I’m not bothered which way they vote tbh, I cannot see much, if any, change happening either way. I would say though that if they vote yes then that’s final, no coming back when it hits the fan. I do find it odd that all people living in Scotland can vote, including English people whereas scots living in say, Carlisle cannot. The Tories aren’t doing too much to keep them in the union as they have no MPs there, why would you?
BillyHunt:
I’m not bothered which way they vote tbh, I cannot see much, if any, change happening either way. I would say though that if they vote yes then that’s final, no coming back when it hits the fan. I do find it odd that all people living in Scotland can vote, including English people whereas scots living in say, Carlisle cannot. The Tories aren’t doing too much to keep them in the union as they have no MPs there, why would you?
Labour must be ■■■■■■■■ themselves 
waynedl:
I’ve got a road trip (motorbikes) to Embo near Dornoch the day after the referendum… This could be an interesting weekend
Then call in at Grannies Heilan Hame and enjoy the celebrations, and it’s a YES from me 100%, Westminster are getting the jitters because they are starting to offer more concessions as they can see a great loss in revenue from oil and the rest of the assets there are …
A business-to-business publication that I sometimes work for has done some verifiable research into devolution and the Scottish economy.
The economic case for devolution is essentially that Scottish oil revenue will pay for everything that is promised on the day and can also be invested to ensure Scotland’s ongoing prosperity.
Leaving aside for a moment the question of how you can spend and save the same money at the same time: let’s look at the actual figures.
Under the SNP, Scotland will go independent in 2017. The SNP says Scotland’s oil revenue for that year will be £7.3 bn. The actual figure according to the independent UK Office for Budgetary Responsibility, will be approximately £3.6 bn and shrinking. The Scottish Govt will also have to set aside half the estimated £40 bn cost of dismantling the oil infrastructure, which it will be obliged to contribute when the oil runs out.
Edinburgh’s ‘financial sector’ is often advanced as another source of revenue for Scotland. But the Scottish banks (RBS etc) are all underwritten by the Bank of England, and will move south on independence to retain this protection or fail.
Scotland currently runs a public sector budget deficit of £1.4 bn, currently made up from London. In terms of a percentage of GNP, this is worse than Greece, Spain and Ireland. An independent SNP Government could not sustain even current levels of public spending without a huge increase in taxation…but tax what…the population of only 5.3 million people…or Scottish businesses, which will consequently relocate to England to avoid paying.
An independent Scotland won’t be allowed monetary union with England (the BoE and all major UK political parties say so), or to join the EU (Spain says so).
When the Canadian province of Quebec had its own independence votes, many large companies simply moved their headquarters to other parts of Canada.
And Professor Brad MacKay of Edinburgh University points out that research among 75 leading Scottish companies shows that the vast majority feel the risks of Scottish independence far outweigh the possibilities.
Naval shipbuilding will go, Trident will go, and many well-paid jobs will go with them.
Let’s see 5.3 million people try to live on earnings from Scotch whisky and Harris Tweed.
raymundo:
Westminster are getting the jitters because they are starting to offer more concessions…
From what I’ve seen of the way the British government has been conducting its campaign I can only assume they’ve been trying to encourage a Yes vote or they are totally incompetent.
FREEDOM ya bas
muckles:
raymundo:
Westminster are getting the jitters because they are starting to offer more concessions…From what I’ve seen of the way the British government has been conducting its campaign I can only assume they’ve been trying to encourage a Yes vote or they are totally incompetent.
If I was leader of the Tory party I’d do all I could to encourage a Yes vote: without Scottish MPs England & Wales would have a guaranteed Tory Gvt for ever!
GasGas:
muckles:
raymundo:
Westminster are getting the jitters because they are starting to offer more concessions…From what I’ve seen of the way the British government has been conducting its campaign I can only assume they’ve been trying to encourage a Yes vote or they are totally incompetent.
If I was leader of the Tory party I’d do all I could to encourage a Yes vote: without Scottish MPs England & Wales would have a guaranteed Tory Gvt for ever!
I was wondering that as well, but obviously for your Middle England voters you have to make sure it looks as if you’re trying to save the union.
Where will I get my Scotch Pies from, 
As far as I know Scotland has put more into the pot in the last 8 years than it has got out of it then before that it was still recovering from the years of thatcher rule when the Tories all but ended coal mining closed the biggest and most money making steel plant in Europe at the time not to mention the quality of steel it produced the Leland plant cat plant etc. And you wonder why our benefits went sky high.
Now we have a chance not to let that ever happen again. As for not having any money to pay anything at the moment we don’t have that as all the money goes to London and they give us our pocket money to buy our treats that we get taxed on again that then goes back to London again so why would we better staying
PPH:
Where will I get my Scotch Pies from,
Scotland. 
Coffeeholic:
PPH:
Where will I get my Scotch Pies from,Scotland.
Or greggs.
muckles:
raymundo:
Westminster are getting the jitters because they are starting to offer more concessions…From what I’ve seen of the way the British government has been conducting its campaign I can only assume they’ve been trying to encourage a Yes vote or they are totally incompetent.
