To be Worried About How Bad The Atmosphere In The Uk Will Be In The Event Of A No Vote?

[CalamityClara]

The tension between the yes and no parties is awful. Campaigners from both sides are behaving in a very aggressive manner and I've even heard the odd report of people getting into physical altercations If the result of the referendum is no I fear Scotland is going to descend into chaos, things aren't just going to settle back down. How can we ever come back from this? I honestly fear there is going to be violence.

Please do not compare what happened in Northern Ireland to whats going on in Scotland.

Comparing what had happened in NI to the legitimate democratic process that's taking place in Scotland just shows ignorance to your own history.

I agree corkgirl

I think it will be worse for the 'No' voters if it's a Yes victory because things will change hugely for them against their will.

Whereas if the 'No' voters win, the Yes voters will be pissed off, but their lives will carry on as normal after the initial disappointment has worn off.

Of course it isn't Treaclesoda but what exactly does the PP mean by another Northern Ireland? Sectarian violence and terrorism. There are not going to be riots in the streets. I despair at the levels of hysteria being whipped up by the media.

This is a divided country, no doubt about it. There has been so much stirring and bitterness that whatever the result, there will be a huge number of people who are very unhappy.

I can only hope that the Politicians on both sides denounce all forms of violence (with no sarky comments), make it clear that they will respect the will of the Scottish people, and appeal for calm.

WooWooOwl commented on the relatively small amount of anti_scottish feeling in England at the meoment and whether this would increase in the case of a Yes vote. I don't think it would, but I can imagine in years to come should Scotland find itself in the position that Ireland did when it needed a bail out there would be a great deal of resentment.

I also think that the No vote will be bigger on the day than polls are suggesting now. I think that for the average voter who is not usually especially politically active or aware, it's very easy to say you want independence and to think you like the idea of independence, and I bet there is a good deal of hot air being spouted down the pub and around the water machine about voting Yes, but that will suddenly evaporate when they are standing in that ballot box. The fear of the unknown and the collective weight of responsibility for the future will get the better of people and they will decide 'better the devil you know.'

I think there will be civil unrest one way or the other.

Let's hope the outcome is decisive either way.

HiImBarry, I agree - why don't I have a say? I am English, living in England. Why is it only the Scots who can decide whether they can destroy the Union? The rest of the country has been completely disenfranchised - we should all have been asked.

Calm down everyone. It will all be fine.

londonrach I'm not sure why you think we are anti-English? The referendum isn't about not liking the English? I'm sure you can find lots of idiots on the internet saying anti-English stuff but there's equally amounts of pretty horrible anti-Scottish stuff out there too. In real life I haven't heard anyone say they'd vote yes because they don't like the English - it's about us not you.

I wonder if AS will actually breath a sigh of relief if it's No.

I imagine he will

It's a bit like volunteer to be a conscript in a war when you'd rather stay under your cosy duvet, I imagine. You have to be seen to want to go and do your bit.

"I agree - why don't I have a say? I am English, living in England. Why is it only the Scots who can decide whether they can destroy the Union? The rest of the country has been completely disenfranchised - we should all have been asked."

But what is it that you want a vote on? Whether the whole Union is disbanded? Or, whether Scotland is allowed to vote for independence? Or, whether you want Scotland or a mother member country to be booted out?

indyandlara , ok I understand what you mean to an extent, but it does grate a bit when you're from Northern Ireland and the impression elsewhere seems to be that the entire population is completely incapable of rational thought, and if only we were more civilised, like everyone else and could just calm our tempers a bit, all would be fine. I've lived here all my life and don't actually personally know anyone who thinks that violence is a suitable solution to things, but at the same time I'm not capable of stopping anyone who does think that way.

Corkgirl made a very valid point that the referendum in Scotland is totally different to what went on in Ireland in the past. But on the other hand it's a sobering thought to look at different countries and see how quickly people who have been on opposite sides of a divide can become enemies very quickly where they were friends before.

When you are punishing the Scots for narrowly voting one way or the other (as some of you seem to suggest) please remember that most of us didn't want this, the vote will be very evenly split and so half of us will be pissed off whatever happened.

And, many of us are not even Scottish. (Yorkshire born, bred all over, live in Scotland). Many of us didn't even vote for the Scottish parliament, never mind wanting DevoMax or anything else.

Some of us even vote Conservative (not many fewer than voted SNP in the last General Election).

Many of us are British to our core and will be heading South back to where we came from in the event that the nutters prevail.

Treaclesoda sorry if I offended. Hastily and badly worded post. I was responding the post where someone said we were heading to another NI situation, as if everyone in Scotland who votes opposite to what is democratically voted next week will suddenly be rioting. Scotland is well used to coping with political disappointment. The 2 situations are not compatible.

Wanting to be independent doesn't mean that you are anti-English, simply that you don't think Westminster us not best placed to rule your country. I wasn't there in 1707 but I'm here now and am privileged to be able to vote in this referendum. Like most Scots I will accept the decision whichever way it goes.

Bright. All we seeing is whats in the papers and on the TV down here. :-(.

Nutters, idiots,crazy, stupid. Nothing more likely to encourage people to vote Yes than suggesting they are too stupid to manage their own affairs.

see how quickly people who have been on opposite sides of a divide can become enemies very quickly where they were friends before

On a very personal level, my friend of 33 years has been posting vitriol on her FB about No voters, and how we're a)not true Scots and b)fucking Tory lackeys - with lots of accompanying 'likes' from her other friends. I'm really struggling to come to terms with this - a very intelligent woman (with English parentage) behaving in this way. I don't think we will ever go back to being friends tbh

I hate it when my fb friends post very political stuff. I have friends who are very left wing and friends who are (not very, but nevertheless) right wing. I feel like a tennis ball sometimes. I just stay out of all of it.

Nothing more likely to encourage people to vote Yes than suggesting they are too stupid to manage their own affairs

Hardly.

"When you are punishing the Scots for narrowly voting one way or the other (as some of you seem to suggest) please remember that most of us didn't want this, the vote will be very evenly split and so half of us will be pissed off whatever happened."

Who are the many here suggesting that the scots should be punished?

I'm dreading a 'Yes' outcome. Salmond will be a nightmare, pressing for every minute detail of detachment to be on the most favourable terms for Scotland, with no regard for the effect on the rest of the Union. And I think his judgment is highly suspect. Donald Trump ran rings round him and made it look easy. I've not heard him present a single, supportable fact re. the viability of the Scottish ecomony outside the Union. I'm also worried about the effect on our economy, particularly if we then go on to leave the EU. We're in the land of milk and honey now, compared to what could be ahead.

indyandlara, thank you, I was probably a bit hasty and defensive. Thereby reinforcing the national stereotype that I was complaining about!

I hope all is well in Scotland after the vote, it's a fantastic country.

Interestingly I think if violence were to break out anywhere in the UK as a result of the Scottish referendum, it will probably be in NI, if Scotland votes yes. Because a yes vote will leave NI even more isolated and it could well be seen as a good opportunity for one final shove for NI to leave the UK too.

I think there will be riots if there is a no vote.

If its a yes vote, im bloody tempted to move up there.