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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To believe that it will be a "no" vote in the majority on the 18th?

258 replies

Tabby1963 · 09/09/2014 16:41

My reasoning is that, although there appears (from media reports) to be increased enthusiasm for voting "yes" it is not the whole story (they're just shouting the loudest). The noes are the default; and therefore they don't have to say anything or do anything, just vote on the 18th.

My experience having chatted to neighbours, colleagues, friends is that the vast majority (more than 80%) are going to be voting no.

I'm hoping for a no vote, I care hugely about this country and fear the future if "yes" wins. I am certain that if "no" is the majority then I anticipate there will be big changes coming for Scotland, and devolution will continue slowly and carefully.

I totally sympathise with the notion that Scotland does not want the Tories to rule from Westminster and that only by voting for independence will that never happen again, but surely we have to look at the bigger picture here? There is so much at stake to base the future of Scotland and its inhabitants on this single issue?

OP posts:
WeAllHaveWings · 13/09/2014 12:13

I work in the whisky industry and even through our CEO is clearly concerned about a Yes, all colleagues I know say they are voting Yes.

Most of my extended family and friends have the Yes symbol on their facebook photos.

Hairdresser on Thursday says most clients she has spoken too are saying Yes.

Will be interesting what actually goes into the ballot boxes.

EarthWindFire · 13/09/2014 12:19

I think there will be a difference between what people say they are doing and what the will actually do. I have said previously thavI know of people who if you ask them they would be a yes, (because of the ramifications if they say otherwise) but actually when it is just them and the ballot box they will be voting no

BigBoobiedBertha · 13/09/2014 12:44

I think it much more likely people are saying they will vote yes and will actually vote no. The yes campaign seem very clear that anybody who doesn't vote with them are thick. I wouldn't own up to being a no supporter.

TheBogQueen · 13/09/2014 14:03

I think the yes campaign has been a tremendous achievement. If you think about the zero support it has received from the media, the broadcasters bias, project fear, the collusion of big business and industry in maintaining the status quo.

And yet the grassroots campaign has spring up. People are questioning what they have been fed. For better or fir worse, it's pretty amazing and I hope it continues even after a No vote.

Celticlass2 · 13/09/2014 14:14

I very much agree with you Bog Queen. Considering the amount of bias against the yes campaign in both the print and broadcast media, not to mention the blatant scare tactics by the banks and other big business, it is nothing short of amazing that the Yes campaign are in such a healthy position in the polls.
I don't think they will win, but they will have another crack in a few years time no doubt, and will get there eventually.

TeamScotland · 13/09/2014 14:20

The recent project fear onslaught doesn't seem to have destroyed the yes movement, though neither has it given the boost Yes thought it might.

All will become clear on Friday morning

AuntieStella · 13/09/2014 14:25

"I don't think they will win, but they will have another crack in a few years time no doubt, and will get there eventually."

That's why I want Yes to win now and get it done with. (Like the CofE and women clergy, then bishops. If you don't accept the 'no' keep going?)

Or No to win by such a large margin that the question has to be shelved for at least a generation.

Just not a regular theme from here on in.

PhaedraIsMyName · 13/09/2014 14:29

The recent project fear onslaught

And yet again reporting the legitimate concerns of businesses and the financial sector is "project fear"

tabulahrasa · 13/09/2014 14:30

"The yes campaign seem very clear that anybody who doesn't vote with them are thick."

I see the opposite from no supporters more...yes voters are too stupid to have read and understood all the issues and are blindly following some sort of nationalistic ideal.

Viviennemary · 13/09/2014 14:35

I think it will probably be a no-vote. Thanks to all those scaremongerers and blackmailers. If you're not in our gang you will sink. And if you leave you won't get back in. Ah well it's times like this you know who your friends are.

EarthWindFire · 13/09/2014 14:38

The recent project fear onslaught

Give up with the project fear stuff! The same souls could be said about Jim Sillars views rant yesterday.

blatant scare tactics by the banks and other big business,

So Jim Sillars rants aren't scare tactics as well then?

EarthWindFire · 13/09/2014 14:40

I think it will probably be a no-vote. Thanks to all those scaremongerers and blackmailers.

