Scottish Referendum debate - watch with Mumsnet

And they've made it quite clear that in the event of a No vote, they would tighten control to avoid situations such as the referendum happening again.

How have they demonstrated this? All those extra powers they've promised?

They'd actually be pretty much entitled to do so anyway; if there is a no vote the referendum will have just cost money and achieved nothing except causing divisions.

It's been widely-reported and acknowledged that a CU is possible, and that currency won't be an issue in iScotland. It seems to be Better Together alone who refuse to acknowledge that.

Erm, no, the top 3 parties in Britain have all acknowledged that a CU won't be possible. There's also been substantial government research confirming the decision. It's the yes campaign who has their head in the sand.

Not at the moment they don't, but our devolved powers are given to us by the grace of Westminster. They're not definite, they can be taken away as and when the UK Government pleases. And they've made it quite clear that in the event of a No vote, they would tighten control to avoid situations such as the referendum happening again.
The Conservatives really oppose free tuition for Scottish students, and Peter Duncan in particular if memory serves well.

I don't dismiss the currency issue purely because Ed Miliband rattles on about it being a problem. It's been widely-reported and acknowledged that a CU is possible, and that currency won't be an issue in iScotland. It seems to be Better Together alone who refuse to acknowledge that. There is a piece on it in today's i Newspaper which is quite good.

Westminster has no control over Scottish tuition fees...

I don't think you can dismiss the currency issues just because you don't like the politician saying it.

Apparently there is another debate to be aired by the BBC, hope some questions are answered by both sides this time, sadly that didn't really happen with the first.

prettybird That's true!

Ed Miliband was apparently at Braehead yesterday, with more "no more Pound for you!" nonsense.

Okay Ed, I'll vote No so that unemployment rates can continue to rise, then I won't have money anyway. No point in retraining either as it's only a matter of time 'til Westminster start charging horrendous university fees (I was still at uni when the current fees were introduced, but thankfully didn't have to pay as I was in my final year, if I remember correctly). Ed Miliband is just David Cameron mark 2, it gets harder to distinguish between the main parties the more time passes.

Statistically it's quite frightening isn't it.

Yes - the discussion on here has been much more reasoned. It's not always been as good on MN - although the chief culprit at lowering the tone (who doesn't even have a vote) hasn't actually shown up on the recent threads.

And at least on Mumsnet the debate tends not to sink to the levels Facebook reaches.

Yes!! The amount of people on both sides calling each other "stupid" and the like beggars belief. There's no need to belittle anyone else's views. I'm all for debate, but rudeness is not needed. I think both Salmond and Darling let point-scoring get the better of them during the televised debate, too.

I'm like you shenanagins - I work in a relatively small profession within FS, and it seems likely that an awful lot of the jobs would go south. It's very likely that mine would be one of them, probably to the SW or London in my case.

I would guess we'd be offered some sort of transfer package, but it could just be outright redundancy. Been there once, not keen to repeat frankly. Like you we'd have to sell our home to get the funds to move.

As with ooaoml, I have to put my family first in this. Both mine and my oh's job will go to the se England. This would leave us with the choice of uprooting our family to the se England with no money to fund our move as it is unlikely our house would sell as there will be many others in our situation.

The alternative is to stay here with no jobs and with little prospects meaning we loose our home. Not really an alternative.

This is the reality for us and many others and one I'm not prepared to sacrifice my family for.

No Numanoid it was mainly in response to ItsAllGoingToBeFine.

It would be a dull world if we all agreed on a single path to take, and I imagine people on both sides get heated because they genuinely believe they are right and other people are wrong.

You don't make me feel bad. Yes voters make me worried for the future, but then I imagine No voters make you worried for the future.

And at least on Mumsnet the debate tends not to sink to the levels Facebook reaches.

Just wanted to add:

I really don't think we're going to convert each other's here

I agree, it seems that most people who have decided how to vote will stick to it. :)

I am voting No because I think independence is the wrong path to take. I have many reasons, not just personal. But pardon me for wanting the best option for myself and my family - even if I believe it is also the best option for my country.

