The Political Thread

[Dandontdare]

I can understand (and support) the emotional appeal of independence from London, but I really hope (and fully expect) the vote to be a NO - if Scotland did leave, they would condemn the rest of England to permanent Tory majority *shudder*

As one comment on the BBC website put it:
Dear Scotland
If you leave, can you take us with you?
Love, The North.

It seems Wee Eck is making loads of promises that are not in his power to deliver - Nato, the EU, the pound - he may be able to make a good case why it'd be in everyone's interest, but doesn't mean he can make everyone else agree - particularly the Spanish

[Frank]

@Scotland: This is your Big Chance to free yourselves from the bankers

Our First Minister is a former employee of The Royal Bank Of Scotland.

[The Legendary Shark]

Sack him NOW.

[Jim_Campbell]

It seems Wee Eck is making loads of promises that are not in his power to deliver - Nato, the EU, the pound

I'll confess that I've tried to steer clear of the independence debate, given that I'm not Scots and my leaning towards preserving the Union is largely a result of not wanting to see the Tories with a majority in Westminster for at least a generation, but...

I'm surprised Salmond hasn't promised everyone a pony if Scotland gets independence, such have been his claims of late. Keep the pound and have an independent monetary policy? I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that. Automatically enter the EU as an independent nation? There are more countries than just Spain that want to keep uppity separatist regions in line. And the latest? That they'll enter the EU with the same rebates, exceptions and opt-outs that the UK negotiated? Really?

I'm a touch sceptical.

Cheers

Jim

[Frank]

Dear Scotland
If you leave, can you take us with you?
Love, The North.

Aye - the central belt of Scotland, where the vast majority of Scotland's 5.3 million population live, probably enjoys greater common economic interest with everything North of Birmingham than it does with the oil rich independent fiefdom of Aberdeen or the rural poor residents of the Northern Isles.

Using an arbitrary line determined centuries ago by warring gangs of sheep rustlers as the point where we're a' Jock Tamson's bairns and a' them other yins can go fuck themsels doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

If schemie neds in Govan and former civil servants who've retired to a bungalow in Inverness can put aside their differing priorities and work towards what they can agree is in their mutual interest, I don't see why they can't do the same with folk in Richmond upon Thames and Bradford.

[Frank]

Our First Minister is a former employee of The Royal Bank Of Scotland.

Sack him NOW.

Our previous First Minister was my maths teacher. Scotland feels a lot like Craggy Island.

[The Legendary Shark]

Heh, down with this sort of thing! (Careful now...)

[8-Ball]

Since the independence referendum has been brought up can we all agree that this board should be a "handshakes across the barricades" kind of place? We can be Scottish, English, Welsh, Irish, British or anything else and we don't have to defend our nationalities here.

[The Legendary Shark]

We're all Earthlets, aren't we?

[ZenArcade]

Hear, hear guys we're all on the site out of abiding common love of a comic which had contributers from all parts of the UK, The Republic and indeed further afield.
My views on this are  strong but not ever to the extent of insulting or offending the views of parties who will for good or ill be directly participating in, and affected by the vote.

[Colin MacNeil]

Here's a couple of places for information for those who care.

http://www.newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-opinion/4341-a-unionist-lexicon-an-a-z-of-unionist-scare-stories-myths-and-misinformation#eu

http://wingsoverscotland.com/reference/

Those unfamiliar with Scottish history should probably start with 'The Claim of Scotland' by H J Paton which can be found in the Repository section in the Wings Over Scotland link. It'll give you a good background to the 'debate'.


For those who don't know, I'll be voting YES.


Cheers

Colin

[The Legendary Shark]

Colin for King! He could certainly draw everyone together.


I'll get me kilt...

[Mikey]

Since the independence referendum has been brought up can we all agree that this board should be a "handshakes across the barricades" kind of place? We can be Scottish, English, Welsh, Irish, British or anything else and we don't have to defend our nationalities here.

No. This is the fuckin internet, right? There must be a flag around here somewhere...

M.

[8-Ball]

Hear, hear guys we're all on the site out of abiding common love of a comic which had contributers from all parts of the UK, The Republic and indeed further afield.
My views on this are  strong but not ever to the extent of insulting or offending the views of parties who will for good or ill be directly participating in, and affected by the vote.

Zen you are a gentleman and a scholar. I couldn't have said it better myself. I'm new here and therefore I am in no position to dictate to anyone how to behave towards each other. But at the same time we are all going to have different views (Colin MacNeil has expressed his and I respect him for it) and I would hate for people to fall out if the debate gets too "heated." Ta for your time.

[ZenArcade]

Mickey does the internet have it's own flag?  The way things are going it'll be a $ sign emblazoned on a field of gold bordered with all hearing ears and all seeing eyes! Z