Goodoh and Yes
I dread to think what will happen if N.Ireland start pushing for independence.
viking7000:
I dread to think what will happen if N.Ireland start pushing for independence.
Didn’t the IRA have a go at that ?
viking7000:
I dread to think what will happen if N.Ireland start pushing for independence.
would it not be doing England a favour if it did? assuming England loses oil revenue from Scotland,then im at a loss to know what England would lose if it binned northern Ireland.other than losing a financial headache then I cant think of anything that would entice them to keep it .if they find oil out at sea,then its going to belong to eire,so theres no point in waiting for that to happen.perhaps someone will enlighten us . im Scottish living in n.i so couldn’t really give a monkeys either way.just curious.
viking7000:
I dread to think what will happen if N.Ireland start pushing for independence.
They would be due it
bazza123:
I have no problems with the Scots as a whole, but I’f the yes vote does win through, those who voted yes will unfortunately have to have their cake and eat it…What currency will be used, it WONT be Sterling? With a fluctuating and vulnerable oil market (as we all know), is oil a good basis on which to base an emerging economy?
If Scotland joins the EU, they will have to take on the Euro, which if I’m right, Salmond has said he won’t do. The best thing that I can see Is for Scotland to NOT joint the EU, so it isn’t constrained by EU fishing rules and regs, and can fish where it likes, as I know it is a big part of the economy.
What about defence? Embassies and diplomatic facilities? Passports?
Once they leave the Union I don’t think they will be allowed back, let’s hope they make the right decision…
The only way that it would work for Scotland would be to dump Salmond as soon as they get independence then reverse just about every policy he intends to use.There’s no need for them to have any other currency than a Scottish pound not sterling or the Euro.They don’t need the EU and would be better off out of it.Turning oil into cash by exporting it would just stoke up inflation.Whereas keeping it for the domestic market sold at below market prices and free of EU imposed VAT would create more spending power in the economy and provide industry,especially the Scottish road transport,shipping and air transport industries,with an incentive to invest there.While cutting depletion rates thereby increasing the future of the reserves.Then re open the Scottish mining industry and re build its other manufacturing industries.As for the question of defence,embassies etc etc.There’s really no reason why Scotland can’t be run on similar lines to Norway in that regard ( non EU but still part of NATO ) with Swedish type levels of industry to pay for it.
As for Salmond’s idea of independence,based on keeping the English pound,membership of the EU,and turning what remains of the oil reserves into worthless cash in a futile attempt to support a continuing de industrialised economy,and compromising the nuclear deterrent ,that makes no sense.
It’s fair to say that despite any dislike of Salmond - There’s growing momentum in the campaign just to be shot of the Tories.
Labour stand to lose more though - they still have MPs left in Scotland right now… What do the Tories have to lose? - Their last seat of Dumfrieshire Tweeddale, & Clydesdale?
The danger of Scotland having too weak an economy (from their own currency) would be pressure from the EU to “come and join us”.
If the EU manage to effectively annex the current UK’s oil fields, then we can kiss goodbye to any kind of economic power in the British isles forever!
Having “Great Heritage” and “strong maritime traditions” didn’t save Greece from the EU - and I imagine it would be very similar in the way the EU deals with an independent Scotland.
An asset to be grabbed, the people no longer having any power to stop it.
At least within the Union - Any attempts to bolster stronger ties with Brussels will be met with damnation at the ballot box for the offending party.
The Tory support from “Law and Order” backers has all but been lost since 2010.
LibDem support going over to the SNP is also giving the “Yes” campaign a backdoor boost as well.
I reckon if we break up the UK - we’d need to leave NATO as well - lest we get sucked into foreign policy that we just cannot afford any more. 
No wonder the USA wants us all to stay together!
I’ve said it before - Only an Idiot like Cameron could allow such a referendum to go ahead whilst postponing the far more positive referendum of “getting us all out of Europe”.
Just as Hitler found himself waging the “wrong war” - Cameron, the Tories, and even disgruntled Labour are about to do more damage to the UK than the Nazis ever did.
We’ll be fit for the dustbin that is non-power membership of the EU (like Greece) if something drastic doesn’t change in the 11th hour we are fast approaching…
The last time London rebelled against the State - the former head of state lost his head! - No need for anything quite so dramatic now. Just a “Thatcher style” removal of Cameron in the next few days will do. 
I wonder if Boris is the man, acting still as Mayor of London - to wield the proverbial knife?
I reckon other leading Tories would get out of his way should he advance against Cameron & Osbourne. Not currently being an MP means he can actually survive the “assassinate the assassin” tradition in the aftermath as well. 
raymundo:
waynedl:
I’ve got a road trip (motorbikes) to Embo near Dornoch the day after the referendum… This could be an interesting weekendThen call in at Grannies Heilan Hame and enjoy the celebrations, and it’s a YES from me 100%, Westminster are getting the jitters because they are starting to offer more concessions as they can see a great loss in revenue from oil and the rest of the assets there are …
That’s where we’re staying mate 