I don't know if you were directing that to me, OOAOML, but I wouldn't demonise you for voting No. It's your choice.
My opinion is that independence is the best way forward. I want my future children to grow up in a more prosperous country with education they can actually afford, and I want better job opportunities myself.
We have different viewpoints - but I feel when I give my opinions, it is sometimes portrayed as a Yes voter making everyone feel bad.

I suppose the message between the lines there is that Yes voters are not realists, either.

I have explained numerous times that I do not believe an independent Scotland will offer even a fraction of what is promised. I happen to have a financial background. I fail to see how that makes me selfish. I think it makes me a realist. Equally, it is clear that there are people who believe an independent Scotland will be a wonderful place. I really don't think we're going to convert each other's here.

I am voting No because I think independence is the wrong path to take. I have many reasons, not just personal. But pardon me for wanting the best option for myself and my family - even if I believe it is also the best option for my country.

I know, nothing bad, just "I am having a cup of Irn Bru". I don't want to see Gaelic die out, but at the same time having road signs, etc. in Gaelic seems pointless as every Gaelic speaker is obviously bilingual.

numanoid 0.5% of the Scottish population will get it!

Tha mi air cupa Irn Bru a ghabhail, finally.

IrnBru I have to agree with you, in a sense.

The way I compare the situation (as an example), is to being stuck in a dead-end, minimum-wage job, which you're okay in, you can get by and you're not happy but it'll do. Then you're offered a better one - better salary and benefits, you'll love it, but it's temporary pending a probationary period, so you'd have to work for it - hard. Hmm... better just stay in the rubbish job because at least you know what you're getting, and you might not do well in that other one.

People don't think it can be done, and hey Westminster have let us down time and time again - but we're used to it. We're struggling, but we're just managing so it's not all that bad. Better not take the chance.

All these people dissing iScotland are just making me want to vote Yes even more.

OK, firstly I didn't say that, and it is an insult. And secondly - people will only put so much of their rationale online. Personally, I explain about my job because it's normally the most "acceptable" response and gets people to stop hectoring me. But I don't believe it would be good for Scotland as a whole. I don't believe that (at least) one of Scotland's biggest industries being decimated would benefit the country. It wouldn't benefit our children to have fewer jobs and fewer opportunities, and I think that for a substantial number of our children that would be the reality.

How long has it taken Yorkshire to recover from the loss of the mines? Or Sheffield from the loss of the steel industry? In my opinion it is likely that there will be very significant job losses across a swathe of industries (and public sector roles.) In the long term we would probably be able to fix things, attract new industries etc. But there will probably be significant pain for a significant period, for a lot of people. And of course if you have higher unemployment you've got lower tax takes which leads to austerity measures, or huge borrowing. Except...how easy will it be for us to borrow? We can't answer that question because there is far too much uncertainty.

And there is a fair amount of evidence that countries in recession tend to swing to the right...so we might not get such a socialist country after all.

So no, I'm not selfish. I think there are a very large number of people for whom independence could be extremely negative. I just happen to be one of them.

*Ah, my favourite, the "all No voters are selfish short termist sods, and all Yes voters are wonderful altruistic human beings who care for the greater good" line

It's not fair, and it's not true.*

If you look at the the posts on these threads it is true, and isn't meant to be an insult. Or if you are going to take it as an insult it goes both ways, nos are sensible realists and yes are hopeless dreamers...?

But irnbroo the Yes campaign have been trotting out celeb backing from the beginning... for example
Sauce for the goose and all that.....

How about you just delete the last 5 words of that sentence IrnBruTheNoo then we can agree! I'd like the rich celebs to just keep the hell out full stop to be honest!

£24 million for extra Gaelic roadsigns. I'm sure those poor souls in Scotland using food banks are big supporters of ScotGovs "different priorities"
And don't get me started on the amount of money from the over stretched education budget that has been IMO wasted on Gaelic and Scots language qualifications! I'm sure they will really help our young people find a job.

waste