The break up of the UK - anyone bothered?

[Bing]

I wonder how many of the 14 people voting yes so far are English

Of course, my council tax would go down :evil:

+1 Right on

I'm English, not British as British passports have been tossed about like confetti in the last 20 years so become meaningless.
As it is a very important issue that affects the whole of the UK we should all have some sort of vote on it. I would vote for them to leave now. I'm one of those fed up with the whining and would like to have better democracy for England. It is lopsided and wrong at the moment.

On too many occasions in England we have ended up with the Government that the majority of UK voters didn't want which has always f#c'd us over badly and pushed us back years in development and wealth.

If it was a yes vote, I predict a stream of people will try to move to other parts of the UK. Dismantle all our interests up there asap and get border control in place quick!

I wouldnt bet on your council tax reducing in the event of a 'yes' vote given austerity measures and capping this year.

As for your 'whining' comment - I think you'll find the 'whining' is coming solely from Alex Salmond and his merry band of SNP idiots. From what I have heard & read, the Scots as a whole are not 'whining' about this subject. If the Scots can get rid of Salmond then the noise will stop...

I'm pretty sure you're also inferring that the Scots are responsible for the country having to suffer poor government - which is hilarious given the resident population makes up what, 15% of the population of the UK ? And the vast majority of MPs who get into power and actually run the country once elected are English are they not ?

 

[PerryGunn]

I'm pretty sure you're also inferring that the Scots are responsible for the country having to suffer poor government - which is hilarious given the resident population makes up what, 15% of the population of the UK ?

To play devil's advocate on this, isn't it true that the number of Scots acting as PM, Chancellor, Foreign Secretary, and in other senior ministerial positions over the last 50 years is far in excess of the number that would be expected given the proportion of Scots MPs at Westminster? If so, the Scots are responsible for more than their fair share of the poor government that we've (all) suffered! :evil:

 

[Finisterre]

Shouldn't a country with pride forge its own way in the world? The arguments against seem to be predicting a rocky road ahead. I think it is the way to go never-mind the hardship. The easy path is less satisfying in the long term.

 

[Bing]

I'm pretty sure you're also inferring that the Scots are responsible for the country having to suffer poor government - which is hilarious given the resident population makes up what, 15% of the population of the UK ?

To play devil's advocate on this, isn't it true that the number of Scots acting as PM, Chancellor, Foreign Secretary, and in other senior ministerial positions over the last 50 years is far in excess of the number that would be expected given the proportion of Scots MPs at Westminster? If so, the Scots are responsible for more than their fair share of the poor government that we've (all) suffered! :evil:

We've revoked their nationality

Fair point...However they were all appointed by English prime ministers, bar one obviously. And this isn't a 'the Scots are s**t' thread

 

[pvr]

And this isn't a 'the Scots are s**t' thread

Rolls off the tongue easily though

 

[bigdog]

If they do vote yes. I hope they will still honor my US passport. I really like Scotland, I'd like to holiday there again. So many distilleries, So little time.

 

[PerryGunn]

I'm pretty sure you're also inferring that the Scots are responsible for the country having to suffer poor government - which is hilarious given the resident population makes up what, 15% of the population of the UK ?

To play devil's advocate on this, isn't it true that the number of Scots acting as PM, Chancellor, Foreign Secretary, and in other senior ministerial positions over the last 50 years is far in excess of the number that would be expected given the proportion of Scots MPs at Westminster? If so, the Scots are responsible for more than their fair share of the poor government that we've (all) suffered! :evil:

We've revoked their nationality

Fair point...However they were all appointed by English prime ministers, bar one obviously. And this isn't a 'the Scots are s**t' thread

Two actually... are you forgetting that Tony Blair was born in Edinburgh? So two of the last three PMs have been Scots....

 

[Gargybloke]

I'm pretty sure you're also inferring that the Scots are responsible for the country having to suffer poor government - which is hilarious given the resident population makes up what, 15% of the population of the UK ?

