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Scottish Independence - What say you?

  • 13-01-2012 4:43pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    So I'm sure you're all familiar now with the ongoing issue surrounding an upcoming referendum for Scottish independence. I'm trying to gauge the general vibe of the Irish public.

    During the last Scottish national elections, the Scottish National Party won a remarkable majority ahead of the traditional favourites, The Labour Party. Alex Salmond, the leader of the SNP and David Cameron have been at odds over the specifics of the referendum - but nevertheless - it will occur (likely August 2014).

    It's important to note that Scotland returned only one Tory MP in the last general elections, and only about 10% or thereabouts in the Scottish national elections. But yet - Scotland is still under the control of the Conservative Party - and this seems to be a contentious issue.

    "The days of Tory PMs telling Scotland what to do are over" - Alex Salmond.

    So what say AH? Would you in principle favour an independent Scottish state, where the Scottish people alone would control all of their affairs - or would you prefer Scotland to remain in the Union, where some important matters (fiscal affairs and foreign policy) are still controlled through Westminster?

    Scottish Independence 391 votes

    I favour Scottish Independence
    0% 0 votes
    I favour Scotland remaining in the union
    83% 325 votes
    I'm unsure at the moment
    16% 66 votes


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 810 ✭✭✭Fear Uladh


    Whatever the people want to be honest.

    I would love to see how scotland govern themselves after independence, would they join the euro or keep the sterling?


  • Registered Users Posts: 696 ✭✭✭Kevok


    Why is there no "I'm not Scottish it doesn't matter what I think" option? :confused:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Fear Uladh wrote: »
    Whatever the people want to be honest.

    Yes of course, it will ultimately be down to the Scottish people. I'm just trying to see what AH would vote on (if they hypothetically lived in Scotland).


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,295 ✭✭✭✭Duggy747


    If Trainspotting taught me anything it's that they should really get their toilet-cleaning abilities up to scratch.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 810 ✭✭✭Fear Uladh


    dlofnep wrote: »
    Yes of course, it will ultimately be down to the Scottish people. I'm just trying to see what AH would vote on (if they hypothetically lived in Scotland).

    My own individual vote would be for Independence.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 16,500 ✭✭✭✭DEFTLEFTHAND


    Don't they already have some form of Home Rule? I suppose the natural progression would be independence if the majority want that of course.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,358 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    dlofnep wrote: »

    "The days of Tory PMs telling Scotland what to do are over" - Alex Salmond.

    They should vote Labour so.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,016 ✭✭✭CreepingDeath


    While they might want independence, I don't know if Scotland has the financial stability/security to go it alone.

    Where's the braveheart half blue/half white emoticon when you need it?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    It's ridiculous, it'd like Munster declaring their independence. The economy would be ruined, the currency would have to be changed, hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, and all because of a bit of PR and misplaced national pride.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Confab wrote: »
    It's ridiculous, it'd like Munster declaring their independence.

    Munster is not a country with a devolved parliament. Scotland is. I don't really think there's anything ridiculous about simply wanting to determine all of your own political affairs from your national parliament, rather than one 800 miles away in London, which is Governed in majority by a political party which returned only one MP in Scotland.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 118 ✭✭Gilldog


    While they might want independence, I don't know if Scotland has the financial stability/security to go it alone.

    Actually, with ownership of the North Sea oil, an independant Scotland would be in a very good financial position. I heard someone on radio a few days ago estimating it to be about about 25 billion barrels worth.

    I say go for it ye mad Scots!


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,261 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    Even the SNP doesn't favour independence. Salmond is pushing for maximum devolution instead.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    They should vote Labour so.

    They did, in the general elections.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,182 ✭✭✭Genghiz Cohen


    FREEEEEEEDDDDDOOOOOOMMMMMMMM


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Even the SNP doesn't favour independence. Salmond is pushing for maximum devolution instead.

