Why not liberate Scotland and then run with a conservative majority?

As an English person living in Scotland, I find it sad that so many Scots are negative about their ability to run their own country.

Why couldn't it be independent?

Other small countries manage- Ireland, Norway, Iceland. It isn't perfect, but they are managing.

Why not be independent? What is so brilliant about the union ( thinking of the extreme poverty in Glasgow)

I don't remember saying I don't want full independence.

Erm, why is it patronising to like your wildlife?

Why on earth was my post deleted?

The fact is that Scotland is way too politically naive to be independent. And it is 20 years behind England in its thinking on so so many things. Independence would be a complete disaster.

weegiemum, they won't allow us our own parliament because it would stir up feelings of nationalism in us and we would then start demanding independence. We are too big to be set free. We haven't got our own anthem like your great Flower of Scotland.

If they continue to make the Highlands the wind farm capital of the world there ain't going to be much nice wildlife (or landscape) left!

So you want to keep us because of our nice wildlife?

How incredibly patronising

Why no to independence? Well think Scotland would struggle economically alone and England would be weaker alone.

And besides that, you all seem quite nice really. The funny accents are impossible - can't use the phone in Scotland because I can't understand what anyone is saying. But face to face, nodding and smiling seems to get the job done. Lovely countryside, lots of wildlife etc.

Why no to independence? Well think Scotland would struggle economically alone and England would be weaker alone.

And besides that, you all seem quite nice really. The funny accents are impossible - can't use the phone in Scotland because I can't understand what anyone is saying. But face to face, nodding and smiling seems to get the job done. Lovely countryside, lots of wildlife etc.

The problem is that the Central Belt is a conurbation which is massively overrepresented politically in terms of its small geographical area. It may have the largest share of the population, but the concentration of seats completely fails to provide fair representation for the varied population of the rest of the country. I would have exactly the same problem being lumped with the Liverpool/Manchester conurbation in the north west.

Quattrocento, if we cost the UK so much, why don't you want us to be independent? Would that not free up some cash so you lot can get free lunches or whatever it is these types are always whining about?

while you're at it, could you cut inner London free as well?

obviously we'll let you keep Putney, Kensington and Westminster

What's wrong with the central belt?

I do like to think where anyone would put Trident (or its obscene replacement) if it didn't have Holy Loch on the Clyde to do it.

I was totally torn between SNP and LibDem in Scotland - voted SNP cos they are anti-nuclear in the end.

I would relish an English Parliament - great idea!!! They should have had one at the same time as the Welsh/Scottish/NI assemblies. What makes England so special that they don't need one?

It's all the ridiculous England=Britain opinion you get that feeds this kind of thing.

Britain is not just England !!!!!

Of course Scottish people pay taxes - no-one's disputing that.

But net net, Scotland gets more money than it pays in taxes.

And people in Scotland get more money spent on them than people in England.

see here

Not that I want the Scots to go independent. I posted my original thread about the money to try to get a poster wanting independence to think twice.

Actually, do you think we could just make Scotland independent from the Central Belt southwards. And keep north Scotland as part of the UK?

Actually the problem is Central Belt Scotland, with whom I have nothing whatsoever in common.

"If Scotland does gain independence it will be interesting to see where the English government puts Trident - The Thames perhaps?"

OMG OP. Please don't saddle the few thinking people in Scotland with a Labour government for ever more. Have some compassion please! I'm ashamed to live here right now.

Totally shocking thread. As a Scottish taxpayer I find it quite horrifying that there is such a level of ignorance about how devolution works. We pay tax, to the UK. The UK gives us money back in return. We decide how to spend it. The benefit of having our own parliament is that we have the choice - not that we have any extra cash. Suck it up.

Earthstar, awa an bile yer heid, quine.

A lot of this thread is horrid.

Scottish people pax tax you know - it goes to westminster. England does not dole out "charity" to scotland.

If Scotland does gain independence it will be interesting to see where the English government puts Trident - The Thames perhaps?