Scottish independance...... not one post yet?

[RichardD]

Serious post alert - without the paranoia!

Independence for Scotland WOULD work, however it is NOT in Scotland's best interest nor is it in the UK's interest.

Let me elaborate:
Alex Salmond is NOT a moron, in fact he has successfully out manoeuvred every other politician in the UK in the last couple of years and has done a sterling job running the Country (such as it is). Yes, he a slimy little man, pilloried for his shape as much as his sabre rattling but having met him on a number of occasions he has me convinced that he knows exactly what he is doing (even if I don't know what that is let alone understand it).

The SNP got coalition power after Labour committed suicide and then proceeded to do a good job resulting in re-election. Guess what they are STILL doing a good job! They use common sense, they explain things clearly and succintly and they do NOT get caught out making silly mistakes. Add in the fact that the newspapaers seem to ignore Scottish politics means they are left to get on with it.

I agree that there are dangers with Scottish independence but don;t forget that the creation of Scottish Agencies (like DVLA) will create a lot of jobs and therefore boost the economy. Small Countries are more flexible, more responsive to changing circumstances and the politicians are more accessible and therefore more accountable. I once needed to see my local MSP and went, with an appointment, to Holyrood to see him. Whilst waiting in a local cafe for the meeting Henry Macleish, the then FM, walked in and sat at the next table. I spent 10 minutes chatting to him about how I thought the Parliament was doing (he asked me!). Try that at Westminster!

To echo comments above, we do not have the level of moaning as there seems to be in England. Our prescriptions are free but only because most people ALWAYS got them free, our education is free because it bloody should be. These are populist policies but they make sense. Our brightest now stay here to get an education and are therefore more likely to work and settle here. In the long term Companies will relocate or simply stay here because they can get the staff.

So, England, moan and whine all you like. Scotland is a better place to live for lots of reasons not least of which we are more welcoming, more open and more positive than England. Yes we have loads of problems, mostly social but football sectarian aside we have less racism, lower crime rates and a fast improving health outlook. The attitude of "English out" that has been alluded to is now very old fashioned. The incomers, mostly from England, are keeping the rural and highland & Island communities alive and are welcomed with open arms. They bring money, fresh blood ideas and jobs with them.

If too many Little Englanders moan at us, we will quit the UK and take the oil with us. There may only be 20 years of it left but the money will be used to make us as strong as possible. I see petrol prices up her being much lower than yours and with all the wind we'll have cheap 'leccy etc etc etc.

Don't wish too hard, you might just get what you're asking for!

[dxmedia]

If we're talking about that northern wall, I take it that's the antonine wall?

[giggleberry]

Thanks Richard well put

[Nightbar]

Actually I'm secretly in favour as if there are free prescriptions and uni placers going - both my children have scotlandshire birth certificates

(and I'm Northumbrian so I am neutral - ie I loath both the English and the Scots!)

[smego]

How can Scotland go independent we own it?

[scut44]

Well you failed to look after it then after winning it in a card game
& the sitting tenants have been doing all the maintenance & improvements ever since.

Scots have been factoring the country south of the border for those in the south for a fair few decades now, so we must be quits.

We still have lots of your nuclear waste if anyone cares to collect it before it gets sold onto China.

george

.

[gords1001]

Sounds like any other landlord.......

[its GED]

I still can't find the "dont give a flying *****" option.

[TJ_in_Dubai]

[RichardD]

[Highlander250469]

I'm all for independance, why not, lets try it and see what we can do.

I can see that being part of the UK benefits Scotland in some ways but I can also see we are losing out in other ways.

We are NOT reliant on the rest of the UK as many people appear to think and I suspect that although we may not be as well off as an independant country that the rest of the UK as a whole will be a lot worse off if we leave.

Plus, when we are independant again we can bring out the REAL Stone of Destiny and dump that old drain cover that the British (English) Royal family have been sitting on best part of 700 years

The SNP appear to be doing us proud, they are doing a lot of what they said they would and as far as I can tell are being open and honest.

Can I point out that I have NO knowledge of politics whatsoever!!

But can I also point out that I suspect the vast majority of Scottish voters out there are the same.

People such as me vote with very little knowledge of the political goings on.

I like Alex Salmond, he is clever, witty and VERY sharp, I don't really know his policies in depth but he's the man I want in charge and that is the reason I vote for him.

As Richard said, he is definitely no moron...do not underestimate this man.

I suspect his main tactic with the independance vote will be to slowly introduce a Scotland v England scenario to the Scottish voters, not openly, he wouldn't get away with that but by luring the UK government into being seen as TELLING Scotland what to do.

Its happening now, David Cameron is on the telly regularly quite forcibly telling us not to go independant.

Many Scottish people will see this as England telling Scotland what to do, I'm already hearing the mutterings concerning this...

"who is he to tell us what to do with our own country"

No one likes being told what to do, ESPECIALLY if they have a choice in the matter...

If the people of Scotland see themselves as being told what to do by England it will rile them no end and they will vote for independance purely out of spite!

If Alex Salmond does engineer that route, there WILL be only one outcome to this vote.

At the moment I suspect a vote on independance would result in a NO but they are planning the vote for 2014

Is it coincidence that 2014 is exactly 700 years after the Battle of Bannockburn, Scotlands victory over England in the battle for independance?

Would anyone care to make a bet that the vote for Independance will be carried out on the same date, 24th June 2014?

I think he is a very clever man who knows exactly what he has to do to win this vote.

My personal preference however would be to invade and conquer England.

The list of potential allies to an independant Scotland invading England would be huge!!

[RichardD]

[Highlander250469]

There wouldn't be any

[RichardD]

[.]

[RichardD]

[Highlander250469]

The Falklands

[RichardD]

[its GED]

[RichardD]

[its GED]

We got more guns...

[RichardD]

[Highlander250469]

The Welsh will take Liverpool supported by the Irish Navy

Secret agents Moyes and Dalgleish are already deployed within the heart Liverpool itself and have been decimating the local area for many years

[ed]

Liverpool is already Irish. Or more accurately Ireland (the island of) is just suburban Liverpool.

[ed]

And what about those of us from the bit between England and Scotland? Although the Scots can have Hartlepool back anytime - buyer collects though.

[Highlander250469]

Isn't the "bit between England and Scotland" you are referring to, actually England??

[dxmedia]

The welsh don't even have their own country, they are just a principality.


Although it's a good place to put the POW's, that would reet **** off some of those 'get off my land' north welsh farmers.

[Highlander250469]

[its GED]

Hahahahaha.

I love it when people underestimate the power of loads of kids with machine guns.


Bless.

[Highlander250469]

You are of course 100% correct.

The one fly in the ointment might be what side they choose to take...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_England_riots