Trouble is we are an Island.
Remember the French blockades of the ports the burning of the beef.
we would never get off this island.
we need mainland europe more than they need us.
ND888 BIGJ:
GasGas:
There would have to be a full-on land border between England and Scotland with customs, TIR the lot.Scots living in England and English living in Scotland would have to decide which passport they wanted.
Scotland would have to have its own currency, and take responsibility for its defence or join NATO…if NATO will have them.
I don’t think they’ve thought it through…
good points gas but i was more interested how it would effect the transport industry would we ditch our digi cards abandon periodic training ? it all has its pros and cons maybe we could have our own rules and regs to suit our industry but would we have to abide by englands rules once we cross the border ?
Over to you Mr salmond
I very much doubt it, because non EU European countries still use tachos and even the Russians are introducing the Driver CPC. And the EU rules would still apply once you crossed the border. You’d probably just end up with the worst of all worlds…all the bad things about the EU, but none of the good (freedom to cross borders etc).
If the Scots did vote for independence, I suspect that the actual separation would have to take place in about 10 years…Scotland would have to apply for acceptance into the EU, work out a way through the currency question (stay with the £, join the Euro, or relaunch the Groat as a convertible currency), set up some kind of cross-border arrangement with England/Wales and Northern Ireland and establish rules of citizenship, dual nationality, passports etc.Only when all that was sorted out could it become an independent country.The cost of it all would by then have put most people off (50 % base rate tax?)
The best recent example I can think of is Czechoslovakia: and when that spit into the Czech Republic and Slovakia the situation was less complicated as both were trying to get into the EU and Czechoslovakia had until quite recently been effectively little more than a colony of Soviet Union with a puppet Government following Moscow’s direction on all major policy questions. So they were effectively starting with a clean sheet.
Mike-C:
ND888 BIGJ:
I think mr salmond will have to live in exile somewhereIf Mr. Salmond can get England kicked out the EU he’s welcome to exile at my house
You aren’t a million miles away Mike. The interesting thing is that if Scotland are made to leave the EU then by virtue of the fact that we are no longer The UK then England, Wales & NI must also leave or reapply. Maybe, just maybe this is the logic behind allowing the Scots the Independance vote?
Freedom from Brussels through the back door? Don’t really care where it comes from this freedom as long as we throw off the shackles.
The Flemish In Belgium have been discussing this for year’s…
What would happen If the Flemish broke away from (what would be left of) Belgium ■■
Would the Flemish still be classed as being In Europe ■■ Still be able to use the Euro ■■
Will It ever happen ■■ Who know’s…
The problem Is that some people let their Heart rule their Head…
As a scot living in England I’d happily vote for independence and move back north of the border.
We would all be better off out of the EU. How many economy’s have gone belly up since the euro? How much more paperwork and red tape has been introduced, this island used to run the world, we can surely manage ourselves without the EU.
RIch countries need expensive currency, and poorer countries need cheap currency.
The Euro turns all that on it’s head so the Germans feel like they’re subsidising Greece (which they are) and the med countries feel like they can’t devalue their way out of debt & unemployment (which they can’t whilst still in the Euro)
And the UK?
We seem to get the worst of both worlds. We’re importing lower wages, more unemployment, higher rents, more defecit from housing benefits, and exporting what exactly? Financial services which is essentially money for old rope - a dying industry in the post-crash global big picture, and something that the general public doesn’t see any benefit from, even profits on our own invested monies in the sector! 
The pound is too high for the debt we already have. Either cut the debt, or devalue the currency. Rising unemployment means cutting the debt can’t and won’t work. Devaluing the currency on the other hand, should have the same effect as it did in 1992… Kick-start the economy out of recession overnight! 
The Duke of Edinburgh isn’t going to give his dual nationality up so easily, neither is Mrs Edinburgh, especially if it means giving her castles back.
Hadrian can rebuild his wall, but only if they remove every Scottish MP from our cabinet and back benches, remove all the union leaders and Alistair Nairn
There will be queues at Gretna like there are in Basle and the fish will be rotten by the time it gets to France 
The Scots have kept their transport in house for years, now it is our turn, you will see laybys full of Scottish lorries because they cannot afford our road tolls and to run back empty.
And it will be the end for Susan Boil 
I really wish Scotland as we would be a lot better off with England tax rates going down. Mind you we would have to set-up refugee camps south of the border as there would be no employment in Scotland other than the distilleries and the Scottish climate is not very good for growing food crops except for oats.
If anyone has been listening to Salmon speak over the last year or two they would realise there would be no independance as he is an avid Euro fanatic who wants Scotland to be at the top of Europe. He has made it clear that if we get independance then he will apply to join the EU which in turn means the end of his lies about keeping the pound as we will be forced to join the euro whether we like it or not as that is the rules of joining. So with that in mind what would be the point of seperating the Uk? I wish Scottish people would open their eyes and see the jumped up little control freak for what he is and not vote because they seen braveheart 24 hours before the vote. Scotland might be part of the UK but it is a country already in its own right in many ways but if the people vote for independance then i hope they ensure they find out first about his plan to join the EU. 
