They will actually do it, because it makes no sense for them not to do so. If you don’t believe that you’ve probably been reading too much WOS stuff.

I have indeed been reading World of Spectrum, but I’m not sure of the relevance here?

They’re just replacing being British with being Scottish, still both collectives!!

Yes, but they’re excluding us from their collective. That’s like saying you’re still sharing your toys if you take them away from half the nursery.

it’s not about you, it honestly isn’t.

How can it not be? You’re saying you’re different to us.

I think the majority in England will just be glad when its over. Im sick of bloody seeing it in the news

Except that it won’t be over, whichever way the vote goes.

peterfile – Member
Don’t take it so personally, it’s not about you, it honestly isn’t.

Yes it is, by definition.
It can’t not be.

I have indeed been reading World of Spectrum

Wow, there’s a whole world there I didn’t know about.

No, it’s about the Scottish people being so disillusioned with the Westministercentric union political model that they want to get away from it.

So, you’ve completely missed the point of the referendum then?

No, but I am rather surprised by the level of ignorance being displayed by some of the yes campaign supporters. I have family in Scotland and my relatives who have never left Scotland and traveled around the UK are the ones who hate the English (despite not really knowing any) and will undoubtedly be voting yes. They have also, perhaps unsurprisingly, never traveled around their own beautiful country.

The referendum seems to be a vote that was demanded by the ignorant and will only benefit the ignorant. God help them all.

I’m Welsh which pretty much puts me even lower down tbe food chain than you Scots. I hope you do get independence but I’m convinced it will cause massive problems for years to come. It’s not all about england as the media would have us believe. The rest of us have a vested interest as well.

It’s turning into a right mess. A narrow yes or no is the worst result for Scotland or the rUK. Fails to deliver a convincing mandate for either side, and fuels resentment for years to come.

I thought I was British, but I’m not sure any more.

A narrow yes or no is the worst result for Scotland or the rUK

Disagree. A narrow no vote will force something to be done, because Westminster will have to acknowledge how divisive Westminster-centric politics are. Likewise any yes vote.

I’m hoping for a yes vote as long as when they go they stay gone and don’t come back cap in hand when/if it all goes tits up. They’ve made it clear they want out and besides we’ve already enjoyed almost all their delcious oil so no harm done if they leave.

Frankly I’d love to see an independent state of London and the home counties and the rest of the country can eat cake.

Frankly I’d love to see an independent state of London and the home counties and the rest of the country can eat cake.

That pretty much already exists.

Yes it is, by definition.
It can’t not be.

I will say it again….it’s not about you.

This is about Scotland and how it is governed. This has no bearing on or reflection on you.

I spent most of my adult life living in England, there isn’t a part of me that harbours any dislike or ill will in relation to any other part of the UK.

I spent most of my adult life living in England, there isn’t a part of me that harbours any dislike or ill will in relation to any other part of the UK.

Not even people from Essex?

hahaha, good point binners 🙂

I will say it again….it’s not about you.

This is about Scotland and how it is governed. This has no bearing on or reflection on you.

Oh but it is about the rest of us. The whole of the UK will be impacted on by this vote. In fact the Pound has fallen massively this morning because of the uncertainty.

Not even people from Essex?

Oi! I was born there and it is a very pretty county once you get away from the towns where the orange people live.

This is about Scotland and how it is governed. This has no bearing on or reflection on you.

I spent most of my adult life living in England, there isn’t a part of me that harbours any dislike or ill will in relation to any other part of the UK.

Only at its purest level. Unfortunately people will vote yes, or no, for a myriad of reasons. And not all as reasonable or thought out as yours.

And that’s not a poke at the Scottish electorate. It’s a poke at every electorate everywhere.

Not even people from Essex?

Luckily, despite coming from Essex, I’ve moved to a county which has taught me the filthy truth about Lancastrians. 🙂

This is about Scotland and how it is governed. This has no bearing on or reflection on you.

It’s about what the UK is. I’m a UK citizen, so yes it does.

It’s like saying me getting divorced* would have nothing to do with my wife.

Saying ‘it’s nothing to do with non-Scots’ is the biggest nationalistic argument there is. I dislike nationalism.

* I’m not

For context I was born in Glasgow, live in Cumbria but work/holiday a lot in Scotland.

The markets are not going to like this so short term will be painful.
The whole of the UK will go backwards again.
Medium term as a Cumbrian I think this will be positive for us and the rest of the UK will bounce back.
I think it will take up to fifteen years for Scotland to know if this has been worthwhile.

To be frank I hope they vote yes as a rift has been formed. As much as many Scots want to leave the rest of the UK does not seem to care much if they do.

The biggest, most widespread effect for most of us will be a fairly rapid (faster than Carney would otherwise have wanted) rise in interest rates, to shore-up sterling as it is already weakening and will fall further on a YES vote.

This will be more acute if Scotland decide to walk away from their share of the national debt. As has been pointed out by many people, doing so would condemn them to instant financial pariah status from day 1. Not a smart move, but then none of this looks particularly well conceived.

I think there will be many in the Conservative party who will question the wisdom of facilitating the referendum, so there will be naturally questions asked about Cameron’s Leadership. I think he will survive it.

