To move to Scotland because of Brexit?

[Fucksandflowers]

DH is seriously talking about it.

We’ve always liked Scotland anyway...

DH is English, but looks foreign and gets an astounding amount of racism, at least weekly.

Genuinely fearful of the apparent growth of right wing politics in this country, DH in particular is worried if Farage gets in the racism is going to get even worse.

Anyone who lives in Scotland, what is it like?
Are people generally tolerant?
Any areas that are particularly nice and too expensive?

😂😂 yes please do

I've lived in Scotland for over twenty years and only got abuse for being English once. It was on the bus, a couple of yobs, and I when I gave them a bollocking, I got a round of applause and they got off at the next stop, utterly mortified. Other than that, it's fine.

Until a year ago we lived in Edinburgh (DH is from Edinburgh) and now we live in rural Fife. Our nearest village is pretty deprived but even there in the Coop, I've never had so much as a dirty look even with the decidedly jolly-hockey-sticks accent that I struggle to hide, try as I might.

There are obviously pockets of prejudice and resentment, as there are everywhere, but on the whole I find Scotland to be a more outward-looking place, friendlier to incomers (look at the Refuweegees and how refugees were welcomed rather than resented).

Scottish independence is another thing and I'd want some positive noises from the EU before another referendum. I voted Yes last time, but that was with the reassurance of EU membership. But then, as someone said upthread, Westminster are actively hostile so why not do it? It would be tough but tough from our own choice, not being dragged into a no-deal Brexit by the likes of Bo-jo and Rees-Mogg.

And the "families were divided by the indy ref and it caused massive ongoing schisms" claims from the unionists is rubbish. Far more schisms caused by Brexit - my step-dad voted Leave and I find it difficult to even be civil to him. If it happens, I don't think I'll ever forgive him.

I'd never move back to England. It's not my country anymore. If asked, I say I'm Scottish, then British. Never English.

So come and join us, it's a good place to be.

It’s not significantly better up here really. We’ve got shitty racists just like England does. It is generally a more left wing / tolerant place than England but not by much, and very much depends on the area.

That said - it’s a beautiful country! And much less congested that most of England. So by all means move, but don’t do so in the hope of escaping awful Brexit shittiness.

I live in a commuter town just south of Glasgow and it’s nice enough.

Glasgow is AWESOME. You’ll love it here.

I live in Glasgow and think you'd be mad to move just because of Brexit. In spite of what the SNP try to tell you Scotland isn't much different from England.

And we'll definitely not slip straight back into the EU. They've been told this countless times, by the EU.

PMSL!

I'm not sure why some posters find this so funny tbh.

And we'll definitely not slip straight back into the EU. They've been told this countless times, by the EU

By Spain, before the Catalonian independence referendum. Because they'd have vetoed it because of that. Now they've squashed the result, they've explicitly said they wouldn't block an independent Scotland joining the EU. Josep Borrell I believe was the chap who said it, a Spanish minister.

I'm not sure why some posters find this so funny tbh.

Because it's only bigoted if it's aimed at the English. Scots are fair game. Fucking arseholes.

I'm Scottish and live in Argyll and Bute area and we are generally tolerant. I have lots of friends who are English and don't bat an eyelid.

There is some racism but its more found in a small minded minority. Immigrants are usually well received as long as they become part of the community. We have a lot of Syrian refugees here and they are the ones who got most flack when they moved here but that didn't last long and they are now just "one of us" with homes and business' like everyone else.

For people who worry about the whole referendum stuff and being disliked for being English that is generally just what is portrayed in media to make it look worse than it actually is. We don't hate the English up here (the normal people who don't hate for the sake of it anyway). We are all part of each other - we can all find traces of each other in our family tree. We all live on this island together. The anger is directed at the government and isn't personal (in my experience anyway) so you shouldn't get targeted for that.

@GreyofSunshine

You really don't get why people find this funny???

Oh dear! 😂😂

I'm not sure why some posters find this so funny tbh.

Because it's on par with all the posts about moving abroad because the Tory's got in, Trump won etc etc

It's becoming a tired Internet meme, the amount of posts on here from posters with crying 6 year olds on election night moving abroad is not in proportion to those who actually moved abroad. The same without irony after brexit with posters (with crying children again) wanting out of racist Britain and move to a country with a points based immigration system. Also this mindset that Scotland is some left wing utopia

I wouldn't call a 24% margin of victory 'narrow'.

I wouldn't try and paint it as some utopia either.

www.heraldscotland.com/news/17604452.polls-show-almost-half-of-scots-think-immigration-levels-too-high/

A lot of the brexit vote is somewhat muddied by the anti downing street scenario going on.

@Justanotherlurker

If someone is experiencing an increase in abuse in the area they live in, I don't think it's unreasonable (or funny) for them to consider their options.

As you touch on, Scotland appears to have a reputation for being more tolerant. Is that reputation deserved? Probably not, but it's not ridiculous to ask, like the OP did.

@intheheatoflisbon

Yes, having to apply to rejoin (and then having to meet the criteria). The OP suggested we would simply remain a member which is not the case. The letters from the EU are on the parliament website, it's what salmon was lying about.

Well one of the things anyway

I wouldn't try and paint it as some utopia
Nor would I or, so far as i can see, many (any?) other posters in here. Was just pointing out that your claim that the Remain win in Scotland was 'narrow' is dubious.

Also considering that scotland has less immigration compared to Britain it induces a lot of double think of the staunch vocal remainer voter.

I have faced more racism in Scotland being a non white woman than i have here, even after the brexit vote, it could be considered xenophobic as I do sound like midlander but then even that can be downplayed and brushed aside in some circles by using the wishy washy power+ academic approach

Ahhh, that small town Scotland.

Property may be cheaper but depending on what you earn you may pay more income tax than in England. “Free” prescriptions and a baby box don’t cover it.
Education is going down the shitter and the police service is a mess.
Don’t believe the free university place nonsense either.
Westminster is an absolute shambles but it’s not much better in Scotland.

*Salmond

And we've always known we'd have to apply to rejoin. It was always written off as all member states need to agree and Spain had been clear it would veto. It's now clear that it wouldn't, meaning all member states would be in agreement.

Nobody thinks it'll be quick or easy, but what it is is possible.

Unless you read the MSM.

Sturgeon has destroyed Scotland.

You and your DH are very naive OP.

Love these threads. The Wicker Man wasn't a documentary, you know.

Scotland is great. And we don't treat the English like shit - we just hope you lose the World Cup

In all seriousness, the Scots are generally a very tolerant and accepting people but there are always dickheads. After the Brexit vote, my Pakistani friend was racially abused in our local supermarket. A few years before that, she was called a terrorist in front of her entire maths class at school by a substitute teacher (who was promptly fired). So racism happens as it does everywhere.

But if you want to move here, go ahead. Join us. Help us campaign for them to change Irn Bru back to the old recipe.

I'd recommend looking at towns rather than cities as they are cheaper.

You could move to an area of Scotland and find it to be worse than the area you left in England. You could move to a new area of England and be very content. Or vice versa. Luck of the draw.

I've lived in both countries for large periods of my life, Scotland isn't a utopia anymore than England. It has it's shite parts the same as any other place. What it does have is a far smaller population than England, less than London. This can make it feel less 'claustrophobic' (for use of a better term) compared to the densely populated areas of south-east England, so it is easier for people to get along on the surface when everyone isn't living right on top of each other all the time.