It will be just like when we pulled out of iraq , only replace sunnies and shiites with smokers , and drinkers and substitute the heroin addicts with the taliban, we will just have to go and fix it once they have decided it was a stupid idea, The poor english tax payer therefore will pick up the bill.

Well it’s the end of my country, the UK, not even Hitler could do that!

Who’s stupid idea was it to give them a choice?

It was Cameron who offered and gave them the choice of a referendum.

So Cameron by extension, has been worse for Britain’s future than Hitler.

It all makes sense now….I’m going to have so much fun ripping the shit out of my Tory mates with this for the next two decades.

It doesn’t really matter what he thinks though. He’s there until the next election, then its all up for grabs again. Thats the problem with democracy, that even Alex Salmonds ego can’t get around

+1

Surely once independent they’ll need to disband the SNP, as their job is done 🙂

In the event of a Yes the SNP will play the “we brought you independence stick with us, all other parties were against this revolution”. The SNP will take the centre-left ground. Labour will be forced further left into oblivion and if we believe what we are told no one votes Conservative in Scotland anyway. If Scotland votes yes the SNP are going to win the first election for sure, after that it will be based upon results with the SNP saying “stick with us, change takes time, be patient and all our troubles are Westminsters fault” – they will do this for about 25 years if not more.

Looking at all those lined up against the Yes vote makes me think there must be something in it. Scotland never voted for this government, they avoided the student loan fiasco, they resent London centrism. Why should they not go to protect their welfare state and vote for a government that more closely reflects or represents their aspirations.
My experience of Scots in the early 70s was that they seemed on average much more aware of current affairs and politics than the English. This vote won’t be taken lightly and if it’s yes then good luck to them. Maybe it’ll encourage people in England to start fighting their corner against p***poor employers and this administration. Lead the way Jimmy!

It doesn’t really matter what he thinks though. He’s there until the next election, then its all up for grabs again.

What’s up for grabs? The independence negotiations will be done by then – a yes vote is a vote for Alex to carry those out in accordance with the BOD, a mandate for him to make his demands. He did point this out in the last debate, was nobody listening?

On the plus side, our nation’s average life expectancy will rise significantly, and our average yearly rainfall fall, so long life and dry trails all round. 🙂

bizarrely (it seems to me) I have at least one very tory – or at least a mate with very tory views – who is voting, as far as I can gather, yes as he’s fed up with distant Westminster rule. There may be others…

The whole thing is a massive missed opportunity for everybody except the Scots.

I’d love to see genuine regional devolution across the Island with London as a region in its own right. I rather liked the idea of dividing the land up as the old kingdoms were drawn out; Mercia, Wessex, Northumbria, Dumnonia etc.

Proper regional representation and genuine devolution out of London and the Home Counties. It’s a bit of leap I’ll grant you but it’s time we did something completely different.

If they can vote to stay or go, I think we (English) should be allowed to vote of we want them (Scotland) to remain as part of the UK or not actually.

I do suspect that we will, in the medium to long term, will be better off without Scotland though and the Scottish might actually be getting encouraged to go it alone by stealth means that I cant possibly provide details of on a public forum,

I’ve already said too much.

yossarian +1.

If interested Henry McLeish has an intersting take on greater regional devolution.

Yossarian +2

coolhandluke – Member

If they can vote to stay or go, I think we (English) should be allowed to vote of we want them (Scotland) to remain as part of the UK or not actually.#

England has always had the option of leaving the UK if they want.

If they can vote to stay or go, I think we (English) should be allowed to vote of we want them (Scotland) to remain as part of the UK or not actually.

Why only the English? Do the Welsh/Northern Irish have a say too? It’s this kind of mentality which is causing the Scots to want to leave!

Yeah, and we’ll do the same on a possible ‘stay-in-the-EU-vote’ too, to allow all of Europe a vote to decide if the UK stays in!

*runs* 😛

I can’t be arsed about the pros and cons of this, but if I was a Scot I’d be sneaking out at the dead of night with a sledgehammer and smashing that bloody awful statue to bits!
It’s so crudely done, quite apart from the fact it shows a racist Australian playing a historically inaccurate portrayal of a Scot, it’s just an embarrassment.

It’s now in Tom Church’s own garden, apparently, nobody wants to display it so he took it back.

I’m looking forward to the fights.
The vilification Romanians, muslamic swans, and anyone vaguely foreign gets from the Daily Mail, will pail into insignificance compare to the hate-storm they’ll be planning to stir up towards Scotland if they vote yes.

I can understand the general feeling of discontent with Westminster government but regional devolution/independence (whether Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Yorkshire, whatever) away from Westminster government isn’t suddenly going to make life any better…

Partly – we’ll still be governed by politicians (and I’ve not noticed a better calibre of politician at local level than we have at national level – look at your local cycle lane provision for a clue!)

But mainly, the current economic mess is not actually of Westminster’s making. USA, Spain, Ireland, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece etc are all in a mess too.