I’ve voted Tory all my life (I know,boo hiss,and all that bollox !!) But this 'ere ■■■■■■■ Cameron is just another Blair (another ■■■■■■■■) in Tory clothes,I’m never going to vote Tory again,unless maybe if Boris takes over,it’s UKIP for me next time if that ■■■■■■ Cameron is still I.C. Now Alex Salmond IMO is just an opertunistic ■■■■ and what he thought was he could pick all nice bits of “Independence” and ignore the ■■■■■■ bits !! well it all seems to be unravelling for the smug ■■■■ ! One thing I do not like,and never have since Scotland got semi-independence is why are Scots MP’s allowed a vote in the UK parliment on matters not connected with Scotland but the UK MP’s can’t vote on matters concerning Scotland.One thing is certain though,if all the Scots MP’s were kicked out of the UK parliment that would be the Labour Party finished in England ! Why can’t we have a joint Referendum for the whole UK Populaion on the same day,straight simple questions no ■■■■■■■ about! 1) In or out of the EU. 2)Independence for Scotland Yes or No.Then banish that ■■■■ Salmond to a “Tiger economy country” of his choice, Iceland or Ireland !! Cheers Bewick.
Winseer:
Someone tell me WTF Scots actually think of all this, rather than some monied TV git…
As usual when this subject comes up much bollox is spoken. The answer to your question Winseer is simple. Like any other subject whether that’ s DCPC or anything else, opinions on independence are varied. If the opinion polls are to be believed, then currently, if the vote was held tomorrow, those who wish to see Scotland remain part of the UK would have their way. Any half wit who can read really should know this by now but if people don’t read anything but Trucknet (and I suspect that’s the case with many on here yourself excluded!) it’s no great surprise to me when they come on here talking cobblers about this, that and everything.
Personally, I am in favour of independence for the same reason I am in favour of leaving the EU. I’m anti bureaucracy and strongly believe in bringing real power much closer to local people. Here’s an ironic twist for you. Alex Salmond wants independence from Westminster but wants to keep us in the hands of the Eurocrats? No ta Eck! Now if we can only persuade the doubters North of the border I might see my wish to get out of the EU without the help of UKIP!
BTW, If I had the choice of independence for Scotland or GB out of the EU I’d choose the latter any day!
ND888 BIGJ:
Was listening to Jeremy vine today .
That’s never a good idea. That programme has been destroyed since JY departed. It’s the radio equivalent of the sun now.
Bewick:
I’ve voted Tory all my life (I know,boo hiss,and all that bollox !!) But this 'ere [zb] Cameron is just another Blair (another [zb]) in Tory clothes,I’m never going to vote Tory again,unless maybe if Boris takes over,it’s UKIP for me next time if that [zb] Cameron is still I.C. Now Alex Salmond IMO is just an opertunistic [zb] and what he thought was he could pick all nice bits of “Independence” and ignore the [zb] bits !! well it all seems to be unravelling for the smug [zb] ! One thing I do not like,and never have since Scotland got semi-independence is why are Scots MP’s allowed a vote in the UK parliment on matters not connected with Scotland but the UK MP’s can’t vote on matters concerning Scotland.One thing is certain though,if all the Scots MP’s were kicked out of the UK parliment that would be the Labour Party finished in England ! Why can’t we have a joint Referendum for the whole UK Populaion on the same day,straight simple questions no [zb] about! 1) In or out of the EU. 2)Independence for Scotland Yes or No.Then banish that [zb] Salmond to a “Tiger economy country” of his choice, Iceland or Ireland !! Cheers Bewick.
I could have written that myself, I agree with every word!
DrivingMissDaisy you hit it right on when you say no ta to independance on salmons terms. I would also vote for independance if we were truly going to make our own decisions and not hand power to europe. If we join the eu after independance then the french and spanish fishing boats can just enjoy stealing fish from uk waters as they have for years. I would love the uk to pull out of europe but sadly i dont think we will have that choice as the people in the uk do not take to the streets like in other countries.
Alex Salmond / SNP: happy to be ruled by Europe just not by England…
Scotland!! Look at Ireland and see the future of independence! HTH
How much trade does Ireland do with the EU? How much trade does Ireland do with the UK?
Worryingly (pre 2008 at least) the tiny Republic of Ireland was the UK’s largest export market.
The destination for more British product than the USA, France, Germany, India, Japan or China.
No wonder things feel a little subdued here.
a referendum is only advisory, parliament can choose to ignore it, its not set up like when you vote for your mp
most high paying job in scotland are for the government, most would go overnight, benefits would also be stopped. and which bank/ market is going to give a loan to a government with no credit rating?
GasGas:
Worryingly (pre 2008 at least) the tiny Republic of Ireland was the UK’s largest export market.The destination for more British product than the USA, France, Germany, India, Japan or China.
No wonder things feel a little subdued here.
That shows how little we actually export anyway not how big the Irish market is.It doesn’t take a genius to realise that we’ve never been a major exporter to America or Europe because we’ve never produced anything much which they can’t produce for themselves.
The same applies in regard to Japan,China and India but vice versa.None of those countries have anything which we need and which wouldn’t mean exporting goods of a higher value than anything which they can produce that we need from them in return.
The connection between the Irish and British economies is more a reflection of the fact that Britain is now like Ireland has always been in being a country with insufficient industry to maintain it’s economy and currency.The fact is if Britain had stayed out of the EU and kept all of it’s industries working within a protected market place we’d have been a lot better off.
As it stands the British (and Scottish) economy is now just a reflection of the idea of the global free market economy which is all about a few short term profits for a few bankers etc at the expense of the national interest.I think the (present) Scottish idea is just more of the same idea of giving oil and fish stocks away to Europe in return for German manufactured goods with the bankers getting a few crumbs off the table by way of a kickback from their investments in German industry. 
An independent Scotland ( and England) out of the EU in which coal not just oil is again made king and with a protected manufacturing base would be a different matter.
ajt:
Alex Salmond / SNP: happy to be ruled by Europe just not by England…
You’re just showing your ignorance laddie, like many others.