FETCHER.

Not sure this thread belongs here but here goes.


Mostly applies to British users but everyone can give their opinion, the more the merrier.

It is exactly one week until the Scottish independence referendum, the polls open on the 18th of September and it will be the biggest decision the country will face in a LONG time.

I LOVE being Scottish and I'm fiercely patriotic of where I come from, like most naturally. I'm also extremely proud to be a British citizen and able benefit from being part of the United Kingdom. However, if independence were to work out for the country... Why not?

I'm basically looking for information on what the pros and cons of both independence and staying with the union. At the moment I'm a solid NO voter but I'd like to make an educated vote on what is best for both Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Please play nice.

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Tristesse

We have our nuclear weapons stored in Scotland. Please don't leave. The idea of Alex Salmond with nuclear weapons is terrifying.

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Franco Pepe Kalle

I don't think it is happening. It will be a long fight before Scotland has a chance to become independent.

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FETCHER.

Over time the nuclear weapons would be eradicated from Scotland. It wouldn't be an immediate effect but they would leave.


Urban, I'm most interested in your thoughts tbh. What are the circumstances that the Channel Islands are in and would an independent Scotland have the same privileges as them?



I'm also worried that being an independent country with some oil resources would result in some other country realising we have next to no defences and invading us for it. Not saying it would happen but if it did there would pretty much nothing we could do.

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Urban Hat€monger ?

You'd be in the same situation as we are.

You could still use the pound as currency like we do.
The good side of that is because it's still technically a British pound it'll still be worth the same if you buy anything in the rest of Britian.

The downside of that is because it's the British pound and you won't have any MPs in Westminster any more so you'll have no say in how it's run you'll just be dictated to by the British government and you'll have to swallow it.

Also you'll find yourself in the situation that you can use English notes in Scotland, but won't be able to use Scottish notes in England. Much like how Guernsey & Jersey money can only be used in the Channel Islands but not Britain.

Also because we're not in the EU we're not subjected to by any of their laws although our government does tend to still follow some by choice, especially if you want to trade with them, all your goods will still have to meet with their standards.

The biggest worry you have is lots of your big businesses relocating to England, Royal Bank of Scotland have already said if it Scotland becomes independent they're going to relocate because most of their customers are based in the rest of Britain and if independence happens they're going to lose a lot of customers because their money won't be protected under British law anymore.

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Janszoon

I'm no expert on the subject obviously, but wouldn't independence only serve to make both Scotland and what's left of the UK a whole lot weaker?

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Neapolitan

I'm not an expert either, and maybe "Balkanization" is too strong of a term... I am wondering if that happens to the UK, and they become weaker like you said, the EU would have an even stronger influence over them. It doesn't seems like it would be trading power from Westminster to Edinburgh but from Westminster to Brussels.

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Urban Hat€monger ?

Not really
At the moment the UK gets one veto, if Scotland leaves it still gets one veto.
As for MEP's there will be less but they tend to vote via party policy rather than by country so that won't make a lot of difference either.

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Cuthbert

Basically yeah.

Know a Rangers lad from Glasgow and he is fiercely against this and hoping common sense prevails. The polls seem to be moving in the favour of independence and he's getting a bit worried now. I know another pair of Scots who are in favour of yes but they are really out of touch with reality & bitter and would just as likely be walking round in shit tracksuits chanting EDL if they were born on the other side of the border.

The SNP promises more benefits for the poor while offering lower tax rates .

I am hoping something will intervene and people aren't just being blinded by patriotism.

Stronger together .

GravitySlips

I don't think you can hold Rangers fans up as bastions of common sense. A fairly sizable amount of them are the most blindly patriotic, bigoted, BNP/EDL supporting people in Scotland. All those of that persuasion are voting No.

I say this as someone who grew up supporting Rangers. Myself and many of my 'proddy' pals are voting Yes, and believe me it is not out of patriotism or nationalism or anti-English sentiment. These definitely exist, but in my personal experience there's a much more sizable number who are simply trying to create a better country. It's about self-determination, getting the governments and politics we want, creating a more equal society, getting rid of nuclear weapons and their fiscal burden, and a million other reasons.

Whatever the outcome, there is a real engagement with politics in Scotland now. We have been able to channel our disillusionment with Westminster into something positive and hopeful. In England, it seems that it's been channeled into UKIP and right-wing politics, or at least more so than anything else. It's an exciting time, but there will definitely be challenges if we get independence, and there's definitely an overly idealistic side to some sections of the Yes movement. But with the vast resources we have, I don't see why we can't overcome these challenges.

Kayleigh - highly recommend you read this:
Wings Over Scotland | The Wee Blue Book

and this:
https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkin...-thats-bizarre


And mind - it's not all about Salmond/SNP