Globalisaton is beyond the control of Westminster. The West hasn’t always been wealthy and powerful – we’ve just been lucky enough to live in a time when we have been. Globalisation is what’s changed our fortunes. Fair enough, we’ve not prepared for it too well, but show me a Western government that did…

No-one has power and wealth forever – Romans lost their empire, Ancient Greece lost its way, so did the Ottoman Empire, so did Soviet Union – happens to all wealthy nations eventually…

I can’t see how rejecting Westminster (as ineffective as it is) is quite going to help us compete against the rising economic and political power of China and belligerence of Russia…

I’ve not noticed a better calibre of politician at local level than we have at national level

No, but the flavour is different. See how the makeup of SP and WA is different to the commons.

No-one has power and wealth forever – Romans lost their empire, Ancient Greece lost its way, so did the Ottoman Empire, so did Soviet Union – happens to all wealthy nations eventually…

Bendigedig! Time for Wales to rise! New international language: Cymraeg!

Free bara brith for all! 😀

New international language: Cymraeg!

Great, we’ll all just be spitting over each other trying to get the Ll pronunciation right!

but honestly do we want a flag like this?

that’s what my butt looks like after a long sweaty ride

if the vote goes yes, then it will be the English property investors that will benefit the most when Scottish house prices crash, they will be snapped up by the English looking for holiday homes, and to increase their buy to let portfolios.

this will piss the Scots off soooo much.

if the vote goes yes, then it will be the English property investors that will benefit the most when Scottish house prices crash, they will be snapped up by the English looking for holiday homes, and to increase their buy to let portfolios.

this will piss the Scots off soooo much.

Alternatively if interest rates go up to help defend Sterling, the whole UK housing market incl/esp London will tank… (which would suit me incidentally, I want to buy a house!)

Either way, it’s all this uncertainty which will most likely impact on us in the immediate turn and falls in Scottish co shares and Sterling today aren’t suggesting good news for Scotland or rUK on 19th…

I would expect that the rest of the uk would take a greater interest in the EU, cutting out the middleman of Westminster.

Westminster was merely rubber stamping a lot of legislation, generated in Brussels.

Does this mean we will be able to finally get rid of GMT as well scotland??

Brooess! Stop it with those very sensible and accurate views. Just leave us alone to destroy ourselves because we are to thick to understand the reason for our decline. We want the gravy train to continue for ever even when we know it’s not possible. Here’s to England the soon to be third world country. Mind us in Yorkshire will have gained Freeeeedom b then. We want a Free Yorkshire and we want it cheap.

What’s the bets that Scottish TV will show the film Braveheart at primetime the night before the vote?

As for the Union Jack, just simply replace the blue parts for Scotland with green to represent Wales & Northern Ireland. So a Red, White and Green Union Jack. Looks quite nice 🙂

That kelly green might be a bit too ‘Irish’ for the Ulster Unionists…

But lose the diagonal cross too.

If it happens, I would like the UK to keep the Union Flag as it is, just to see Salmond’s reaction.

If it happens, I would like the UK to keep the Union Flag as it is, just to see Salmond’s reaction.

I dont see a) why they’d change it and b) why Salmond would give a monkeys?

Because the Blue on the union flag is an Asset, and Scotland are entitled to their fair share!

“The Union Flag was retained in its current form. Partly as a practical economy measure, to save the costs of making new flags, but also as an affirmation that Scotland remained an integral part of the Union – even if it was under an illegal occupation for the time being – and that one day it would be returned to the fold. Though no one explained exactly how or when it would be achieved.”

For all the accusations of Bullying and Bluster, it seems that Mr Salmond is by far the biggest culprit of all:

Alex Salmond: Meet the bully behind the mask

What a total pillock – is this who the Scots would seriously consider leading them into independence?

Well, if you sit around waiting for a virtuous politician to spearhead independence, you’re going to be a long time waiting.

Well, if you sit around waiting for a virtuous politician who tells the truth and not want he thinks the Scottish voters want to hear to spearhead independence, you’re going to be a long time waiting.

Changed that for you 🙂

1. The ability to set Scottish policies without involving them in the discussion (law of unintended consequences)
2. The opportunity for speculators to make money – once again AS helps the wrong money men
3. Rental prices at 100 Cheapside rise 25% in a week – the property guys are smiling (tongue in cheek that one)
4. A headache

Cheers Alex, the foretaste of what a fairer society (sic) looks like,

Alex Salmond is an odious slimy little turd. I think most Scottish voters are as aware of that as those south of the border. But once again…

THIS ISN’T AN ELECTION! THIS ISN’T A VOTE FOR A PERSON, OR EVEN A POLITICAL PARTY. THIS IS A VOTE ABOUT WHETHER THE COUNTRY BECOMES INDEPENDENT, OR NOT!

A lot of people seem to be really, really struggling with this fairly simple concept

On the contrary, they get it exactly. If it was what you say it was, the answer would be clear.

The sensible debate about the relative merits if independence went out of the window with the publication of the white paper and it has been downhill ever since.