To play devil's advocate on this, isn't it true that the number of Scots acting as PM, Chancellor, Foreign Secretary, and in other senior ministerial positions over the last 50 years is far in excess of the number that would be expected given the proportion of Scots MPs at Westminster? If so, the Scots are responsible for more than their fair share of the poor government that we've (all) suffered! :evil:

What I meant was that the number of constituents that elected a Scottish MP has always been much less than that of other parts of the UK. When the result has been close this skewed number has been enough to decide who formed the government of the UK against the wishes of the majority of the UK people. Not great democracy.

It has changed in the last few years, the number of Scottish MPs reduced in proportion along with a general reduction, so that each MP is now is elected by approx the same number of people which I think is fair in our system.

Have many Scots friends who are great but always manage to meet a few "Braveheart" nutters on holiday who bang on about it. Ancient history really.

 

[Geezah]

Mrs Geezah is a secondary school teacher up here in Scotland and tells me what a cunning move it is to give the vote to 16 year olds who have had nothing but 'Braveheart history' rammed down their ears in the curriculum. I wonder what they are going to vote for?

Obviously it's important to learn about your own history, no problem with that, but to the exclusion of everything else? I took my daughter out of history classes (with her agreement!) as it was all about how horrible the English were to the Scots and nothing else!

 

[Gogo]

This may well be a valid long-term viewpoint:

http://www.flickriver.com/search/skintland/

 

[Gargybloke]

Mrs Geezah is a secondary school teacher up here in Scotland and tells me what a cunning move it is to give the vote to 16 year olds who have had nothing but 'Braveheart history' rammed down their ears in the curriculum. I wonder what they are going to vote for?

Obviously it's important to learn about your own history, no problem with that, but to the exclusion of everything else? I took my daughter out of history classes (with her agreement!) as it was all about how horrible the English were to the Scots and nothing else!

Good for you Geezah

 

[Bing]

Gargybloke, I'm not a braveheart nutter, though I do love a bit of Scottish / English banter ...sadly there's always the few that seem to spend their lives on a mission to spoil the reputation of the many. Met a few 'stereotypical' Englishmen myself over the years.

As for the way history is taught in Scotland - that certainly wasn't my experience growing up, but that was a few years ago. That's definitely wrong, and fuels the 'disaffected youth' who have been gifted a right to vote that they should never have been. I still can't believe Cameron actually agreed to that tbh, though I'm hoping it backfires...

 

[pvr]

though I do love a bit of Scottish / English / Dutch banter ..

Fixed that for you 8)

 

[Bing]

though I do love a bit of Scottish / English / Dutch banter ..

Fixed that for you 8)

I also love your commitment to integrating with our culture :lol:

 

[Jembo]

If the vote is YES, then wouldn't surprise me if in a couple of years for Scotland we'll be needing visa's & have to drive on the right

 

[Bing]

If the vote is YES, then wouldn't surprise me if in a couple of years for Scotland we'll be needing visa's & have to drive on the right

IMO you and a few other folk I know should be required to have visas for entry to Scotland now Jembo

 

[Stuart Truman]

There are one or two people I've met on my travels that need documentation to prove they're actually human...

 

[buddha]

I feel that if Scotland voted for Independence and this was to happen it would greatly damage all of the home nations.
It seems to me that Salmond and the rest of his bunch of cronies have not solved most of the problems that independence brings. It seems Salmond has a God complex and just seeks power, in this pursuit of power he has decided certain things that he believes will happen, eg keeping the Pound, this goes against the wishes and will of the UK Govermpnment.
It appears to me that Salmond just wants to cement his place in the history books and dam the consequences.
I truly hope the Scots people vote to remain with the rest of us.

 

[Jembo]

If the vote is YES, then wouldn't surprise me if in a couple of years for Scotland we'll be needing visa's & have to drive on the right

IMO you and a few other folk I know should be required to have visas for entry to Scotland now Jembo

Happy to raid the piggy bank for 10p

 

[mcbeee]

There are one or two people I've met on my travels that need documentation to prove they're actually human...

Really Stuart, I thought you were a nice guy when we met....oops, I think I was in the gents, you must have only met my Ex...