Indyref 10. The Marathon Continues..

[WildThong]

All welcome

I guess in 400 years you could maybe find talks to reunify.

Nope - this is it folks. So for god's sake, don't vote yes because you don't like Boris or some other absolutely crisp reason (which I have heard over the last 10 days).

It really will change our nation forever.

Why is it irrevocable ?

I agree, it could be. But I don't think that will happen straight away

So how will we 'work together' exactly?

I don't know yet - what would you suggest?

Corey I know I'm one of the No regulars, and we've probably crossed swords at some stage, but I genuinely feel bad that you sound so down. I think almost everyone has been through a massive emotional and mental journey. we've explored issues important to us and those we may not have thought about before. I've gone from someone who shrinks at the thought of talking to strangers to someone who knocks on doors, makes canvass phone calls, and hands out leaflets in the street, inviting people to talk to me about their vision of the future. I genuinely think we are on a political journey here - I don't think independence now is the answer, but I promise if the vote is No I will push for change. Maybe one day we can campaign together?

Well then. Why are you using it as an excuse to make the economy smaller and more susceptible to the shocks of the international market? Because the first few years of independence are only going to make food banks more common.

bogqueen but how can we be sure anything will happen. The white paper promises a lot but is totally uncosted. My opinion is that this has given the WM government an almighty fright and the people who have engaged with politics now will make sure that change happens. I'm the last person to be a fan of Miliband, but he is not forever - this vote is.

According to the Scottish government, there are 545,200 people working in the public sector in Scotland (just over 20% of workforce) so that's quite a lot of people who will have an interest in assurances on how future public sector pensions will be paid.

It is of course less secure in the first place for private pensions (including company ones), but this might make them more expensive to run, thus reducing future payouts even further.

oops feked up bold. And heartily agree that I want this to be over. One way or another we can move forward then.

corey no doubt, Scotland on its own would be fine in the long run. But there are also many benefits to being part of a larger union as we currently have compared to being independent. I have banged on already about this so won't any more, but the potential for the future is really fantastic if we keep working together as partners, demonstrating what each one brings to the table and spreading the word internationally.

Sorry if I'm being stupid.

Blackcats please don't apologise! Certainly not a stupid question.

To be perfectly frank, I think the people of Scotland would be far better to get their hands down and work, because their productivity levels aren't that good in comparative European terms. Whatever the outcome. We need a bit less political activism, internet agitation and more people good at doing their jobs, being reliable and making the economy work.

And to answer it, Scotland will only want to be let back in if/when it goes tits up. And there's no reason for rUK to shoulder that burden.

A decision to go back in to a union would surely require a majority approval in both rUK and Scotland - unlike independence it would not be a unilateral decision. So it would require both countries to campaign for votes to unite, hold votes, and both agree. I suspect that is unlikely if we vote to separate and then want to rejoin - likely because it hasn't worked - that rUK would agree.

Unless of course we find that secret oil field, of course. Where is it this time? Under Edinburgh Castle?

*heads down!!! Hands?!

Heads down, arse up, mouth shut. Is that what you're aiming for chelsy? A quiet, obedient and compliant workforce?

Re the discussions earlier about the military.
Are the various army regiments content to be split up and assigned to Scotland or UK according to political whims?
Will they be allowed to choose which country to serve?
Will they all have the appropriate equipment and support?
What is this going to do for morale?

No more of the normal person on the street daring to be politically active. Those pesky opinions that they have, getting in the way of their work. Let's leave the politics to the clever men in suits, they know what's good for us don't they?

TheBogQueen I have asked this twice and not had an answer. How will you in an independent Scotland stop food banks and deprivation? It is a laudable goal but there needs to be more detail than 'it will happen if you vote yes'. Because from where I'm sat the funding for many of these programmes will be cut due to independence.

It's so sad that the very section of society most in need, and promised the most from independence, will be the first hit and the worst hit by the lack of money to support them.
But Salmond will have got his independence, so he can retire happy to write his memoirs

LovleyRitaMeterMaid it's lovely to be politically active, but it does tend to distract from things like making the economy run effectively. Which would attract trade and business to your newly independent country. Which would strengthen your EU membership. I think the point is to just get on with it no matter the outcome so it continues to make Scotland a strong country.

Just being on MN discussing this has taken hours out of my day!

Nearly 7000 of those in the public sector work for the Cumbernauld UK tax office. In the event of a yes vote they stand to lose their jobs, as the tax office will be moving south as UK tax records cannot be held outside the UK. That's 7000 people in one town unemployed within 2yrs.

Regarding eradicating food banks, or more so the need for them. As we are Scotland has no say over welfare. Things like the bedroom tax are an attack on the poor, as are blanket caps on benefits which ate effectively social cleansing. They are an attack on the poor because you have to be poor to be getting these benefits in the first place. Simple as that.

In an independent Scotland, Scotland will have control. The measures brought in to tackle high private rent bill's in London are affecting people here. We've shielded the most vulnerable here in Scotland from the bedroom tax by using £50 million of our budget to reimburse those affected. Even on the most simple of levels we won't have to take measures like that.

We can change the policies we currently have no control over to better suit the make up of our country.

We have a big public sector in Scotland compared to the UK. IIRC it's 21-22% in Scotland, 18% UK and only 16% in London. I don't see how an independent Scotland would support a proportionally larger public sector than that of the UK as a whole. The difference between Scottish proportion and UK proportion is 78000 jobs roughly

Rita Heads down, arse up, mouth shut. Is that what you're aiming for chelsy? A quiet, obedient and compliant workforce?

Me? No. Do you think theres something wrong with doing an honest day's work? Do you think its something to be scathing about and criticised? What is it you think employers look for their employees to do, if not be hard working, reliable employees?

I could be mean and ask about Comrade Tommy Sheridan's sterling employment record...the bit where he avoided being a higher rate taxpayer by only drawing part of his MSP salary so as just to keep him under the level where it kicked in, thus conveniently avoiding having to self assess, always struck me as very interesting.