I don’t see a Yes vote making a Labour government more likely in 2015, all the UK parties supported the No campaign so a Yes vote is an equal defeat for them all. UKIP’s popularity has forced all the major parties and in particular Labour to face up to the immigration issue with is very important to the UK electorate. The voters of France and Spain have moved very dramatically to the right in the past 18 months.

In the even of a Yes vote I think the UK parties will make how the negotiations are dealt with a key issue in the 2015 election, I think there could be a little bit of a contest to show who’s the toughest.

FWIW I think Westminster politics and policy are hugely favourable to the rest of the country at the expense of the South East which pays far more in personal or business taxes than it gets back. Scottish independence, if it occurs, is going to show the rest of the UK the lie that is politicians promising Nirvana. An independent Scotland is going to struggle financially and socially, in my view is going to be much worse off than at present. IMO this will strengthen the center and right political parties in the UK over time.

peterfile – Member

I will say it again….it’s not about you.

This is about Scotland and how it is governed. This has no bearing on or reflection on you.

I don’t care how many times you repeat it, you’re still wrong.
By definition, this vote affects everyone in the UK.

@digga, Sterling hit 1.73 vs USD recently, far higher than it’s been in the past 5 years. What we are seeing is a correction due in part to the uncertainty around a Yes vote. I very much doubt Carney will push rates up without signs of good underlying economic data.

A Yes vote will be economically negative for the UK and worse for Scotland, its lose-lose.

EDIT @peterfile a Yes vote very much effects the UK, as per my comment above

This will be more acute if Scotland decide to walk away from their share of the national debt As has been pointed out by many people, doing so would condemn them to instant financial pariah status from day 1. Not a smart move, but then none of this looks particularly well conceived.

In this case, the rUk could go and get its’ assets (military, NHS, education, govt) could it not? Wouldn’t want to be a scottish civil servant with a nice pension, either….
Not trolling, just think that the rUK will not just shrug it off and neither should it.

By definition, this vote affects everyone in the UK.

You are misinterpreting what I am saying.

I didn’t say that it does not affect you. Of course it does.

I’m saying that people are not basing their votes on you.

You said:

It is rather depressing that so many in Scotland seem happy to treat many years of shared history and achievement with such contempt and walk away from what has been a very productive relationship without a second thought.

which i disagree with

Scottish independence, if it occurs, is going to show the rest of the UK the lie that is politicians promising Nirvana. An independent Scotland is going to struggle financially and socially, in my view is going to be much worse off than at present.

This. Rather than encouraging the separatists in English regions, the reality will result in them quietly backing off.

I’m saying that people are not basing their votes on you.

No you didn’t.
You said

I will say it again….it’s not about you.
This is about Scotland and how it is governed.

Which it isn’t.
It’s about the UK and how it is governed.

OK Rusty, scottish voters will be heading to the polls next Thursday to cast their vote on how the UK is governed 🙂

@binners, “The North” hasn’t enjoyed he same economic recovery as the rest of the UK as its more reliant upon state sector jobs and the state has been massively overspending hence the North has felt more cuts and has less private sector uplift. Independence or even greater autonomy for “the North” would be financial suicide. My tax return is processed in Manchester, if the North is autonomous I’d rather have that work done in Devon and Cornwall, they need the jobs there.

Good.

I’m glad you’ve finally realized I was right.
We’ll say no more about it.

I’m off for some new batteries for my sarcasm detector. 🙂

🙂

I’m off for some new batteries for my sarcasm detector.

I recommend rechargeables if you’re using it on here.

greater autonomy for “the North” would be financial suicide.

Not really – plenty of UK public sector jobs in Wales, and that has devolution.

By my rough calculations, the percentage of English in the UK would go from 84% to 91%. So I’m suddenly much more of a minority.

@binners, “The North” hasn’t enjoyed he same economic recovery as the rest of the UK as its more reliant upon state sector jobs and the state has been massively overspending hence the North has felt more cuts and has less private sector uplift.

You see…. thats pretty much what they’ve been saying to the Scots. And its condescending patronising twoddle!!! And the kind of thing that further fuels a Yes vote.

Maybe you could look at it (as I and lots of others up here do) that successive westminster governments, of all colours, have prioritised London and the the South East, to the total exclusion of everybody else. Nobody else’s interests even figure on the radar when setting policy. We’re just meant to suck it up! .

So rather than pointing at the economy that has been allowed to develop, to suit the interests of one region, people in Scotland, and the North given the chance, are looking at what could be possible if it were allowed the freedom to prioritise its own economic needs. Which hasn’t happened for over 30 years.

Scots each receive almost £1,300 more public spending than the English

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10692466/Scots-each-receive-1300-more-spending-despite-oil-tax-drop.html

Will this mean no more 5 sec “plucky Scotland” pieces in the BBC sports segments to interrupt the hours of england meaningless friendly fixture coverage.

By my rough calculations, the percentage of English in the UK would go from 84% to 91%. So I’m suddenly much more of a minority.

Ah, but you’d go from being 4.8% of the population to 5.3%, so actually you’re less of a minority!

We’ll still have ‘Plucky Scotland demolished by England/Wales/Ireland/Italy in 6 Nations’, don’t worry. Or will independence fuel a resurgence in Scottish rugby?