If The Rest Of The Country Had A Vote On Scottish Independence ….

[naomi24]

…. do you think the ‘Ayes’ would have it?

[ludwig]

I don't think so. I'd personally vote yes though.

[wolf63]

The whole referendum issue has brought about endless bitching and bickering from both sides.

My heart says that the "Yes" vote should win and we would thrive as a country. My brain and my sense of logic is not so brave and will result in a "No" vote from me.

There has been quite a bit of anti-Scotland and anti-Scots posting here and elsewhere and this has surprised me. I am not sure if it is the usual banter in the News section or if some people really have a deep seated dislike of the Scots.

[Quizmonster]

NJ appears to be incapable of grasping that - in the event of Scottish independence - the sea-areas around the current UK would be divided. This is why he is forever using techniques such as putting apostrophes around the word 'their' when he speaks of Scotland's oil-claims, as if to say, "They won't HAVE any oil!"
Oil will, in fact, be allocated to Scotland and the Rump of the UK in accordance with the decisions on borders etc made by the appropriate international maritime authorities. Any country with a sea-coast gets an area on that basis.
To get a view of how that would affect the two entities I've mentioned above (Scotland/Rump UK) click
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20042070
and scroll down to the map. The dark blue bit would be Scotland's and the rest marked by a line would be the Rump UK's.) The latter is the North Sea area which is dwindling as an oil-source.
The sea-area where new exploration is taking place and already showing promise is in the North Atlantic, NOT the North Sea. The Rump UK has no contiguous shore with the North Atlantic and would, therefore, have no access to oil there. In addition, since the Republic of Ireland stretches further north than so-called Northern Ireland, England would have no access even "by the back door".
This, I am certain, is a major element in why Westminster - in all its colours - seems set on scuppering independence for Scotland.
In answer to the actual question and despite clear anti-Scots feeling from many on this site, I'm pretty sure the noes would have it.

[ludwig]

//...he is forever using techniques such as putting apostrophes around the word 'their' when he speaks of Scotland's oil-claims, as if to say, "They won't HAVE any oil!" //

I think what he's saying, quite rightly, is that there is no 'their'. It's a single country.

[New Judge]

Yes, thanks ludwig. My point is that at the moment it is not Scottish oil. It belongs to the UK. When it was discovered it belonged to the UK. The revenue that flowed following its discovery went to the UK and Scotland got its fair share - more than its fair share, actually, courtesy of the Barnett formula. Debts accrued by the UK are also pertinent to the entire nation. But suddenly Mr Salmond was all of the oil but none of the debt.

The entire proposal for Scottish independence is a "back of a fag packet" fiasco. None of the serious problems that will obviously follow from Scottish independence have been properly thought through but whenever they are raised Mr Salmond and his mates propose - or more properly demand - totally unfair solutions.

There is no widespread deep seated dislike of the Scots in England, wolf. The current antagonism has been brought about by the ridiculous proposals from the SNP. Scottish people would be foolish in the extreme if they voted “Yes” on the back of these proposals which lack any proper detail and which will lead to considerable chaos both north and south of the border. The “Promised Land” that Mr Salmond envisages is of a nation which will have wealth beyond its wildest dreams, oil gushing out of the drain hole covers, a land free from Sassenach interference that has dragged them down for 300 years.. Oh, and just by the way, a land of which he will probably be crowned Head of State. They are being asked to vote in favour of independent nation status which will see them have no currency, no membership of the EU (though I’d vote “Yes” on that basis alone), an economy founded on the highly dubious expectation of oil riches for years to come and probably little international standing after they have defaulted on their debts.

Well, good luck to them is all I can say.

[Svejk]

I take it you wont be going to the 'relief concerts' in a couple of years, NJ ?

[anneasquith]

I'm sorry but slightly of topic. but I do agree with wolf's last paragraph. quite sad really :(

[New Judge]

Er.... No :-)

[Wharton]

What surprises and saddens me is the number of personal insults directed at Alec Salmond by terms such as 'Wee Fat Eck', 'The Wee Fat Haggis' etc, you'll all have seen them on here....and I'll say this for the last time (maybe)....the YES voters in Scotland are voting for independence, not Alec Salmond.

naomi24 - Aye, if :-)

[THECORBYLOON]

NEW JUDGE you say " My point is that at the moment it is not Scottish oil. It belongs to the UK." if there is a Yes vote, in whose waters will the oil fields be after independence?

[anneasquith]

from NJ..............'' oh, and by the way, a land of which he ( A.S. ) will probably be crowned head of state ''........ no one in Scotland is voting for A.S. or SNP. its not difficult :)

[THECORBYLOON]

The current Queen, as Queen of Scots, will be the Head of State.

[anneasquith]

and I don't think she will budge over for salmond :)

[berniecuddles]

don't care which way the vote goes got no interest whatsoever

[sivam]

Very worrying narrowing of the gap between yes and no/ Can people really believe the fantasy of the ist ministers ravings. Two politicians without children to worry about. no answer to economic situation.

[Quizmonster]

You've puzzled me, Ludwig, and not for the first time! NJ's sentence in which the word 'their' had inverted commas around it - obviously not apostrophes as I said earlier - had the phrases 'the Scots', 'their lot' and 'they'd be' in it. It seems pretty clear to me that he is treating the subject in a plural form, so I don't see what you mean by your words, "It's a single country."
Sure, until now, the UK has been a single country, but it will no longer be so if there is a 'Yes' vote in this - or any future - referendum. So, the map I linked to earlier shows Scotland will have a SHARE of North Sea oil and - amongst the current four elements of the UK - SOLE access to North Atlantic oil.
When the last barrel of North Sea oil is extracted, where will England etc get their oil from?

[THECORBYLOON]

A report from New York-based ratings agency Standard and Poor’s confirmed that “even excluding North Sea output and calculating per capita GDP only by looking at onshore income, Scotland would qualify for our highest economic assessment”.  In conclusion, “we would expect Scotland to benefit from all the attributes of an investment-grade sovereign credit characterised by its wealthy economy, high-quality human capital, flexible product and labour markets, and transparent institutions”

[New Judge]

So you think that, having steered Scotland to independence, Mr Salmond will just retire gracefully to his crofter's cottage ann? I think not. I know the Scots are not voting for an individual but I believe that individual may "have plans" should his wish come true.

"...if there is a Yes vote, in whose waters will the oil fields be after independence? "

It is a strange logic under which Mr Salmond operates. The North Sea oil and gas industries were set up by the UK, for the benefit of the UK. Yet it is assumed by Mr Salmond that its entire stock will be transferred to the newly independent nation. The Bank of England (in Mr Salmond's own words, and quite correctly) was set up by the UK for the benefit of the UK. Yet he demands a share in its assets after independence in the form of a currency union. And he reels with shock and amazement when the rest of the UK gets the hump !!!

[Quizmonster]

Of course, Salmond won't retire to a crofter's cottage! Why would he? He leads the SNP, a party which will doubtless participate in any general election - and that is certainly something which will have to happen - in Scotland relatively soon after a 'Yes' vote. Should his party win that, I am sure his title would be 'Prime Minister'.
Of course he would "have plans", the most specific of these initially being to become that Prime Minister.

[DTCwordfan]

Well it's causing serious consternation down here in Cornwall - it has just come to light that if they say yes, then the nuclear base moves to Plymouth and Falmouth and we are to get a new nuclear silo base right up our arses between Flushing and Mylor, on 'an area of outstanding beauty.' There's going to be some serious backlash to that - and it just happens to be next to one of the wealthiest communities in Cornwall known locally as Millionaires Row. In fact, the backlash has already begun.