Scottish Independence.

[Rocky Road]

Hi there,

I recently attended a conference on health in the usa where I met some fellow colleagues from Scotland, Edinburgh. I was aghast at how political the one of them was. He was very prejudice against the English, even bragged about one his fellow countrymen killing an Englishman and skinning his back and using it as a sheath for his sword (ages ago likely).

What are your thoughts of Scotland seperating from Great Britain and becoming its own country?

[Moonlight Graham]

If I were Scottish I might want independence, but then again it would cost them a lot of money to do so and maintain it. In the end it's up to them and wouldn't change the world very much.

Edited July 13, 2013 by Moonlight Graham

[-TSS-]

I'm all for it but at the same time it should be noted that it is extremely unlikely to happen.

Such a shame. If there is an independent Ireland there is no reason why there shouldn't be an independent Scotland.

[Rocky Road]

Of course, the rich deposits of oil in the North Sea are in dispute if Scotland becomes a country.

I made the comparison to Quebec, but of course, Scotland uses English, except for the odd Bonny or Dri.

[Guest Derek L]

My father is an extremely proud Scotsman and my mother is of Scottish and Welsh decent and I have family living in the British Isles………..We are all of the opinion that an independent Scotland, like an independent Quebec, would both struggle to maintain their current lifestyles…….Probably more so Scotland than Quebec, and that both their parent countries (Canada & the United Kingdom) in the long term would be better off financially………

Funny enough, one of the Scottish National Parties major planks is that they would create a Scottish Military made up of Scots serving in the British forces….a recent poll was taken amongst serving Scots and near 90% stated that they would stay within the British armed forces………..

Scots that long for the days of an independent Scotland should be careful what they wish for……If they get it, they very well could be living in sod houses and getting f**ked by the English again……

[dre]

Yeah... because an independant Scottland will forget how to.... make cement.

[Guest Derek L]

Yeah... because an independant Scottland will forget how to.... make cement.

Perhaps, but cement requires a financial investment.............And the poor old Scots have another thing coming if they think they’ll get the (British) Lion’s share of the North Sea oil and have a willing market to the South for proposed Scottish Green Energy. Also, the revenue they would receive from North Sea Oil, would be cancelled out by the loss of subsides they receive from Westminster, in a fashion like our equalization payments……

And funny enough, the Scots seem to think they can keep the Pound Sterling, well failing to understand that if they wish to remain in the EU (and they do), that they would have to apply as a new State, and with that, adopt the Euro as a prior condition………

The SNP’s entire proposal is like having a 17 year old without any means threaten to leave home……Frankly, the rest of the country, unlike Canada in the 90s with Quebec, is laughing at them.

Hence, no money for cement coupled with scare timber, but an abundance of grass and dirt

Enjoy Alba.........

[margrace]

Too many Scots still live in the clan mentality. My people, low land scots were very good at going with the winning side,

[-TSS-]

If Scotland became independent it would create a lot of confusion as to who would be citizens of Scotland. A lot of English- and Welsh-born people living in Scotland would all of a sudden become foreigners even though they never thought of themselves as such.

[Wilber]

Although the Scots and English have a very violent history. Wars of Independence, Jacobite rebellions etc, the crowns were united peacefully under James the First who was a Scot. While I can understand a certain amount of Scottish nationalism, I wonder what they hope to achieve in a practical sense. They already have their own parliament and virtual home rule. Would they dig up a Stewart from somewhere to be a monarch? Would they resurrect the auld alliance with France?

Edited July 14, 2013 by Wilber

[-TSS-]

By that same logic you could have told the Irish 100 years ago that they really don't need a country of their own as they have sufficient home-rule.

[Wilber]

I'm just wondering what there would be to gain by it other than nationalist pride which Scots have never lacked anyway.

[Guest Derek L]

Too many Scots still live in the clan mentality. My people, low land scots were very good at going with the winning side,

Indeed, my 82 year old father refuses to eat Campbell's soup.....

[Guest Derek L]

Although the Scots and English have a very violent history. Wars of Independence, Jacobite rebellions etc, the crowns were united peacefully under James the First who was a Scot. While I can understand a certain amount of Scottish nationalism, I wonder what they hope to achieve in a practical sense. They already have their own parliament and virtual home rule. Would they dig up a Stewart from somewhere to be a monarch? Would they resurrect the auld alliance with France?

I doubt it, the breakdown within the SNP would see a slight majority wishing to stay within the Commonwealth and keep the Queen as their Head of State.........

[Guest Derek L]

By that same logic you could have told the Irish 100 years ago that they really don't need a country of their own as they have sufficient home-rule.

That's a different kettle of fish entirely..........this isn't a struggle between Catholics and Protestants.

[DogOnPorch]

Scotland longs for the days of Robert of Bruce...but longing is about all they'll do. I recall when they started printing their 'good in Scotland' currency in 1971 or so. I still have one of the original pound notes hidden away somewhere. Still...in 1971...there were more flush toilets in hotels in Scotland (thanks oil workers) than in England or Wales. The things you notice as a kid...

