get a "let them **** off and go it alone" kind of response.

But talk to ex-Servicemen, whatever the generations, and they will tell you stories of unity (unity - derived from Union) and of how their own unique identity was important but all part of the greater good of fighting / working for a common cause. These guys represent a United Kingdom that a lot of people fail to realise has worked for centuries, for all parties.

So I am quite happy for Scots to retain their identity; I am all for good-humoured banter in both directions, but at the end of the day I do not want to see them go their own way and will be sad if that happens.

 

No for purely selfish reasons - no Scotland - no chance of the tories being kicked out of power here in England

 

Re: The view of the ill-informed

Agree with all that, also can we as English go independent? Everyone has their own set ups, why not then an English parliament The capital last time I looked was still one of the main centres for finance in the world.

 

I would realise I had not won the great lottery of life. Now being an Englishman.......

 

Great idea.

Who is going to pay for the welfare state in this new independent state then considering that it's people in London and the South East paying for it ATM?

As for Scottish independence, unless they're leaving the EU as well it will make no difference as they're run by Brussels not London.

 

What you need is a proper analysis of where and from which parts of the economy money is raised, and where it is needed, rather than a Boris Johnson soundbite.