They won’t be in the EU, silly.

all the companies mentioned are already multi-national and operate throughout the world. As the banks have also mentioned, relocating their head office will have little impact on their operations in Scotland (as advised to their staff). believe or not but Scotland has quite a high knowledge and expertise base, and there is some highly skilled jobs in the market place. these will remain because they are there due to experience in the workforce but also due to location of resources, be it natural or otherwise.

Not disputing the quality of the workers… But does the little Englander syndrome mean customers will no longer want to call a foreign (scottish) call centre ?

They won’t be in the EU, silly.

Good point 🙂

relocating their head office

What impact does this have on corporation tax?

I left the UK, I accept that I won’t have a say on aa few things…

depends on how much you leave

register as overseas voter in the constituency where you were last registered, and you keep some voting rights. think it’s for up to 15 years.

register local constituency party member of your choice to be your proxy.

iirc it’s only when you hit the 15 year mark, or drop citizenship that you lose that right. whether scotland (or UK) change that is a matter for future parliaments.

i say play the same game as politicians and the rich, and make use of dual citizenship, resident / ordinarily resident and domicile to your advantage for tax purposes 😉

i say play the same game as politicians and the rich, and make use of dual citizenship, resident / ordinarily resident and domicile to your advantage for tax purposes

Not really, I moved I made a choice I’ll go with it. I wont cast postal votes as it’s not my for me to decide, it’s for those who live there. But seriously expect multiple legal challenges to a lot of stuff if there is a yes vote, all policies are hypothetical and subject to change.

@andermt – I very much doubt the UK will take away your British passport, we are very flexible about allowing multi nationality.

What is interesting is what happens post independence. Will Scots (passport holders, born there) be allowed to come and work freely in the UK ? IMO Scotland will not upon independence immediately be a member of the EU so they will have no automatic right. Will we thereafter allow a Scot resident here for 7 years to claim a British passport (probably yes).

i think you have to use Ireland as a precedence there.

do IoM etc. citizens have a right to work anywhere in UK? (and vice versa)

edit: and if truly no automatic rights, then the precedences usually have clauses for near border residents on both sides.

@jambalaya
My understanding is my British passport will remain valid until it expires, luckily it’s quite new.
What happens then is an open point. I travel quite a bit for work and if I lose the British passport it will mean many issues whilst travelling abroad as Scotland won’t automatically obtain the same rights as Britain.
As you say, technically Scots won’t be allowed to work in the UK unless an agreement is made (which I expect will be), but it’s not a given, and the rest of the EU may not be so accommodating.
This has been my argument all along about Scots living outside Scotland not being allowed to vote, it could potentially have a bigger effect for some of us than the people actually living in Scotland.

What impact does this have on corporation tax?

According to Alex, none…

however, he has previously spent a lot of time telling everyone how a lower corporation tax rate would draw businesses to relocate their head offices to Scotland!

do IoM etc. citizens have a right to work anywhere in UK? (and vice versa)

Yes, but don’t have freedom of movement/work/residence throughout the rest of the EU, same with Channel Islanders (unless they can demonstrate UK citizenship through family member or 5 years UK residence)

Scots living outside Scotland are still Brits?

UK EU membership referendum is the one that I see as more of a problem. Brits living outside UK, inside EU, making full use of EU rights, not able to vote on EU referendum (my 15 years right to vote in UK is up in June 2015).

So I’m relying on the Daily Wail readers and Farage campaigning to decide my future.

edit: and I think ending up as a non-EU citizen still living/working, I’d no longer get a vote in EU elections? won’t get right to vote in German general election, either. but can still vote in the local elections.

If Scotland goes independent I’m moving there with the full intention of opening a blue body paint factory.

konabunny – Member
What utter nonsense, you may not have noticed, but our currently just devalued as a result of this garbage. Then the absolute con, letting 16 yr old kids vote yet expat Scots that might have a bit of sense and might want to return to something that resembles the home they love don’t, it’s despicable.

those expat Scots that want a vote in the referendum obviously don’t love Scotland enough to actually want to live there!