Edited July 14, 2013 by DogOnPorch

[Topaz]

Scotland does have the support of actor Sean Connery and thinks Scotland will have its independence in his life time, but they better hurry Connery is 77. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1579664/Sean-Connery-Scottish-independence-is-close.html

Edited July 14, 2013 by Topaz

[Guest Derek L]

Scotland does have the support of actor Sean Connery and thinks Scotland will have its independence in his life time, but they better hurry Connery is 77. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1579664/Sean-Connery-Scottish-independence-is-close.html

Connery is actually a year older then my father (So going on 83)……none the less, Scottish independence polls around 25-30% in favour…..Frankly most Scots understand that an independent Scotland will not create a “workers paradise”, but a “unemployed paradise” ……Ex-Pats like Connery, from one of his villas in the Mediterranean, can afford to dream.

[Signals.Cpl]

If I'm not mistaking they were hoping to allow people as young as 16 years old to vote when the time comes because apparently they were believed to be more interested in Independence.

[Guest Derek L]

If I'm not mistaking they were hoping to allow people as young as 16 years old to vote when the time comes because apparently they were believed to be more interested in Independence.

Yup.....supported by the political left and the unions......They even tried to allow the population of Her Majesty's Prison Service a crack, but that Bill failed.....And of course, citizens from the EU or Commonwealth living in Scotland can try their luck..........Nothing says a return to Bruce's Scotland like migrant Poles and Pakistanis having a say

[Signals.Cpl]

Yup.....supported by the political left and the unions......They even tried to allow the population of Her Majesty's Prison Service a crack, but that Bill failed.....And of course, citizens from the EU or Commonwealth living in Scotland can try their luck..........Nothing says a return to Bruce's Scotland like migrant Poles and Pakistanis having a say

To a degree, if they have a stake in the end result they should get a say be, but lowering the voting age to get the votes makes little sense.

[Guest Derek L]

To a degree, if they have a stake in the end result they should get a say be, but lowering the voting age to get the votes makes little sense.

Non citizens should get the vote?

[Signals.Cpl]

Non citizens should get the vote?

If they have made their life there then they should have a say on such major decisions. People who have set roots in the area and who have much to lose should have a say, somewhat like what the Federal Government did in 1995 where they increased efforts to get landed immigrants their citizenship before the referendum. Imagine all the effort one goes through to make it to Canada only to settle down in Montreal and the end up in the country next to Canada... same goes for Scotland, I know its a fad of the moment to throw a joke or two at the immigrants as if they are less than human but at the end of the day they are being affected just as much if not more, if Scotland does gain independence and their economy takes a turn for the worst who do you think will be blamed? It would be the immigrants for stealing jobs from the Scots, or "ruining" the country etc...so essentially the people who made the choice will blame the result on those who had no choice in the matter.

[Guest Derek L]

If they have made their life there then they should have a say on such major decisions. People who have set roots in the area and who have much to lose should have a say, somewhat like what the Federal Government did in 1995 where they increased efforts to get landed immigrants their citizenship before the referendum. Imagine all the effort one goes through to make it to Canada only to settle down in Montreal and the end up in the country next to Canada... same goes for Scotland, I know its a fad of the moment to throw a joke or two at the immigrants as if they are less than human but at the end of the day they are being affected just as much if not more, if Scotland does gain independence and their economy takes a turn for the worst who do you think will be blamed? It would be the immigrants for stealing jobs from the Scots, or "ruining" the country etc...so essentially the people who made the choice will blame the result on those who had no choice in the matter.

I don't take it as a joke........As a member of the EU, the (still) United Kingdom, including Scotland, are full of migrant workers from Eastern Europe that dominate namely the construction and service industry. They live like paupers and send a large percent of their income back home.......They should have zero say on the fate of Scotland, be they fore or against Nationhood.......Just as migrant workers in Canada shouldn't have a political say until they have obtained citizenship.

[Signals.Cpl]

I don't take it as a joke........As a member of the EU, the (still) United Kingdom, including Scotland, are full of migrant workers from Eastern Europe that dominate namely the construction and service industry. They live like paupers and send a large percent of their income back home.......They should have zero say on the fate of Scotland, be they fore or against Nationhood.......Just as migrant workers in Canada shouldn't have a political say until they have obtained citizenship.

Difference between a landed immigrant and a migrant worker. My point is that those who are going to be affected but also have a stake in the results because they have roots in the community should have a say, I don't know about the UK but if their requirements as to length of time are similar to the US then you could have people who have homes and businesses and lives built in the region and thus should have a say. I'll repeat this just to be clear, there is a difference between the migrant worker who lives in Scotland and sends his money home and thus has no ties to the community and would move on to greener pastures if the referendum leads to negative change, I'm talking about those who are essentially stuck one way or another. Giving someone a vote when they have no stake in the outcome one way or the other is a bad idea, giving a vote to those who are directly affected and are working on becoming citizens is a whole other issue. Once again, the federal government sped up the citizenship process in order to allow immigrants who would be affected from a yes vote the chance to vote because risking everything to once again just end up in the country next to Canada leaves alot of people hanging who have a stake in the situation...