Who Really Knows ...

[andy-hughes]

As every new thread discussing the possible separation of Scotland underlines - there are so very many aspects that don;t appear to have been considered, even in passing, by the Wallaces who are painting their faces blue as I type.

Can no-one see that the confusion and the final un-thought-of consequences make this notion so very dangerous, and nothing like as simple and profitable as Mr Salmond seems to like to think - or at least tell people, which is probably not the same thing?

[ToraToraTora]

don't look for common sense Andy!

[andy-hughes]

Fair point TT!!

[Wharton]

I'd like to know which aspects the 'Wallaces' haven't considered. Read The White Paper "Scotland's Future".

[andy-hughes]

Wharton - I am referring to the individuals who have suddenly discovered a hitherto submerged-beyond-recall level of patriotism that leads them to abuse ex-pats and generally chucking their weight about.

I don't imagine the finer points of policy feature much in their thinking - if indeed they can actually think at all.

[Wharton]

To which individuals do you refer?

[andy-hughes]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7826264.stm

[bookbinder]

Has Alec Salmond published a detailed plan that sets out exactly what will happen if the Scots, (a) vote Yes, and if they vote (b) No? I live in England, and I have seen no details of a contingency plan from the Scottish government.

[SlackAlice]

Old News?
page states

"Page last updated at 16:05 GMT, Tuesday, 13 January 2009"

[Baldric]

I don't think AS knows what to do if they win, let alone if they lose!

[Baldric]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11079296/Anti-English-racists-terrorising-the-No-campaign-in-Scotland.html

[Wharton]

bookbinder(and anyone else for that matter) - By visiting www.scotreferendum.com/contact you will be afforded the opportunity of submitting any question on Scottish independence.

[anneasquith]

my, you are quite condescending a.h.

[mikey4444]

Steve Bell isn't always popular here on AB....not that it stops me posting his cartoon of course ! Quite a blue face on Mac 'eck here :::

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cartoon/2014/sep/08/steve-bell-scotland-queen-independence

[mikey4444]

anneasquith... Some decorum please !

[roopower]

I was talking to someone who thinks Scotland should get independence and then they'll have to foot the entire bill for decommissioning all the oil rigs when it runs out

[jno]

andy, it's not like the Scots will walk out of the union the day after the vote. A Yes vote will simply give their leaders a mandate to negotiate withdrawal. That could take years, and consequences will be discussed exhaustively on both sides. People keep talking as if the UK will vanish tomorrow.

[THECORBYLOON]

SLACKALICE, the fact that the piece mentioned Grampian Police made me think immediately,it was old news. I am struggling to work out how an assault five year ago is meant to be representative of what like folk are to-day.

[sevenOP]

No-one really knows.
It is uncharted territory, but if you look at the panic - value of £ and shares value fall, parties offer deals on more devolution, leaders of parties to miss Prime Ministers Question Time and fly to Scotland to promote No vote (smacking of the Quebec 'Unity Rally'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_Rally)

There is a danger here to the vested interests: from the Pope to Obama, the Scottish people have been urged to vote 'No' ; the stewards of the selfishness/thoughtless comfortable compliance that has been successfully indoctrinated into people for many generations do not want to see dangerous precedents: fragmentation might spread to other rich countries and questions that are easier contained in larger blocks might emerge, such as why nothing really has been done about poverty in the world: why we have become increasingly dependent on fossil fuels despite knowing the dangers of dependency and increasing global warming threats, and even in the pampered US and UK, why is the divide between rich and poor growing.

[New Judge]

Whilst I have not read all of the 670 pages of the White Paper, Wharton, I've had a glance at a summary or two.

It is by no means a manifesto and fails to answer any of the fundamental questions to which the Scottish people need to know the answers to be able to make a reasoned decision. It is more a wish list of idealistic nonsense which the SNP has cobbled together. It is a Utopian vision of a country gushing with oil, free of "Tory" taxation, with tremendously generous pension and benefit levels and one which will take its place on the world stage. None of this will be forthcoming without the ready co-operation of what the SNP quaintly calls "partners" (principally the remainder of the UK) and it seems to fail to recognise that much of this co-operation (particularly in respect of a shared currency) is unlikely to be forthcoming.

The Scots must be out of their minds if they fall for this Rob Roy stuff, but good luck to them if they do because I'd like nothing better.

BTW, I still reckon the result will be a resounding "No" - probably about 60-40 or maybe a little higher. The annoying thing is that even if that happens the Scots will subsequently be granted even more favourable terms than their current devolution arrangements provide - terms for just 8% of the UK's population which will not be afforded to the majority.

[Wharton]

New Judge - The bookies' odds are now :-
YES - 7/4
NO - 4/9