How do you feel when...

[Ray]

As to English, I always remember the quote, variously attributed, that England and the United States are two great nations separated by a common language.

...except England isn't a nation. Britain is, not England

[Big and Bashful]

As to English, I always remember the quote, variously attributed, that England and the United States are two great nations separated by a common language.

...except England isn't a nation. Britain is, not England

I sincerely hope we are still a nation in 12 months time! I don't fancy being under the rule of a looney like Salmond! More so when he makes destroying my job a very high priority.

[Kirbstone]

I'd be very surprised if Sammond & his tribe will pull off a majority vote next September. Looking from here I'm not into the finer nuances of Scottish politics or policies, but it's always scary when one's livelihood is threatened or compromised by the State.....or anyone else, for that matter.

Not sure what puts bread on your table, B&B, but I remember being there in 1989 when German re-unification happened and the subsequent years became so difficult for us Health professionals working in the new enlarged Germany that all the English-speaking Dentists.Medics that I knew got burnt fingers and into negative equity.

For my sins in 1995 I had to sell our then house in order to extricate myself from the German banks as because of the imposed Health Budget & Reforms no-one was prepared then to actually pay money for a dental practice......negative equity induced entirely by major political change, so I'd be voting NO and on the look-out for what might happen.

T.

[skirtingtoday]

I too will be surprised if the vote is for Independence - though I will be on the YES side and have fingers crossed.

What I would like to see is some really constructive debate from both sides and a lot less of the, "you won't be able to do ..... whatever.... if you go independent" and circulating stories like, we would be out of Europe and Nato, we'd be coerced into accepting the Euro, would have higher taxes, we'd lose free bus passes for over 60's and so on.

The first few are quite ridiculous and as for higher taxes, I would be for that as I would know it would benefit Scotland and not adding funds to projects that no-one wants such as the HS2 (High speed train between London and Birmingham only - note for non-UK readers) that will only benefit London - which is overheating and continues to do so.

One thing I would like about independence is that the UK's nuclear arsenal would be moved to England and as far as I am aware, no-one in England wants them in their own back-yard - but it's seemingly OK for Scotland to be destroyed first!

[Big and Bashful]

I too will be surprised if the vote is for Independence - though I will be on the YES side and have fingers crossed.

What I would like to see is some really constructive debate from both sides and a lot less of the, "you won't be able to do ..... whatever.... if you go independent" and circulating stories like, we would be out of Europe and Nato, we'd be coerced into accepting the Euro, would have higher taxes, we'd lose free bus passes for over 60's and so on.

The first few are quite ridiculous and as for higher taxes, I would be for that as I would know it would benefit Scotland and not adding funds to projects that no-one wants such as the HS2 (High speed train between London and Birmingham only - note for non-UK readers) that will only benefit London - which is overheating and continues to do so.

One thing I would like about independence is that the UK's nuclear arsenal would be moved to England and as far as I am aware, no-one in England wants them in their own back-yard - but it's seemingly OK for Scotland to be destroyed first!

Oh you want me out of a job as well!

[skirtyscot]

I don't think the nuke subs etc would go away. There's nowhere else to put them. Building a new base would be hugely expensive and nobody would want them nearby. Scotland would rent them to England as a short-term measure which last forever. If the USA and Cuba can have a long term arrangement over Guantanamo, then Scotland and England can do the same over Faslane. Salmond is against it, but he won't be around for ever, and other politicians might take a more pragmatic view.

[Ray]

Hold on; it's not England that would deal with Scotland; it would be the reduced UK! England would still remain part of the UK, albeit a somewhat lessened UK.

Independence? I'm for it. However I am happy for Scotland to retain a nuclear deterrent presence as part of NATO. However as I now live in a different country (England) I don't have a vote. Quite right too. I do intend to return to Scotland in eight years or so. I will play my part in growing the Scottish economy.

[skirtyscot]

Hold on; it's not England that would deal with Scotland; it would be the reduced UK!

Yeah, I know, but I was too lazy to type it out in full.

Anyway, you will need a new name for when it is no longer united. The DK, perhaps?

[Layne]

I find myself actually amused by their ignorance and typically just ignore them; unless I'm feeling in the mood to have a bit of fun at their expense. Now my wife on the other hand, for some reason, get really offended when she hears someone say anything similar, either jokingly, attempting to insult or out of ignorance.

[skirtingtoday]

I don't think the nuke subs etc would go away. There's nowhere else to put them. Building a new base would be hugely expensive and nobody would want them nearby. Scotland would rent them to England as a short-term measure which last forever. If the USA and Cuba can have a long term arrangement over Guantanamo, then Scotland and England can do the same over Faslane. Salmond is against it, but he won't be around for ever, and other politicians might take a more pragmatic view.

As you say, Salmond is against it and I am in agreement with him. After all, why does Scotland have to remain the target of a first wave nuclear strike? Nobody wants them as you say, but that is the price of having a nuclear deterrant. Scotland would almost certainly not wish to be a target as they undoubtedly are at present. I would have thought that extra employment and facilities could be added to the existing Devonport base.

As for nuclear power, I believe that that has to be the way forward for the UK and Scotland when coal, gas and oil power stations run out of fuel. It is all very well being fully converted to wind, hyrdo and wave power but there still has to be a base supply for when the wind turbines are becalmed for instance. Why we have to import technology and exoertise from France and China is beyond me.