But I bet they’ll be welcome to contribute tax to the new Scotland even if they were refused a vote. Total con, the whole affair, I do so hope they lose, but if they win, hell I hope we have the balls here in the rUK to stick it to them and make it as difficult as possible. All these years, me paying for my kids education whilst my tax subsidises theirs and God knows what other enhancements, not to mention all the other gifts the gae us.. Blair Brown et al.

Very divisive the whole affair has been who on earth even let it happen?

@andy just come back and register to vote at your parents/family/friends address ? No ?

Right to vote. Just listened to an economics conference call and the host (a Scot resident in the UK) was asked why people with Scottish heritage living outside Scotland could not vote and his answer was;

There are some 50m people outside Scotland who could trace their roots back to Scotland either by their birth or by their parents or grandparents. In my view the vast majority of these people would vote No not least as they value their British passport. As such it is no surprise that the Scottish parliament dominated by the SNP did not invite them to do so.

So the only reason to not give votes to people whose only link to Scotland is their grandparents, is SNP bias? I think your man might well be insane.

@northwind
I agree people with tenuous links to Scotland shouldn’t be allowed to vote, but people born there should be.

I can definitely see the argument… But trouble is, it boils down to this. People in this thread are saying “I’m scottish, I don’t live there but I might do again in future, so I should be able to influence it”. But that amounts to saying “I should have the same influence on a country I don’t live in, as someone who does”. If you depersonalise it- apparently there are 800,000 ex-pats, what proportion will return to Scotland in the forseeable future? Or ever? Why should the ones who won’t, be able to have such a profound impact on the lives of those who’re there right now?

Basically, there’s always a line in the sand somewhere, I think even if you disagree with where it was drawn, you probably have to admit that there are good arguments in favour too.

But that amounts to saying “I should have the same influence on a country I don’t live in, as someone who does”. If you depersonalise it- apparently there are 800,000 ex-pats, what proportion will return to Scotland in the forseeable future

I agree, it’s a bollocks argument. Sure, as an ex-pat you might want to have a vote but there’s no way you can build a rational case for one. You gave up that right when you left these shores.

I should have the same influence on a country I don’t live in, as someone who does

Which is exactly what happens in current UK GEs. The interesting issue is that they don’t get a vote on their own disenfranchisement.

So the only reason to not give votes to people whose only link to Scotland is their grandparents, is SNP bias? I think your man might well be insane.

He didn’t say it was the only reason. I think it’s a very deliberate ploy to give a core to 16-18 yr olds, a deliberate ploy by the SNP to bolster it’s own vote based upon its perception that the young will be more likely to vote yes. It is most bizarre to me that those born in Scotland but living in the UK or on an international assignment don’t get to vote.

The document linked to by aracer means in the eyes of the (potential) Scottish Government:
Everyone living in Scotland will be Scottish Citizens.
Everyone born in Scotland will be Scottish Citizens.

that’s not what it says.

My understanding is my British passport will remain valid until it expires, luckily it’s quite new.

you are confusing citizenship with a passport (which is a bit of paper that evidences citizenship).

The interesting issue is that they don’t get a vote on their own disenfranchisement.

they’re not being disenfranchised.

In my view the vast majority of these people would vote No not least as they value their British passport.

this is nonsense because: a) such people would not lose citizenship of the UK if they had it and b) people are not entitled to UK citizenship merely because one of their grandparents was a UK citizen.

But I bet they’ll be welcome to contribute tax to the new Scotland even if they were refused a vote.

sure – if they actually show up in Scotland again. but none of the people who live outside Scotland carping about not having a vote in the referendum have said that’s happening.

what don’t these people understand? they left the choice to leave Scotland and to stop being full members of the Scottish political community. they don’t work or live there any more (if they ever did). life’s going on without you and you can’t expect to be consulted about things that happen in your absence just because you might think about going back one day.

