Scottish Referendum....

[ToraToraTora]

if they vote yes then do you think they should be allowed to vote in the general election next year?

[jim360]

Fair enough, Naomi. The result and the consequences do matter to me and I guess sometimes on this topic in particular I'm bound to take things seriously, perhaps too seriously. Sorry!

[ToraToraTora]

Tell you what if Scotland leave and it's known as anything other than the UK I'll jump off Big Ben!

[naomi24]

:o)

[naomi24]

^That was to jim.

[jeffa]

There you go! Was that so difficult...?

[jim360]

I believe there's a petition to call it the Former United Kingdom...

[ladybirder]

Oh gawd and we've got how many more months of this ...

[naomi24]

Mmm.... I don't think the acronym would necessarily be accurate. ;o)

[ToraToraTora]

What The Funicular are you talking about it? I concede nothing. Scotland consitutes 7% of the UK, 93% would remain the UK, end of. You and others will never convince me otherwise.

[jeffa]

In my personal opinion, the obvious answer would to rename the former UK simply as Britain. Almost everyone south of the border is perfectly used to being British, to coming from Britain, so it would fit right in with everything. They'd still have a British passport, watch the British Broadcasting Corporation etc.

I can't think of a negative...

[jeffa]

"Scotland consitutes [sic] 7% of the UK"
Scotland constitutes one of the two kingdoms united in the United Kingdom.


"93% would remain the UK"
That would the United Kingdom of one kingdom"

"end of"

[ladybirder]

Somebody will:-(

[ToraToraTora]

The current name is "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" now Great Britain includes Wales, England, and Scotland so Scotland would in fact be leaving Great Britain, Wales and England would then be Great Britain, still part of The UK of GB + NI - geddit? The fact that 2 kingdoms originally merged to make one is irrelevant, a lot has happenned since then, including things like the Ireland situation.

[maggiebee]

I find it quite amusing how heated this discussion has become - mostly by English people who will have absolutely no say in the independence vote. Even if things are not settled by the time the GE comes around I would not feel comfortable voting then - who would I vote for? Tories? Lib Dem? Labour? UKIP? No, you're welcome to keep them all.

[naomi24]

Not keeping your vote between you and the ballot box any more then, Maggie. ;o)

[THEMOTLEY1]

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/02/if-scotland-leaves-what-name-should-we-give-the-remaining-nation/

[jeffa]

I sympathise, maggiebee. As I mentioned a few days ago, I think that the recent MEP elections will have done more for the independence cause than anything Salmond and his cronies could come up with.

Vote yes, or be faced with being ruled by a Tory / UKIP coalition or Ed Milliband. Surely every Scot should be shuddering at that thought!

[THEMOTLEY1]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/10177183/Alex-Salmond-Independent-Scotland-will-remain-part-of-five-Unions.html

[maggiebee]

Agreed jeffa, Scotland have never voted Tory - there is only one Tory MP in Scotland but we have had to put up with a Tory government under Margaret Thatcher and now under Cameron.
Naomi - I will nail my colours to the mast - I will be voting YES

[New Judge]

There is no need for any change to the name of the United Kingdom. If the Scots (hopefully) choose to leave that is their affair. They have made it clear that the remainder of the UK should have no say in the matter. The Scots are proposing to leave the United Kingdom; it is not a proposal from the remainder of the Union to evict them. If a member of a club chooses to leave it cannot expect the club to undergo a name change to reflect their leaving. The United Kingdom will remain the United Kingdom and nobody will particularly miss the 9% or so of the population that Scotland might take with it (that percentage will soon be replaced by a few years immigration, anyway).