Indyref8

[grovel]

ItsAllGoingToBeFine, but who will be Prime Minister? Pretty unsatisfactory changing halfway through. My suggestion was that maybe Cameron, Clegg, Miliband et al agree on a team and step back themselves. It would make the end result a joint enterprise and could prevent years of feuding in rUK.

I might fancy my own independent house sized country.

Not going to be easy is it? Like I've said, they are as entitled to independence as any other area of a country.

They would have 12 miles.

As I say, absolutely terrified of the Shetland question.

Considering Shetland was given originally to the Scottish Crown as a wedding gift, no less, no voluntary union for them. Prior to that it was Norwegian, and Norwegian was the language spoken there. Many place names are Norse. My relatives all have Norse names. They have a very low opinion of Edinburgh and the administration there, and see it as just as remote from their interests as London, possibly worse due to the lack of quality at Holyrood.

That would be their territorial waters, but I think they, like we, would also be entitled to an exclusive economic zone. Which is 200 nautical miles

Same in Orkney ChelsyHandy

Norn language signs anyone?

Most of the costs usually involved in setting up a new state aren't relevant when Scotland already has a parliament.

Really? Do I need to compile a list of institutions which are shared and would need to be replicated/replaced in an iScotland? We have some already, sure...but there's a huge amount we would need to do

Yes and the ones that aren't here physically we pay towards. We stop paying when indy comes, and use that money for our version.

Difference between start up costs and running costs...

weatherall Most of the costs usually involved in setting up a new state aren't relevant when Scotland already has a parliament.

Seriously struggling to believe someone actually wrote that!

My, looking forward to an independent Scotland. Massive redundancies - Government announces jobs bonus. Economy is bust - government announces new investments "on the way". People can't afford to pay their mortgages and are living on the streets - government announces more Scots than ever are out of poverty.

You get the drift?

Most of the costs usually involved in setting up a new state aren't relevant when Scotland already has a parliament.

Truly speechless at this

You are kidding aren't you?

Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles will call for independence in event of a Yes vote.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/shetland-orkney-and-the-outer-hebrides-demand-independence-referendums-of-their-own-if-scotland-votes-yes-9217514.html

Rita Yes and the ones that aren't here physically we pay towards. We stop paying when indy comes, and use that money for our version

I don't even know what that one means.

I think saying it was written on the back of a fag packet would be giving it too much credit.

chocoluvva Same in Orkney ChelsyHandy. Norn language signs anyone?

No chance of that. Salmond probably thinks Shetlanders speak Gaelic.

Scotland killed the Norn language.

Statistically That would be their territorial waters, but I think they, like we, would also be entitled to an exclusive economic zone. Which is 200 nautical miles

So you split it down the median line, or negotiate it if you can't agree? I can't see any negotiation involving AS and NC and that particular Yes Scotland school of negotiation resulting in a quick or happy solution.

So you end up with the new Scottish state plunged into a prolonged and increasingly bitter dispute with the rest of the UK over territory which likely includes valuable oil fields. Not good for the Scottish economy and not likely to encourage companies to invest there.

Meanwhile, Shetland, backed by the rest of the UK and its navy, enjoys an economic boost!

Off the top of my head:
Regulatory bodies for all the infrastructure services - gas, leccie, phones
Defence bodies
Intelligence agency
Embassies
Cabinet offices
DVLA

Health and safety agencies
Trade unions

bugger postponing a GE!
Follicle Boll(ock)icles to that!
I want this bunch of bastards out of WM as fast as possible....

The flow of money leaving the UK is very very worrying

Which our taxes contribute towards.

So, an independent Scotland will stop paying towards them. That money will be used in our independent equivalents.

200 institutions which would have to be set up.

What really annoys me is the downright deceit of the Yes campaign.
They go round knocking on doors promising all these wonderful things coming from independence.

But when you ask what happens on independence day when they haven't been able to negotiate what they promised, the answer is, 'Well you only voted yes to independence, nothing more.'

Negotiation of trade duties and tariffs and if, lucky, customs unions, with the rest of the UK and the EU states.

Passing of huge amounts of new legislation to regulate the new country - surely its citizens could not be left without human rights, rights not to be discriminated against, employment rights, consumer protection rights, etc. - all of which are currently part of UK law an don't have Scottish versions or common law equivalents.

Yup, and all those institutions would have additional set up costs. Not the day to day running costs which we contribute to, the costs of creating new agencies, buildings, equipment, complex IT systems...that doesn't come for free

So, an independent Scotland will stop paying towards them. That money will be used in our independent equivalents.

We don't make enough already, that's why there's a deficit.

On top of this, we're contributing with 55 million others, so the cost is reduced by the economy of scale.

Then there are set up costs. Many of these institutions have evolved with the modern state, so we can't even properly calculate how much they actually do cost. It's like a business- the first few months are the most expensive. Only on a massive scale.

It goes without saying that our taxes pay for the UK agencies and public bodies and of course we wouldn't pay for UK agencies and public bodies if we were to be independent but having 2 sets of everything will cost more.