Full independence for Scotland

[johnlambert]

Can I say, that as a loyal Scot, I think that a break from the Act of Union would be a disaster for both England and Scotland?
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070814/tpl-uk- britain-scotland-39349ed_2.html

[WaldoMcFroog]

And 'wouldn't have arisen'.

Whoops. Any other typos will have to remain uncorrected.

[mosesg]

I say build the wall along the Watford gap, then see how well they do without the hard working people of the Norht and Scotland!!!!!

[mosesg]

Oh and I forgot to say that most of the large oIl companies operating in the North Sea are either French, American or Canadian, so I don't see how that will benefit England if the Scots get independance? Also the comment about th OIl being Norwegian, most of the oil rigs or platforms are in the British sector of the North Sea.

[AlBaal]

I think you'd be hard pushed to find any opinion poll that states that the Scots want independence.
A very loud and vocal minority may shout there mouths off, and blame the English for every misfortune under the sun, but that's not the majority view. Ironically enough, some of those who shout the loudest are those who got out as soon as they could.
I'm a Scot, and abhor nationalism from any quarter.
I too, think that independence would be disasterous for Scotland, and very damaging to the UK as a whole.

[Skreecheeboy]

Over half of the population of Scotland that voted, voted for the nationalists. It's due to the fptp electoral system that they barely became the majority party. Whether or not we'd be better off alone is another matter but the fact is more than half of us wanted the nats to win or so I'm led to believe.

[jedimistress]

I am a Scot living in England. I can't stand the whinging Scots who blame everything on the English. That is one thing I do not miss. My dad is English so it was not so easy for me to go down the "english bar stewards" road which is put into each generation from a young age.

I think to myself when they moan, why don't you get a life, do some travelling the you can see what real oppression, poverty and occupation is.

It's usually the more negative, bitter, narrow minded or laddish section of the population who think this way. Living in England I find a relief not to hear it.

I would feel sad if Scotland became independant but happy as then the people who complained would not have anyone to blame. Alex Salmond would be out of a job!

Most people in the UK are mongrels anyway, rather than of a pure source. My mum is a Nationalist, yet her mum was English! If you are a British Nationalist you are racist, if you are Scottish Nationalist, no one bats an eyelid. This is upsetting.

[Aquagility]

Let's remove the subsidy enjoyed by the Scots for a start, and then, after a wee interval, let them have a referendum.

[Skreecheeboy]

Yeah, you can't get too hooked up on their name though Ms Jedi, the Brittish Nazi Party and the Scottish Nationalist Party have completely different agendas. Have a look at any road map and you will see the difference between Scotland and England. We have a great big beautiful empty country but England is crammed with people, there is a whole different scope for change and development up here that a lot of scots feel is stifled by people concentrating on the South East. It's nothign to do with being hard done to, more about being ignored I'd have thought being half english myself.
Still undecided about independance though!

[Gromit]

The Act of Union made sense 300 years ago, but is irrelevant now. It has been superceded by the European Union. The British Union should be allowed its natural death, the Scots (and English) and others can then become independent and join the EU as autonomous entities.

[jake-the-peg]

Here's an interesting analysis of Scotlands financial position - it's 10 years old now but it still makes interesting reading:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents-w 3/gers-09.htm

Basically if you take all of the revenues for North Sea oil and independant Scotland would have a Government borrowing requirement per head roughly on a par with the UK.

However -and I know this will be a shock to many regulars - but there's more to a consideration like this than just the finances. I think John implied this in the question.

if such a split happened without an ovrewhelming majority you'd have a large split in the popular mood and unearth all sorts of trouble.

Just seperating the systems of the two countries would be an organisational nightmare too. - Not that it couldn't be done, we underwent a messy divorce with Ireland 80 years ago

Not the sort of thing to be done lightly

[Goodsoulette]

Scotland is a great big empty country but isn't that what makes it beautiful. Could Scotland support itself properly without its ties to the UK? I dont know, I just wonder. What are its exports etc? Where would the money come from? If they split would the Scots want alimony payments?

[jno]

the Act of Union came about partly because Scotland had blown a third of its national wealth on a calamitous attempt to colonise Panama. As I recall, they knew it would succeed because a conman told them so and it did not occur to them to seek a second opinion elsewhere. The Scots didn't object overmuch to the union because England had kindly agreed to cover their debts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darien_scheme

[jno]

PS TCL, Corby might be an enclave to Sassenachs, but would it not be an exclave to Scots?

[Skreecheeboy]

That King William was a helpful fellow. Imagine if today's English Regiments were ordered by the Queen not to supply the Scottish Regiments with food or assistance if they were dying abroad. What a loving Monarch that guy was to his subjects!
There are lots of facts and figures in here http://www.scottishexecutive.gov.uk/Resource/D oc/159996/0043602.pdf but I can't get my head round what they mean and I can't help but feel that the swollen housing market in SE England has a dramatic effect on the percentage GDP percentages quoted in it. Not sure if they are picked apart in more detail later on in it as it was making my brain hurt.

[johnlambert]

jno is partly right, the Act of Unoin was voted for in Scotland to offset the disaserous darien expedition</a>">darien expedition however, when the English realised the huge potential of Scotland's natural resourses such as land, fisheries,, crofts, marital history, they knew how much better of they would be. As an example, Scotland lost 10% of it's manpower during World War One, England lost only 2%

[johnlambert]

jno is partly right, the Act of Unoin was voted for in Scotland to offset the disaserous darien expedition however, when the English realised the huge potential of Scotland's natural resourses such as land, fisheries,, crofts, marital history, they knew how much better of they would be. As an example, Scotland lost 10% of it's manpower during World War One, England lost only 2%

[kwicky]

The problem with giving Scotland their independence will probably only result in another border dispute. ie Doesn't England stop at Hadrians Wall?

[THECORBYLOON]

jno can "Scots enclave" not have two meanings? One is an eclave within Scotland and the other, an enclave of Scots. Either way, Corby should declare UDI too.

[jno]

very true, TCL, and I look forward to the day when it becomes the San Marino of the North.

[Kam_voo]

I agree with Loosehead its a great bonus for England ,and a complete loss for Scotland