[dlofnep]

Originally Posted by Vladimir Kurtains

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.

[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".

[Vladimir Kurtains]

Originally Posted by dlofnep

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?

[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.

[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.

[Pissmire]

What have the Brits ever done for us?

[dlofnep]

Originally Posted by Vladimir Kurtains

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.

[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.

[Morlar]

Southern Irish unionists must be loving this.

[Flincher]

Originally Posted by Kevok

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

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.

[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?

[TiGeR KiNgS]

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

[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.

[dlofnep]

Originally Posted by TiGeR KiNgS

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.

[amacachi]

Originally Posted by dlofnep

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.