To think Scotland becoming independent wouldn't have any impact on the rest of the UK?

[lesley33]

Some in Scotland want it to become independent. I don't really understand why the coalition government is fighting against this happening. Will it really matter in the rest of the UK if scotland does become independent?

It has nothing to do with prescriptions, which are just regional pricing decisons. Obv that's also the case in Wales. Is nhs Scotland a seperate legal entity then? If so I take it back.

I'm not addressing the English or anyone specifically ffs, this is a conversation on a forum. I would refer to french economic policy as "theirs" - if Scotland was independant the English/ welsh would think of them in the same way we do the French, or Irish- someone you have a passing interest in

I didnt know everything in Scotland belonged to the English and we'd have to buy it if we were independent

You can't assume the majority of people on this thread are Scottish - the English have as much of a stake in this as the Scots do, as it's breaking up a union which includes England.

Please can I have a tenner, Serenity?

I don't think the idea of "British" (and let's face it, British is an idea rather than anything physical) has much to do with pre-Anglo Saxon dwellers, Aries.

People are British if they feel British. Fuck all to do with ethnicity, in my opinion.

Also, people who claim England subsidises us, can we have some facts and figures please?

Didn't you know that England owns Scotland, Fanjo?

You are British if you are from the island of Britain. Doesn't stop you being English, Scottish, Welsh or bloody Cornish! (another bugbear)

Better rip up DH's January tax bill too as he has a Scottish exemptionuary tqx

Err exemption, am.clearly on the whisky

oh dear ihave the urge to shout freeeedooom reading some on this thread , even if SNP call a referendum which mr cameron seems to wanting to rush into we wont get independence and TBH i dont think alot of scots want it , I love the snp but i dont agree with some of the policies ,

The bus home from work in fact but whisky more exciting

So someone from Northern Ireland then is...?

Or someone from Shetland?

Or someone whose parents are Bangladeshi but has lived in London their whole life?

Give me a break with the "you are British" spiel. It's none of your business what other people define themselves as.

University funding if anybody's still interested is because a country can't charge more to EU students than students from that country.

So, Scottish students don't pay tuition fees, EU students don't pay tuition fees.

However according to the EU, separate Scotland/England doesn't exist in this case, we are just the UK. So students from England, Wales and NI do pay tuition fees because we don't count under the EU legislation.

Having said that, until the fee changes, Scottish universities did charge lower tuition fees than other universities (eg. £1800 at Edinburgh, compared to £3500 at most English universities).

Someone from Northern Ireland is Northern Irish. Northern Ireland is part of the UK but not Britain. The clue's in the name.

Someone born in London and has lived in London all their lives is...er....British? And if their parents are from Bangladesh then they're Asian British?

" Give me a break with the "you are British" spiel. It's none of your business what other people define themselves as ". What exactly is so offensive? Amir Khan and his dad have no problem with this. Neither does Joe Calzaghe, Chris Hoy, Mo Farah etc. I can be Welsh and British.

It's the British Isles though isn't it? So they could define themselves as British if they wanted to?

Yes, thanks Aries, I'm perfectly aware of what Britain is. We're talking about the adjective British. Why don't you go up to Belfast and tell someone they're not British? I'm sure you'd enjoy the reaction.

Maybe you say someone with Bangladeshi parents is British. There are plenty who would say not and suggest the person "fucks off back to where they came from" and all that bollocks. That's why it's a bit dangerous to go around TELLING people what they are.

What is so offensive? People telling me what I am and what I am not especially when a. it doesn't fucking matter and b. it causes shitloads of ridiculous problems.

The sooner the better

Why Scarlett?

Northern Irish Protestants are British, many Catholics would probably not call themselves British (so it depends on which part of Belfast you go to). All Northern Irish people live in the UK, not Britain but, regardless of what they call themselves, have British passports.

Anyway the only reason Northern Ireland is not part of Britain is that it is not on the 'mainland', still part of the UK and British means citizen of the UK.

Can Scotland take the Royals please?

Autumn 2014! Just on the news. Cameron's pulling out all the stops to not let it happen.

If Cameron doesnt want it, then suddenly I do

KalSkirata - No, unless we lob them in the Minch.