Scottish Independence

Not entirely sure what that means, but we're more a more favoured investment option for foreign companies than the rest of the UK.

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)

To be honest, this is a semi-self-fulfilling prophecy. Scotland is the third-best performing region of the UK (after Gtr London and SE). Not to mention the fact that the three northern regions (NE, NW, Yorks & Humbs) have suffered (surprise surprise) under the Tories' weird decentralisation-centralisation.

Just a thought about signs: what of Scots? It's not English. Would it make them happier if it went back to Anglo-Saxon or Northumbrian runes and/or the older alphabet?

edited 18th Nov '12 11:39:26 AM by Euodiachloris

The Right to a free education and a home could be constitutionally guaranteed in an independent Scotland.

I say throw in the Right to adequate healthcare regardless of wealth while we're at it.

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)

So how likely it is that Scotland becomes indepent?

Difficult to say. If the referendum was tomorrow, highly unlikely. Who knows what the situation will be like in 2014, after the Commonwealth Games and the idiotic Bannockburn anniversary.

Schild und Schwert der Partei

It depends who you ask. Most polling suggests that its pretty much neck-and-neck. I believe in 2014 it would merely be which side excites their core support better.

If it does come down to that, I know which horse I'd back. I highly doubt that a grand coalition headed by Alistair Darling could so much as rally mice against mousetraps.

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)

The main problem as I see it for the "Better Together" campaign is that they're seeming awfully blase about the whole thing. That and they're focusing mainly on the negative points of independence (which need to be made known, yes, but we also need to learn about the positive points of the Union).

Then again, it seems like the SNP's line is "Everything will become a golden utopia once we get out of that blasted union -grumbling under breath-"*

with little to no substance. They're good at rhetoric, yes, but they haven't actually said anything with real meat behind it IMO.

Locking you up on radar since '09

Alex Salmond has unveiled his plans for the transition to independence.

Quite a quick transition, given our Independence Day would be in March 2016.

My name is Addy. Please call me that instead of my username.

They also got called out for trying to use a pretty open-ended / ambiguous question for the Referendum.

To wit, they wanted it to be "Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?", which could be answered yes with an implied "but not as things stand right now."

"Yup. That tasted purple."

Scottish independence seems unlikely due to strong Unionism in Scotland.

Polls:

• For Independence 30-39%
• Against Independence 50-58%
• Undecided 10-12%

Blue-and-Orange Morality! It's my new favorite trope! Also, it's my signature trope! It's also going to be my Catchphrase!

That may be true right now, but there's a whole year for things to change.

"Yup. That tasted purple."

@D22:Yes, but unionism is growing from January to October of 2012. You could have said the same thing a year ago.

Blue-and-Orange Morality! It's my new favorite trope! Also, it's my signature trope! It's also going to be my Catchphrase!

The SNP's problem, as I've probably stated several times in this thread, is that many of their voters aren't necessarily pro-independence. By all rights they should be a Single-Issue Wonk party but have proven remarkably effective at actually running the country.

Still, I've yet to hear anyone speak positively about the pro-Union campaign, even among those who will vote that way, so we could see Cameron and the like handing victory on a silver platter to Salmond that way.

My name is Addy. Please call me that instead of my username.

My reaction is: aren't they [the SNP] getting a bit ahead of themselves?

Keep Rolling On

Twats in Holyrood vs Twats in Westminster: plus ca fucking change.

Schild und Schwert der Partei

"Twats in X vs. Twats in Y" is a good way to sum up national and international politics, full stop. Not just this particular arena.

"Yup. That tasted purple."

Not really. They do need to have a timetable in place for what would happen if they win, so this doesn't strike me as unreasonable.

My name is Addy. Please call me that instead of my username.

By telling us what we're voting for? I'd call that "competence". It'd be nice if the Tories, or one of their new bestest pals from Labour or the Lib Dems, would tell us what they plan for us in the event of a "No" vote. Absolutely no one here wants the status quo to remain, but no one is telling us what a "No" vote actually means in the long-term.

It's not unrelated to the fact that the long-awaited "positive case for the Union" continues to be just a series of personal attacks on Alex Salmond.

Despite the insistence of the Electoral Commission, the Tory side is still trying to keep us in the dark about what it is they want to do. You only have to look at the joke that is their proposed EU referendum to see what kind of operation they're running down there.

edited 5th Feb '13 9:15:30 AM by TheBatPencil

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)

That the pro-Union campaign really isn't one, instead being a bunch of cunts like Alistair Campbell hurling insults at Salmond, is really pissing people off up here.

Hope it backfires on them, badly.

My name is Addy. Please call me that instead of my username.

Captain Darling has in fact insisted that it's not the job of the "No" campaign to define what a "No" vote actually means! The No Campaign - No Promises, No Policies!

Then again, it's probably not expedient for an ex-Labour minister to tell us that "No" means more cuts by Tories were didn't vote for, expensive WM Ds on the Clyde and no say in our own future in Europe.

No thanks.

edited 6th Feb '13 4:40:48 PM by TheBatPencil

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)

You know, reading some of the recent posts, it occurs to me, Scotland is sort of like reverse-Texas (nega-Texas?, bizarro-Texas?, anti-Texas?). Same basic sentiment except on the left; I'm almost positive I saw the same 'no (spending/spending cuts) by (ruling party) we didn't vote for' slogan in a Texan context.

Responding to the derail in the Thatcher thread...

But you're still a second or third-rate power, right? Don't you at least want to hang on to that?

Except for 4/1/2011. That day lingers in my memory like...metaphor here...I should go.

My attitude to the matter of Scottish Independence is friendly neutrality. Surely, it won't affect my life much whether you secede or not, but if that's your will nobody should stop you.

My President is Funny Valentine.