Scottish independance

[Ray Scully]

The main downside I see are Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon. They sound good but where will they disappear to if it all goes pear shaped?

Ray

[david63]

I, like everyone else, have no way of knowing which way the vote will go but I firmly believe that if it is a "yes" vote then independence will not happen as there will be so many issues that have not been thought through - like the currency issue last week.

[Gill W]

I rather think Alex Salmond wants a pick and mix independence. He wants to pick the things that he likes about the Uk, like the pound, but ditch what he doesn't like.

Don't think it works like that, Alex, you can't have your cake and eat it.

If the Scots vote no to independence, which I think they will, Salmond will never be seen again. I have no problem with that at all.

[Boris+]

I just can't see it happening.

Em

[Mervyn and Trish]

I think it will be sad and bad news for both Scotland and the rest of the UK if they vote "yes". But on the other hand if they do so, we have to resist Alex Salmond's obvious desire to have the best of both worlds. We need to be ready to say "okay now get on with it - sort out your own currency, your own defence etc". We should not let Scotland become independent but lean on the rest of the UK for subsidy if it goes pear-shaped. Oh and I think P&O should send them the bill for painting over the blue bits on the ship's bows!

[Boris+]

IF the vote is 'yes' - what then happens to the Union Flag - will the background become a different colour?

Em

[towny44]

I wonder if all the negative comments about not being allowed to keep sterling and not getting automatic entry into the EU might just annoy the Scots enough to tip the vote in the nationalists favour.
I have to say that I am a bit ambivalent about it myself, I think it could be a retrograde step economically for everyone, but politically with all the scottish westminster MPs gone it would ensure that Ed Balls was kept away from number 11.

[Dark Knight]

My honest opinion , it is a pipe dream
Scotland as a whole takes out far more than it contributes from the UK, in terms of benefits, cost etc than is raised from taxes etc
my own opinion is that Alex Salmond thinks he can finance a country by laying claim to the offshore oil and reaping the benefit of the income generated

without the rest of the UK, Scotland will become the same a southern Ireland was before the EU pumped billions into it, a second or even third world country, unable to support itself

[Frank Manning]

I will be very sad if they do vote for independence, because I have very happy memories and many friends in Scotland. They are an admirable and fiercely independent people, although there is some unpleasant anti Englishness evident in places, and I fear that if our politicians keep winding them up the way they are, I can see a yes vote becoming more likely.

Alex Salmond is a hustler, and he knows how to harness emotional appeal. If they vote yes or even nearly yes, we will never hear the last of it, and every little thing which goes wrong for them will then be blamed on the UK government.

[oldbluefox]

Essentially I would rather see Scotland remain as part of the UK. However I am becoming heartily sick and tired of all the anti English rhetoric which is coming from those parts and if that is the way they feel I will be very happy to see them go. To some extent I can understand their feelings. It appears to me that successive governments are only interested in London and the South East and apart from a few token investments other areas of the country are ignored. Lack of investment in infrastructure and few opportunities for development of industry and commerce have left parts of UK with no jobs and no hope. Ironically Scotland seems to have had a greater share of the pot than some parts of England judging by the amount of development in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

I agree if Scotland does vote to go it alone then all ties will have to be severed. Alex Salmond cannot cherry pick what he chooses and I am pleased to see this is the message being conveyed to him.

[Mervyn and Trish]

It's interesting that Salmond bleats about being ruled by Westminster, yet the reality is that on a per capita basis Scotland is over-represented at Westminster compared to England! And let's not forget that the Chancellor-cum-Prime-Minister who was in power when we go into the financial do-dos was a Scottish MP!

[Gill W]

IF the vote is 'yes' - what then happens to the Union Flag - will the background become a different colour?

Em

The cross of St Andrew would have to be taken off.

[david63]

I think that we should not overlook the fact that if Scotland was to go independent that the rest of the UK would incur some additional costs with things such as boarder controls - whether the additional costs would be offset by the savings is another question.

Also what happens when the oil revenue runs out, which it will one day - will we then have to bail Scotland out?

[oldbluefox]

They're topping up Hadrian's Wall as we speak.

And if they take independence they are on their own and nothing to do with us. You can't have a halfway house.

Be a pity if they go. I'll miss those delightful young ladies in the curling team!!!

[Romig1]

Essentially I would rather see Scotland remain as part of the UK. However I am becoming heartily sick and tired of all the anti English rhetoric which is coming from those parts and if that is the way they feel I will be very happy to see them go. To some extent I can understand their feelings. It appears to me that successive governments are only interested in London and the South East and apart from a few token investments other areas of the country are ignored. Lack of investment in infrastructure and few opportunities for development of industry and commerce have left parts of UK with no jobs and no hope. Ironically Scotland seems to have had a greater share of the pot than some parts of England judging by the amount of development in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

I agree if Scotland does vote to go it alone then all ties will have to be severed. Alex Salmond cannot cherry pick what he chooses and I am pleased to see this is the message being conveyed to him.

What an excellent post... I can't disagree with any of it!

[Romig1]

Just one point that hasn't been considered thus far....

If the Scots do vote for independence, then how on earth will the remaining home countries manage to raise a curling team for the next winter olympics?

[Susan Watt]

Only one problem OBF if they top up Hadrians Wall they will get most of Northumberland as well

[davecttr]

Never mind Hadrians wall, the citizens of Carlisle will be happy to have a English postal district rather than being lumped in with Dumfries. no more scottish telly either. they will have to construct a border and have passport checks as well because Scotland will not be a member of the EU so will be treated just like any other foreign country. Scots will have to apply for work permits as well.

As for being in the EU, there is nothing in the treaty to cover a member state splitting so the treaty would need modifying even if a special case was applied. That modification would need the assent of all 27 members so an independant scotland can forget about being in the EU.

The main question for the remaining UK is where do we base the nuclear subs?

[Quizzical Bob]

The main question for the remaining UK is where do we base the nuclear subs?

Just point all the missiles at the Jocks.

[Frank Manning]

Our MP gave an address yesterday evening on wide ranging subjects, and then invited questions. He agreed with my suggestion that if a No vote in Scotland is to be registered, it needs to be by a significant majority, because a narrow No vote will just mean that an opportunist like Alex Salmond will still keep chipping away, until he gets what he wants, or the people of Scotland vote the SNP out of power. In the latter respect, I fear that the Scottish national game of 'baiting the English', has not yet run its full course (maybe it never will).

I do think that boundary changes are necessary so that all constituencies throughout the make up of the UK parliament are of equal size in terms of eligible voters. That way the English will get a fairer say in what happens, in the parliament which governs them.

[lioness]

I wonder if all the negative comments about not being allowed to keep sterling and not getting automatic entry into the EU might just annoy the Scots enough to tip the vote in the nationalists favour.
I have to say that I am a bit ambivalent about it myself, I think it could be a retrograde step economically for everyone, but politically with all the scottish westminster MPs gone it would ensure that Ed Balls was kept away from number 11.

Now that's a good idea. I can't stand him! LOL