to wonder how Scotland's decision will affect england?

[LEMmingaround]

Just that really? If they do go their ownway how will it affect england?

Also will it open a can of worms with wales and northern Ireland?

[Fluffyears]

Well you'll need to dump your nuclear waste elsewhere and pay for the water we send. (Lighthearted I promise).

[LEMmingaround]

Well I am very pro nuclear power but im sure we can find somewhere to put the waste. But my water bill is high enough yhank you very much! :)

[Fluffyears]

I can't comprehend paying for water it comes out if the sky 357 days of the year where I live!

[OldLadyKnowsSomething]

Speaking slightly more seriously, the indyref campaign has already reignited interest in Welsh nationalism. Cannot speak to the Irish situation, perhaps an Irish person could shed some light?

What I would like to see happen in England is a political revolution; revised voting systems perhaps, maybe increased federalism, with more power devolved away from WM and given to further-flung and poorer parts of the country. But the exact nature of that would be for the English to decide.

[ouryve]

I'm dreading the idea of our parliament becoming permanently Tory, forever and ever.

[ZweiPfennig]

Scotland and Ireland get a Capital letter in your OP but England and Wales don't?

[LEMmingaround]

Tell that to my phone

[OldLadyKnowsSomething]

It'll only be Tory forever if English voters keep voting Tory. It's a myth that Scottish votes make much difference to the make up of WM, it's happened about twice in the past 50 years, and those two gvts actually ruled for less than two years put together.

[PhaedraIsMyName]

I can't comprehend paying for water it comes out if the sky 357 days of the year where I live

Possibly you have a private supply but if not how do you think the infrastructure for reservoirs, pipes treatment etc is paid for? Of course we pay for mains water in Scotland, it's simply a separate charge on the Council Tax. If you're on private supply you don't pay the Water charge.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

In all seriousnous it would be a really big deal for rUK. They would suddenly lose about 1/2 their land area, about 10% of GDP, 10% of assets, 10% popilatuon , most of their oil.

Politically I am not sure there would be much change, unless things became massively superior in iScotland and rUK citizens started to ask questions.

[ZweiPfennig]

Just kidding, Lemming I've fallen foul of autocorrect too sometimes.

No offence meant, none taken I hope! :)

[OldLadyKnowsSomething]

The water charge on Scottish council tax bills has two parts, one for supply, and one for waste. I don't pay the waste part because we have a cesspit.

My sister has a private supply, straight off the hills. I want brown water too!

[LEMmingaround]

Of course none taken

[LEMmingaround]

I get water bills for supply and sewage separate from council tax. (Or at least I think we dont get charged on council tax as well -wouldn't surprise me)

[TiggyD]

The UK would be have slightly fewer people in it. Not a massive change.

Hopefully it would lead to a vote where we can get rid of Northern Ireland too.

[WoodliceCollection]

Only difference I can see is there being a lot of faff that creates jobs for lawyers and bureaucrats both sides the border, both govts will remain broadly neoliberal-right (as UK labour and SNP both are), it's ultimately not going to make much difference to the distribution of resources as the geography will not change, health, education and tax are already all/mainly devolved so if SNP were going to do anything about those they could already have done so, and that wouldn't affect England. It will be a pain in the arse for people who have reason to move between each 'country', as I recently found anyway with moving from Scotland as NHS's are different and fannied about losing notes and pretending they didn't know about my 5-year history of autoimmune illness so had to re-diagnose, but then that can happen I suppose even if you move surgeries. Borders don't really do much in post-industrial societies, most transactions are carried out by multinationals anyway and the rich can hop about as they please, it creates hassle for others and divisiveness (see thread by Polish lady today on here), but the UK already has plenty of that, so fuck knows how we will manage even more.

[Sallyingforth]

Well for one thing we won't need to keep paying all the subsidies for thousands of uneconomic wind turbines in Scotland!

[Bodicea]

The English might get a bit more money spent on the per head as they won't have to keep funding the totally unfair Barnett formula.

[Sallyingforth]

And there will be much more employment for shipbuilding in Barrow and Portsmouth. I can't see the UK government paying foreign shipyards on the Clyde to build or navy ships.

[grimbletart]

We won't have Scottish MPs voting on stuff that applies only to England.

[OldLadyKnowsSomething]

Sorry if this derails the thread a bit, but tax is not a devolved issue in Scotland. The Scotland Act 2012 (which comes into force in 2015) devolves a small percentage of income tax raising, with powers to raise the % rates (that can never be used) but not to reduce them. I wouldn't call that all/mainly devolved.

And back to how the English, Welsh and N Irish will be affected...

[Sallyingforth]

The bad news though is that house prices in London will go up even more. All those financial services companies will be moving down to London and their well paid staff will need somewhere to live.

[LEMmingaround]

Blimey.

[Fluffyears]

Sorry I do pay via council tax but can't imagine a separate bill or a meter.

[thatsn0tmyname]

If Scotland gain independence, will we need a new Union Jack flag?