To wonder how you're voting in the Scottish Referendum and why?

[deeedeee]

a month away from the vote thought it would be interesting to ask

( no bunfighting , derision or soundbites please. just yes or no and why. feel free to post more than once with different reasons. No links unless independent fact or opinion, nothing from the official campaigns)

I'm a YES

because Westminster's failed to protect the vunerable and the UK's me first politics have taken us down a particularly nasty path. An independent Scotland leans towards to left and can potentially choose a better route. And if a change happens in scotland then I think that that could inspire a change in the direction of politics in the rest of the UK.

I think that Spain's opinion on Scotland joining the EU will be largely irrelevant given that they have one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe and the country is almost insolvent. As for the notion that the Basque region will get ideas they only have to look at Catalonia who think independence will be the greatest thing since sliced bread.

I started off as a probable "no" voter, but I'm definitely a "yes" voter now. My decision was mainly driven by a variety of social welfare reasons, but was also made because, when I think about it, Scottish issues really are different to English issues. I watched the televised debates for the last Westminster election and realised how little of what was discussed was even relevant to us - most matters at issue were / are devolved - and on the issues that were still UK wide (especially foreign policy) I didn't agree with the Conservative party's position one little bit.

I think it would be great for Scotland to have a single tier representative government which can make a start on building a fairer society for our country. I like most things that the Scottish Parliament has done (e.g. free personal care, no tuition fees); I love the opportunity that independence would offer.

When I think about why I was originally in the "no" camp, it was for purely sentimental reasons - culture, the arts, our shared history (I'm half English). But the I realised that we don't need to lose that - I can still very much appreciate French food without being French!

No no and no again. I can't understand why I'd vote yes and don't believe a word the SNP comes up with. I am genuinely terrified of this vote and can see us moving in years to come.

6th generation Fifer, if it makes any difference.

Definite NO from me DH and DC x3 and to be honest most of our friends. I was always a yes until Alex S -our wonderful leader failed to deliver an answer to most of the relevant issues--"Trust me" he says eh no l don't believe a word that comes out his mouth.

deeedeee, you're making the mistake of assuming that all No voters believe it would be economically ruinous and that we couldn't stand on our own two feet. I don't necessarily think that but neither am I convinced that we'll be massively better off. As I said above I suspect that broadly nothing much would actually change for most people and for that reason I don't think the upheaval, turmoil and uncertainty of divorcing the UK is worth it.

Never believe a politician! Always do your own research....

When has Alex Salmond said trust me? It's not a question of trust. It's the future, there are no definitive answers! What are the most relevant issues to you?

There's more than just the SNP pushing for a Yes; the Greens, SSP, Labour for Indy, Asians for Indy, Africans for Indy, Poles, English Scots, Welsh, Irish, thousands of local Yes groups not officially affiliated with Yes... And who's on the No side? Conservatives, red Conservatives, the BNP and variations thereon, the Orange Order and a couple of millionaires in London.

johncusack'swife, i wasn't referring to folk like you. I can understand your point, you've done your research and you don't think we'd be massively better off and therefore it's not worth it for you. To be fair, I agree with you, I don't think we'd be massively better off either. But to me it is worth it.

I have a job and a home and my children have a good school to go to, free, and healthcare if we need it"

What more do you think an independent Scotland will give you?

I'm a yes, as is DH. We're English but live in Scotland. I was a vehement no when we first moved here. One of those who thought Scotland leeched all the money and would fall without us magnanimous English, but DH has always worked in Scotland as has FIL so we had plenty of lively discussions about it before I got to this point. We're both educated to a good standard and live well, very rurally, so unfortunately we don't fit the yes stereotype

sorry posted too soon. I was asking that question of the people upthread forecasting economic ruin for generations, jobs lost, houses devalued, mass emigration etc

I wish this wasn't so emotive for such a serious issue. Just the lack of plans on behalf of the SNP for a solution to the currency issue is reason enough to vote no today.

Being qualified in economics (which I am) isn't a sufficient condition for pronouncing on this topic. I'm just observing the behaviour of the institutions that will actually make Scottish independence a success or failure and right now, they are getting their positions prepared for it to be unsuccessful.

The banks are talking about a deposit flight, or a run on the banks and making ready for this. The BoE is taking measures to have an interim currency solution which uses sterling until the rUK is clear of risk from retraction from Scotland.

The SNP has been saying that this is their "Gotcha!" moment, that they knew all along a currency union would be available. Eh? This is rUK protecting itself from a Scottish banking crisis prompted by iScotland...

The banks and multinational organisations based in Scotland are overwhelmingly getting ready for a move into rUK or Europe because they not only understand the risks of staying, they know that they themselves are about to create that very risk scenario in the event of a Yes vote. The EU has indicated that entry to the Euro will not be automatic because (a) the EU doesn't want iScotland because rUK would be more likely to vote to leave the EU and (b) it doesn't want to set a precedent for Eurozone entry without meeting the Maastricht criteria or a flood of complaints would pour out from the accession states.

Just by taking these measures these organisations have ensured that the course of iScotland will not be set by it's government and people but by bankers and bureaucrats that really don't give a fig for Scotland.

A Yes vote will put Scotland's future into the hands of muddled nationalist politicians and, which is worse, further into the hands of international bankers than the UK is today. It doesn't matter how clever and talented you are if you're not in charge of your own affairs and Scotland isn't today and, bizarrely, it will be less so if it becomes independent of the UK. All the talk of a more humane and just society is so much hot air if your government doesn't have the financial wherewithal to make any of it real.

I am a definite No. I see too much risk in independance. We are a great country but for now are stronger together. If independance goes ahead the economy will be unstable for a while as we will have to regain trust from companies who do business here or with us. We will lose all the wealth we have very quickly in this risky period I think. The oil reserves are most certainly not there to fall back on. I would predict Scottish oil will run out in less than 50 years.

ladycordelia, just because a couple of people have accused you of not being scottish enough then please be intelligent enough to not stereotype the entire YES vote. Your own experience is simply that. It is not indicative of an entire mindset. because of your area of expertise

Another thing, I get really annoyed with people who get patriotism and nationalism muddled up. You can be the proud Scot and still not want to be independent. I don't see why half my FB newsfeed can't grasp that concept.

inlectorecumbit What has Salmond got to do with it? It's about Scotland, not him. He has said as much himself.

To be honest, I'd rather have him than Cameron. I'll definitely say No Thanks to the impending austerity cuts.

damn, sorry, keep submitting too soon!

Lady cordelia, please could you give us the benefit of your area of expertise and find any raw independent data that supports the notion that independence will be a economic disaster?

The oil reserves are most certainly not there to fall back on. I would predict Scottish oil will run out in less than 50 years.

The oil is not the staple of the Scottish economy. It's a bonus, but not what we would "live off of". The export trade, for a start, is strong.

Majority of people in my local Yes group voted Labour at last election.

I'm. voting no

But what happens in an iScotland if the financial outlook means that austerity might be even worse in the coming years? Countries don't necessarily get to control these things. Yes, to some degree, the governments can make decisions about whether to protect certain programmes or preserve a policy or two but it the money isn't there, it isn't there.

I would imagine a lot of no voters are similarly concerned about the needs of lower income households in Scotland and think that remaining part of the UK offers them a better outcome - hard as that is to believe for some.

I totally agree that the current WM government are a bunch of shits but I also don't believe that iScotland is likely to deliver a fairer society, not within the next 20 years or so, as it works through the costs and challenge post independence.