Scottish Referendum....

[ToraToraTora]

if they vote yes then do you think they should be allowed to vote in the general election next year?

[emmie]

no.

[anneasquith]

why would they \?

[emmie]

if they gain independence it will not just be Scottish people, voters, but others as i repeatedly said, those on the electoral roll, who are eligible to vote.

[Svejk]

shouldn't be allowed to vote anyway, imo.
or the taffs.

[ToraToraTora]

Well becuase they will still be in the UK so they will be voting in the GE. In my opinion it would be wrong to vote in a general election just before leaving the UK.

[emmie]

how will they be in the UK, once independent, that means split. not part of, no longer a United Kingdom

[jim360]

I think they should be, as presumably what will follow a Yes vote is not a quick exit but some protracted negotiations, and denying the Scots a voice in this in the UK Parliament while they are still part of the country seems very unfair. On the other hand I'd expect the resulting 2015-elected Parliament to focus primarily on Scotland's withdrawal from the UK, and then a second election called as soon as that process is over.

This last might be difficult with the fixed-term Parliaments law, although it's possible -- and indeed surely necessary -- for there to be an exemption. But at any rate, as long as Scotland is officially part of the UK its voters should have a voice in the UK Parliament. Although it might be unlikely, you could imagine a situation where the negotiations are ongoing, but Scotland is still subject to British law and so Parliament might rush through legislation that is certainly not in Scotland's favour. Unlikely, I'm sure, but similar things happen in the bizarre two- or three-month period between the US Presidential Elections and the new President actually taking office where his (sometimes beaten, sometimes unable to stand) predecessor takes a sneaky opportunity to sign off all sorts of laws that the new president would never have passed and which are often against his intended policies.

So yes, come what may this September, I think the Scottish people (and, let's not forget, the English people currently living in Scotland) should have a vote in 2015's election. But if it's a yes vote, then the 2015 election shouldn't be for a five-year fixed term.

[emmie]

the vote for Independence is in September this year isn't it?
and the General Election next year, May? so if they go it alone, why should they get any vote.

[anneasquith]

they wont be in the uk

[emmie]

other than their own vote in Scotland. The negotiations may be protracted, but surely once the die is cast, that is that.

[emmie]

we will have to be called something else if this gets the green light, no more United Kingdom, so what will we be, just Britain, what>

[youngmafbog]

No, absolutely not. Well not in our one anyway, they can vote in theirs.

[emmie]

do we get a say in Welsh, Irish elections?

[ToraToraTora]

What are you on about Emmie? It'll still be the UK, just because someone leaves a club it doesn't mean it's disbanded does it?

If they vote yes they won't be leaving the day after so they'll still be in the UK at the time of the GE that's what I'm saying. It will take around 18 months to actually be independent.

[emmie]

will it, why? if they vote and say we don't want to be part of the UK any more, then surely that's it. I know that the whole thing will need a long time to sort out, the fact is we have been joined for centuries, but surely
if they get independence in September, say they don't want to be part of the UK thereafter, then no to anyone getting a vote in the general election.

[emmie]

how can you call it a united kingdom when they go it alone. it isn't.

[ToraToraTora]

jim they can have an election at anytime with cooperation with the opposition so I'd imagine that would normally be forthcomming.

[Baldric]

If they vote Yes they should have no more right to vote in a UK General Election than say, the residents of France or Belgium!

[emmie]

because we won't get a vote in Scotland, unless we live, work there and are on the electoral roll. so why should they. strange thing that some don't get it won't be a United Kingdom any more.