Scotlands Referendum.....are we bothered?

[Ray Scully]

I will admit to not wishing to lose Scotland as part of the Union.
Living close to Wales and the Scots favorite Lancashire holiday spots, and being of Irish descent.
I have grown up believing that all four countries are an intrinsic part of our United Kingdom.
However I don't think the Scots are really serious about leaving or they would have chosen far pleasanter character to lead their campaign than Alex Salmon and Nicola Sturgeon.

Ray

[gfwgfw]

Bleeding Heck

It smells bloody fishy to me

[Ray Scully]

Bleeding Heck

It smells bl**dy fishy to me

[towny44]

I have to confess to feeling that the referendum is a win win situation for me, I don't really want the break up of the UK, but if it happens it would be very difficult for the Labour party to win a majority in any general election, without their raft of Scottish MPs.

[Silver_Shiney]

I have to confess to feeling that the referendum is a win win situation for me, I don't really want the break up of the UK, but if it happens it would be very difficult for the Labour party to win a majority in any general election, without their raft of Scottish MPs.

[Not so ancient mariner]

Alex Salmond.........aka Shrek! Having grown up there, and lived two thirds of my life either in, or within walking distance of Scotland, I can see both sides of the argument. But as many scots will tell you, they will be voting for independence - not for Alex Salmond; - and anyhow it would be difficult for a scots government to make a bigger hash of things than that load of comedians down in London. (and I have to agree with that point)

That said, getting rid of a government you don't like is the easy bit. Putting something better in its place is where the problems arise.

[david63]

I have said this before and I will say it again.

Irrespective which way the independence vote goes independence will never happen. This is all Alex Salmond's pipe dream.

If the vote is in favour it is not a foregone conclusion that Scotland will become independent and it certainly will not happen overnight. I believe that once they get down to the actual "nitty gritty" of how to become independent there will be so many obstacles and problems that it will never happen.

For example - Scotland, or to be more precise Alex Salmond, believes that it is one of the richest "countries" in the world - that is until the companies that are making it rich pull out. There is no foregone conclusion that Scotland will use the Pound Sterling or that they will have membership of the EU - both of which will be required (at least in the short/medium term) to ensure economic stability.

[towny44]

This article about Scotland keeping Sterling makes interesting reading, maybe Alex Salmond should have read it before his clash with Alastair Darling!

http://www.cityam.com/article/139456514 ... keep-pound

[davecttr]

I have to confess to feeling that the referendum is a win win situation for me, I don't really want the break up of the UK, but if it happens it would be very difficult for the Labour party to win a majority in any general election, without their raft of Scottish MPs.

Which is the worst thing to happen to britain for many years. The thought of a 'one party' state with an inbuilt majority fills me with horror. The government needs to be thrown out now and again otherwise they will grow even more complacent, corrupt and incompetant than they are now.

Remember they are only really interested in POWER and absolute power will corrupt them.

[towny44]

You probably have a point Dave about absolute power and corrupt politicians. However I have always subscribed to the view that a conservative govt creates economic growth, prudent spending and increasing personal wealth, whilst labour govts increase taxes curtail growth and increase state spending, leading to economic meltdown which the tories then have to recover from.
Ergo a permanent conservative govt might be full of corrupt officials but by gosh we could have an economy to compete with Germany.

[Stephen]

.............NO.

[Quizzical Bob]

Alex Salmond.........aka Shrek! Having grown up there, and lived two thirds of my life either in, or within walking distance of Scotland, I can see both sides of the argument. But as many scots will tell you, they will be voting for independence - not for Alex Salmond; - and anyhow it would be difficult for a scots government to make a bigger hash of things than that load of comedians down in London. (and I have to agree with that point)

That said, getting rid of a government you don't like is the easy bit. Putting something better in its place is where the problems arise.

The 'comedians down in London' have been mostly Scottish in recent times.

[Gill W]

Yes, I am bothered, as I think the UK is stronger together.

I have a feeling the voters of Scotland feel the same, and will vote 'No'

But I doubt if that'll shut Salmond up

[barney]

Call me splinter a*se but I don't care either way.

They go, they go. They stay, they stay.

Life will go on pretty much the same.

[screwy]

Bleeding Heck

It smells bl**dy fishy to me

I see what you did..

[Silver_Shiney]

Bleeding Heck

It smells bl**dy fishy to me

I see what you did..

So did I - that's two in a roe....

[Ray Scully]

Bleeding Heck

It smells bl**dy fishy to me

I see what you did..

So did I - that's two in a roe....

[Frank Manning]

Yes, I am bothered, as I think the UK is stronger together.

I have a feeling the voters of Scotland feel the same, and will vote 'No'

But I doubt if that'll shut Salmond up

I agree. Having spent a lot of time with Scots I recognise in Alex Salmond, the kind of joker who enjoys getting up the noses of the English, and if the referendum goes No, he will carry on until he either gets his way or gets voted out. I think the whole thing is dreadfully sad for the UK, almost attempted fratricide. We can do without it, there is enough trouble in the world already.

[Dark Knight]

I think there is a huge reality gap here
Scotland simply cannot afford to go it alone, more than half the population , according to the office of national statistics, take out more than they contribute
let them have independence and then watch as Scotland turns into a third world country inside a generation, they will be on the same level as southern Ireland before the EU bailed them out
and we all know how sick the Celtic Tiger is now, but Scotland won't have the EU or anyone else to cover their debts
Salmond thinks the oil reserves will make them another Dubia or Brunei
silly silly man

[Not so ancient mariner]

Salmond thinks the oil reserves will make them another Dubia or Brunei
silly silly man

Not sure about that. Like many politicians, what Salmond actually thinks and what he claims when it suits him, are not always the same. Basically he is a rabble rouser - and that's one (?the only) thing he is good at!

[Not so ancient mariner]

The 'comedians down in London' have been mostly Scottish in recent times.

While there have been some very notable ones (e.g.Gordon Brown) to say 'mostly Scottish' is an exaggeration worthy of the aformentioned man himself!

[Quizzical Bob]

The 'comedians down in London' have been mostly Scottish in recent times.

While there have been some very notable ones (e.g.Gordon Brown) to say 'mostly Scottish' is an exaggeration worthy of the aformentioned man himself!

Tony Blair? In fact, an important part of the Labour cabinet I believe.

[Silver_Shiney]

The 'comedians down in London' have been mostly Scottish in recent times.

While there have been some very notable ones (e.g.Gordon Brown) to say 'mostly Scottish' is an exaggeration worthy of the aformentioned man himself!

Tony Blair? In fact, an important part of the Labour cabinet I believe.

That's certainly been my understanding of it

[Quizzical Bob]

The 'comedians down in London' have been mostly Scottish in recent times.

While there have been some very notable ones (e.g.Gordon Brown) to say 'mostly Scottish' is an exaggeration worthy of the aformentioned man himself!

Tony Blair? In fact, an important part of the Labour cabinet I believe.

That's certainly been my understanding of it

true, but not quite what I meant to say. 'And a large number of the members of the Labour cabinet too' is what I meant to say.

[Silver_Shiney]

That's certainly been my understanding of it

true, but not quite what I meant to say. 'And a large number of the members of the Labour cabinet too' is what I meant to say.

that's what I took as your meaning, sir!