Again selective memories. Saying wil will make business do things if they make a decision to move isn't blackmailing then too...

PhaedraIsMyName · 13/09/2014 14:40

Blackmailers? Guess you missed Jim Sillars' intervention.

As for "not getting back in" seriously you think this could be reversed?

And as for "scaremongering" I thought we had briefly had a concession that presenting unpalatable facts was fair game but clearly not.

EarthWindFire · 13/09/2014 14:40

*we

HamishBamish · 13/09/2014 14:41

And yet again reporting the legitimate concerns of businesses and the financial sector is "project fear"

Exactly. I have yet to hear anything to counteract these concerns from the 'Yes' camp. I have and will remain a 'No'. I'm just sick and bloody tired of the whole thing tbh. If it's not a landslide 'No' I suspect we'll leave anyway.

I don't know if it will be a 'No', I think it's too close to tell. I don't know any 'Yes' voters in person, but that said I haven't gone out of may way to question people. IMO how people vote is private to them unless they choose to discuss it with me.

grovel · 13/09/2014 14:45

I don't get the scaremongering angle.

We are being presented "best case" by YES and "worst case" by NO. Neither will materialise in full. We just have to think it through for ourselves.

OneNight · 13/09/2014 14:46

Ah well it's times like this you know who your friends are.

I think that that's a most unhelpful comment, VivienneMary. I already come from a family which at the least is going to be divided forever including shunning of and by all differently-voting members. You may not have meant that remark to be inflammatory but it certainly felt like it.

EarthWindFire · 13/09/2014 14:52

I agree OneNight

TeamScotland · 13/09/2014 14:54

Project fear was the name originally thought up by Better Together leaders. They started it. Now that Yessers use it we are being told to give it up. Hypocrites.

flippinada · 13/09/2014 14:58

I really can see why some of the proposals put forward in the white paper are attractive. I like a lot of the ideas. So part of me thinks "yes, let's go for it". Another part is thinking "but what if..and we can't go back".

And there's that disturbing spectre of nationalism which can spill over into racism (as discussed upthread).

I think it's genuinely too close to call. Will be interesting to see how the polls change over the next few days.

BardarbungaBardarbing · 13/09/2014 14:58

Vivienne in the event of a yes vote why would iScotland then later "get back in"?

I don't see how that forms blackmail. If you choose to divorce you can't expect the ex to take you back if and when you change your mind. This genuinely confuses me so please explain.

Viviennemary · 13/09/2014 14:59

I think a lot of remarks made during this campaign have been inflammatory. So I am just taking the cue from all those who have made those remarks. I'm sorry it's dividing families and friends but that's how it is. I hate the way those politicians are pretending to be on the side of the people of Scotland. It's themselves they are worried about. As always.

tabulahrasa · 13/09/2014 15:01

"And yet again reporting the legitimate concerns of businesses and the financial sector is "project fear""

Well I don't use the term project fear, mostly because it's stupid...I'm going to vote yes, but I completely understand that no voters have, quite legitimate fears about an independent Scotland and I think it completely dismisses those to just say, oh project fear...

I think people supporting both sides should be looking at what businesses and the financial sector are saying, but on the dreaded facebook I've had people posting article after article stating that banks are relocating to London after a yes result because of not having a currency union or because of the huge recession that will follow, with no acknowledgement that they will in fact have to by EU law have their head office in London. If you point out (as I made the mistake of doing, really I should have known better than to argue on facebook) that EU directives will have been a significant part of their decisions...the timing and wording of decisions and statements do indeed show that they are not happy about the uncertainty, but you can't just ignore the fact that it was an inevitable decision and that they do have to follow EU law, then you're wrong. Hmm

There is a middle ground between believing that independence will create the promised land and that it will doom us all to poverty and destitution.

BardarbungaBardarbing · 13/09/2014 15:02

I will leave if there is a yes vote (as soon as is possible..) because A Salmond has said my family's taxation should be kept in Scotland. Since my parents and in laws draw a pension in what would become rUK surely my duty is to move there to pay my tax?

BardarbungaBardarbing · 13/09/2014 15:03

I'm sorry if I sounded like i was hectoring you. But a lot of Salmond's talk has me so annoyed!