I said it earlier but the reading of the Yes mob on claiming citizens is still nothing more than a policy idea. It’s probably one of the ones that will get challenged in courts both sides of the border and I’d be surprised if anyone ended up with a forced change. Especially if the UK offered them the chance to remain.

jambalaya – Member

I think it’s a very deliberate ploy to give a core to 16-18 yr olds, a deliberate ploy by the SNP to bolster it’s own vote based upon its perception that the young will be more likely to vote yes

People keep saying that but 16-18 was and remains a group which the evidence says will vote No, in fact it’s one of the most decisive no groups- one poll suggests 21% yes to 60% no. So you get left with a few choices…

1) The SNP just guessed that young voters would vote Yes. No chance in hell, there was public polling available and it requires the entire party to be constantly drunk for about 6 months.
2) The SNP was convinced that they could turn this around and get them to vote Yes. Possible, but a bit farfetched- it’s a huge change in intent that’s required.
3) My mum’s theory- the SNP expected to lose, so was planning for the next step of neverendum, hoping that these kids would remember that they were given the vote this time, and vote Yes next time. Seems pretty absurd
4) The SNP just thought they should have the vote, since nobody’s got more to gain or lose than the young, and since they’re able to join the army, get married, leave school, etc etc. Pay tax, “no taxation without representation”.

Bill Ockam says it’s 4. Any I’ve missed?

they’re not being disenfranchised.

In the event of a Yes vote, somebody who used to live in a Scottish constituency, but currently lives abroad will no longer get to vote in a UK GE. Has the SNP yes Scotland given details of overseas voting rules? Though in any case, if for example those people are pensioners then they would no longer get a vote in a UK GE where policy is made on their pensions.

hell I hope we have the balls here in the rUK to stick it to them and make it as difficult as possible…
Very divisive the whole affair has been

Amazing it has been divisive with a fantastic attitude like that!

it requires the entire party to be constantly drunk for about 6 months.

Well that would certainly explain a lot 😉

I’d suspect that 3 is partly true in that they expected to lose and maybe there is some other reasoning behind it – it’s pretty hard to believe 4 unless that is the case, not from a cynical political party.

Very divisive the whole affair has been

It’s normally the way when separatist parties try and engineer a split. By it’s very nature it’s decisive.
Though if you do look a little further than the coastline it’s fairly peaceful in comparison to some places


It’s a bit like comparing a winter storm with cyclones.

20 years ago the base supported many places when it was getting up graded. My folks run a guest house and base business is now limited to a few specialist contractors once or twice a year and occasional off site delivery of submarine parts collected by a man with a briefcase handcuffed to himself! VFR and tourists and returning trade makes up the bulk. The hotels might get the odd sailors gf but accommodation is all on site now.

In the event of a Yes vote, somebody who used to live in a Scottish constituency, but currently lives abroad will no longer get to vote in a UK GE.

they have nothing to whine about. they’re still getting to vote in an election of a country in which they don’t live.

what don’t these people understand? they left the choice to leave Scotland and to stop being full members of the Scottish political community. they don’t work or live there any more (if they ever did). life’s going on without you and you can’t expect to be consulted about things that happen in your absence just because you might think about going back one day

Agree with this. A friend who claims to be Scottish (Parents are Scots, he was born in Rochdale) is virulently No, claiming he will be ‘stateless’ if the vote is Yes (as I hope) he gets upset when I tell him he isn’t Scottish and his voice is nullified 😆

This was quite interesting last night

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29164621

not everyone who leaves UK leaves for good. lots “leave” to work for 1-2 years, often still employed by the same UK employer. is that even called leaving?
EU agreements allow you to do that within the EU but still paying social security back home and only tax where you reside, if your UK employer sends you overseas.

Strangely the only way I can (officially) have an influence on UK/Europe, as an EU citizen currently working in Europe, is to up sticks back home and be stuck on an island. Seriously tempted to see how far is acceptable to bend rules to get back on UK electoral register.

From June next year the only vote I’ll have anywhere is that of the local city council (edit: if UK quit EU), without either going home or changing citizenship (edit: as the employee of a UK company, with half a working career’s worth of NI paid there etc.). Thumbs up for EU integration there!

they have nothing to whine about. they’re still getting to vote in an election of a country in which they don’t live.

It makes no difference whether you think they’re whining, they’d still be getting disenfranchised after a Yes vote.

It makes no difference whether you think they’re whining, they’d still be getting disenfranchised after a Yes vote.

they’re not being disenfranchised – they’re still entitled to vote in the constituency. it’s just they don’t get to choose which country the constituency forms part of – the people who actually live there do.

they have nothing to whine about.

@andy, yes the French have taken this issue seriously with the creation of a special “MP” for expat French (400,000 in London for example). IMO the UK should do the same.

why?