    That's simply inaccurate. Of course they are pushing for independence. 'Devo-max' is a back-up plan one would assume if they fail to receive full independence.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,512 ✭✭✭Ellis Dee


    I wrote (in jest) in a comment in a Daily Torygraph blog that it would all end in tears - with nothing much more than some oil and gas, hydroelectricity, a bit of tourism potential, the whisky industry, some fishing grounds and a few other things to sustain an independent Scotland - and that the place could easily end up another basket case like Norway ---:):)

    Can't understand why a lot of Scottish contributors gave me "likes".:rolleyes:


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,261 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    dlofnep wrote: »
    That's simply inaccurate. Of course they are pushing for independence. 'Devo-max' is a back-up plan one would assume if they fail to receive full independence.

    Salmond knows Scots won't vote for full independence. Why do you think he's pushing for the devo-max option to be included rather than Cameron's straight yes or no?


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,389 ✭✭✭mattjack


    I ,for one will be applying for citizenship, courtesy of my Scottish grandfather.I'm sharpening my claymore as we speak and my kilt is in the wash.Merkel and Sarkozy won't get me.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,030 ✭✭✭✭Chuck Stone


    Sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare tbh. Will there be border surfing like we have here?

    Will they have different VAT and income tax rates? What about the stuff that the royals own and military bases?

    What's in it for the average Scotch person?



    yeah Scottish I know.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 73 ✭✭Pissmire


    What have the Brits ever done for us?



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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Salmond knows Scots won't vote for full independence. Why do you think he's pushing for the devo-max option to be included rather than Cameron's straight yes or no?

    As a back-up? It doesn't mean Salmond doesn't aspire to see independence in it's entirety.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,652 ✭✭✭I am pie


    North Sea Oil is running out, conservative estimates would state that it is 75% used having hit a peak in 1999. (I took this from Wikipedia admittedly!) Oil and Gas is not going to sustain Scottish independence in the long run, possibly it won't be a source of funding beyond 20-30 years. The Scottish Banking sector is part owned by the UK gov't and requires govt funding, will the scottish executive pick up the tab on this one ?

    It would be interesting alone to see how much the NHS in Scotland costs the UK tax payer, for all public sector outlay. I have not yet seen cold hard figures to support full independence and i suspect they do not exist.

    Heart says yes, fiscal reality says not now.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,273 ✭✭✭Morlar


    Southern Irish unionists must be loving this.


  • Registered Users Posts: 686 ✭✭✭Flincher


    Kevok wrote: »
    Why is there no "I'm not Scottish it doesn't matter what I think" option? :confused:

    There is. It's so easy to use. Just click anywhere, anywhere at all on the whole internet, and it'll get to us. And then just move along to the next thread if you've no opinion on this.

    They already have a functioning parliament, so I think the major issues will be foreign policy. It'll be interesting to see if they take a different stance to the rest of the UK on major issues, and how that would go down in Westminster.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    Don't really know much about it and I'm not the sort to blindly support independance movements just because they involve England but if the majority of Scottish people want it and it is acheived by peaceful means, why not?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭TiGeR KiNgS


    I'm against this because I don't want Scotland to have a competitive corporation tax rate.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,137 ✭✭✭44leto


    I as an Irish man says who the fukc am I to say to a Jock you should leave the union.

    But as a rule I hate nationalism and nationalists.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    I'm against this because I don't want Scotland to have a competitive corporation tax rate.

    Well - Westminster was already taking about giving powers to lower it in Scotland and in the north, so this wouldn't really change that.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 23,316 ✭✭✭✭amacachi


    dlofnep wrote: »
    Munster is not a country with a devolved parliament. Scotland is. I don't really think there's anything ridiculous about simply wanting to determine all of your own political affairs from your national parliament, rather than one 800 miles away in London, which is Governed in majority by a political party which returned only one MP in Scotland.

    If (as many would like) county and city councils were abolished and larger local authorities with more power replaced them would it be coo' if the newly created areas wanted independence?

    As far as I can tell Cameron was simply stating a matter of fact, that Scotland can't legally simply secede from the Union.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,109 ✭✭✭Cavehill Red


    The less of these islands run from Westminster the better in my opinion.

    I believe in the Scottish (and English and Welsh) right to self-determination, and I support anything that undermines the union, since it is used as a legal shield to enforce British rule in Ireland.

    Let Scotland be free, and it hastens the day that the North of Ireland will be too. Maybe even the North of England too, who knows? Roll on the end of the imperial racket that is UK inc.


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