Scottish Independence

[rich47]

Who do the BBC think they are standing for the establishment on who will decide whether Scotland should be independent.
It is for the Scottish people alone to decide their nation's future.
We do not need England's approval nor their permission.
Since the "parcel of rogues" sold Scotland out in the treaty of union the Scots have not had the courage nor will to go their own way, but the nervousness of the Westminster establishment about losing Scotland and all it has to offer now is heightening the debate.
Long overdue is a sensible debate among the Scots; it is no one else's business!

[rich47]

No one seems to be answering the question.
It is not about the pros and cons of independence which we could argue till the cows come home and not reach a consensus, it is about WHO will decide whether Scotland is to regain independent status.l

[emmie]

Rich47 perhaps no one knows, perhaps you should just tell Alex Salmond you are putting your foot down, independence or else.

[Quizmonster]

Ah, Rich, posting an AnswerBank question is a perfect example of "giving a hostage to fortune"! There is no way of telling what varieties of stravaiging are likely to emerge.
Clearly, given that no one will have the right to deny Scotland independence if the Scots themselves vote in favour of it, then only the inhabitants of that country should have the right to decide. On that basis, I would say that anyone on the electoral rolls there - whether he/she be Scots, English, Serbo-Croat or whatever - deserves a vote.

[McMouse]

Voters on electoral rolls in Scotland should determine independence or not. This will not include either my wife or mother-in-law, both born and bred in Glasgow but now living in England, but will include my English born and bred cousin who lives in Aberdeen.

[emmie]

Its a shame the country is in such a mess then, if you think Brown is such a star why don't you appointment him as first Prime Minister of Scotland when the time comes. Then we won't have to hear how great a guy he was, as to hatchet jobs, that's left to the likes of Ed Balls, even though Browns man, Milliband, and the slimy Peter Mandelsohn, who stuck the knife in when ever they got the chance, sorry, Blair, Brown worse thing that ever happened to Britain.

Rich47 sincerely hope you get your wish, Scottish votes only, no interference from England.

[rich47]

thanks em ... you usually make good sense

[emmie]

Brown’s £2 billion blunder in the bullion market
Chancellor ignored advice on sell-off, Times headline. Not a small amount by any stretch of the imagination.

[emmie]

Rich47 as said before i have always liked Scotland, and most of the Scots i have met, but seriously this is a situation that is going to rumble on and on, whilst watching a news report a while back, people being interviewed in various Scottish towns, really didn't seem to know the extent, or indeed the implications of devolution.
I wish you well in your endeavour.

[Quizmonster]

So, Em, do you put yourself on a par as regards knowledge of economics with the two experts I quoted or are you just one of the misled?
We KNOW why the country is "in such a mess", as explained by Jake and by me earlier. To give just one example, Brown did not advise Northern Rock to buy sub-prime mortgage debt from American banks, did he? No, he didn't, banking "experts" did. On the other hand, he DID save it from going to the wall with all that would have meant for human misery here.
And two billion!? For crying out loud, the MOD lost track of three times that only the other day!

McMouse, I'm glad to see we are agreed on the actual answer to the present question.

[rich47]

I am glad that a consensus is emerging that it is for the people of Scotland, ie domiciled in Scotland,to make the determination on its future status.
The interference of outside agencies, including the nonsense that is the supreme court, only provides unwelcome distraction.

[emmie]

Quizmonster, its the hectoring tones that i dislike, i was under the impression that its a matter of debate, not who shouts the loudest, and what makes you think that i don't know about these things. And i had stated already that its a matter for the Scottish people to decide, i hope they do it quickly.

[THECORBYLOON]

Not that is any concern of any other country but why did the pollsters not ask Ulster and Welsh folk too? If there were a referendum on the UK leaving the EU, would the English be happy for the rest of Europe to have a say?

[emmie]

I thought this was simply about Scottish Independence.

[THECORBYLOON]

The poll was about ENGLISH folk being asked about SCOTS wanting independence.

[emmie]

indeed and said endless times that its nothing to do with us.

[rich47]

Good for you em you tell them; I see you were up at the crack of dawn again.
You might be interested to know that the Scottish Open Golf Championship is being held this week in the highlands (Inverness) for the first time.
Many of the world's finest golfers are there and it makes glorious television.
It is on Sky Sports on Thursday & Friday and on BBC 2 on Saturday & Sunday.

[Colmc54]

Could the SNP and the media please stop using the term 'The Scottish People'. The referendum is nothing to do with them but only the small percentage of the millions of the Scottish people around the world who are resident in Scotland and registered to vote later this year.

As a member of the 'Scottish people' living in England I and millions like me around the world will have no right to vote over the future of our homeland.

I repeat- this ill-timed (when we are trying to recover from an economic crisis) and ill-conceived referendum is nothing to do with any accurate description of the 'Scottish people'.