Hold on; it's not England that would deal with Scotland; it would be the reduced UK! England would still remain part of the UK, albeit a somewhat lessened UK.
Independence? I'm for it. However I am happy for Scotland to retain a nuclear deterrent presence as part of NATO. However as I now live in a different country (England) I don't have a vote. Quite right too. I do intend to return to Scotland in eight years or so. I will play my part in growing the Scottish economy.

Of course you are happy as it is not in your own back yard - but it is in ours!

[Big and Bashful]

A few points, there are still more nuke subs based in Portsmouth than on the Clyde, also deep refits and refuelling all happen on the South coast. The sticking point is the bomby things which do live in Scotland when not out sailing.
If Scotland gets independance and decides to bin the submarine base, it will be doing away with by far the largest employer in this area. Scotlands finances are already going down the pan as the oil revenue drops off, render maybe another ten thousand people out of work and on the dole take away the commercial rates payable on every building on the two sites, not to mention the loss of income to all the local communities, it all makes so little sense that the muppet Salmond is bound to do it.

I don't know how the rest of Scotland feels, but around here I know of only two people who want independance, one of whom would be voting himself out of a job if he votes for it. I certainly think it is lunacy for a tiny country like Scotland, not to want independance, (I can see the appeal of independance), but to believe anything that comes out of Salmonds mouth and to think that the bunch of loonies in the SNP have any chance of making a better job of things than the current arrangements.

Right, I must go and check some more wardrobes, I am sure I left Narnia in one of them!

[skirtyscot]

I reckon Scotland would rent the base to rUK, non-nuclear promises notwithstanding. RUK would have nowhere else to put them, and a new base would cost £billions and take years to build. Mr Salmond (if indeed he were to stay in power beyond the next Scottish election) would complain loudly about the unreasonable attitude of the English (this is why we were right to get rid of them etc etc) and pocket the rent. If Cuba can forget about ideology and take the USA's rent for Guantanamo, Scotland can take the Englishmen's money just as easily.

[Jim]

If Cuba can forget about ideology and take the USA's rent for Guantanamo, Scotland can take the Englishmen's money just as easily.

Slight correction. I've been told that Cuba does not accept the legitimacy of the US occupation of Guantanamo, and has not cashed the small checks since Castro came to power.

[Pleats]

I don't mind it unless the tone of their voice is on the sarcastic side. I did get a kick out of a little girl, maybe about 10 years old, that called my kilt a "man skirt".

[skirtingtoday]

A few points, there are still more nuke subs based in Portsmouth than on the Clyde, also deep refits and refuelling all happen on the South coast. The sticking point is the bomby things which do live in Scotland when not out sailing.
If Scotland gets independance and decides to bin the submarine base, it will be doing away with by far the largest employer in this area. Scotlands finances are already going down the pan as the oil revenue drops off, render maybe another ten thousand people out of work and on the dole take away the commercial rates payable on every building on the two sites, not to mention the loss of income to all the local communities, it all makes so little sense that the muppet Salmond is bound to do it.

I don't know how the rest of Scotland feels, but around here I know of only two people who want independance, one of whom would be voting himself out of a job if he votes for it. I certainly think it is lunacy for a tiny country like Scotland, not to want independance, (I can see the appeal of independance), but to believe anything that comes out of Salmonds mouth and to think that the bunch of loonies in the SNP have any chance of making a better job of things than the current arrangements.

Right, I must go and check some more wardrobes, I am sure I left Narnia in one of them!

A few points need correction here:-
1 Scotland's exports are very healthy thank you - and that EXCLUDES oil/gas. Food (salmon comes to mind - no pun intended!) is exported to many countries. Did you know that 36 bottles of whisky are EXPORTED from Scotland every second for instance. Manufacturing (Scotland is a world leader), textiles (yes kilts included!), computer software, avionics and much more contribute to this. Read these wiki articles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Scotland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countries_ ... per_capita
Why listen to and believe politians who always distort the truth or are at best, "enonomic with it" and put their own "spin" on any figures that are published. Let's get it straight, Scotland are not the "wee poor country" that couldn't manage a p**s up in brewery nor manage their own affairs. If so why can Norway, Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland and many more survive?
2 The number of jobs lost at Fasland and Coulport is 520 including civilians working on Trident (159 by the MoD) See this independent report:- http://www.nuclearinfo.org/article/uk-t ... nd-trident
3 The naval base and submarine will still be major local employers - just the WMD will be removed down south so most of the supporting companies and personnel will still be employed. The expert report linked at the end of the link above, states that the final loss of jobs would be of the order of 1800. And not until 2022. The cost of Trident, the nuclear warheads element, when diverted elsewhere would generate many more jobs to replace those lost.
4 It is odd that Labour, who are openly against WMD, have confirme thau wish to keep WMD on the Clyde.

Do bear in mind that there are more Giant Pandas in Scotland than Scottish Conservative MP's in Westminster so much of the rhetoric from them comes because of that. Westminster KNOWS that Scotland is vital to the UK economy and will use any tactic to get a "No" vote. Just take time to look at the real facts and not just "spin".

Ross

(Edit to clarify Scottish Conservative MP's)