AIBU that an independent Scotland ill have to have a hard border to ensure the rest of the UK keeps control of its borders when Scotland joins theEU

[monstiebags]

Whilst I totally agree that Scotland has the right to become independent, it seems to me that they want to push though a vote without telling the people how they expect to fund themselves, what currency they will use and what trading agreement they expect to have with the UK. I really think that these things should be made clear to the rest of the UK before they are allowed their rightful vote - A weak Scotland using our currency could drag us all down with them and a soft border would encourage the continued uncontrolled migration to England via Scotland. AIBU

Are you sure about that?
Have you heard of the EU?
Let alone the CTA?

"And schools and the NHS - what a cheek blaming their poor performance on the English. They are both devolved"

But NHS spending is set by Westminster, so the more NHS England moves towards privatisation, the less NHS Scotland has in its budget. The Scottish government tops up health service spending to improve services, unlike NHS England, which is seeing the longest period of austerity on record.

"Eh?? Sturgeon wants to get rid of trident" Yes, but the remainder of the UK will have to find a suitable alternative site, which is not so easy considering the requirements for the nuclear submarines/warheads. In the meantime, I'm sure the site could be leased to the government in Westminster for a reasonable sum

@ChristmasSpiritsOnThRocksPleas - Britain and Ireland don’t have a hard boarder. That doesn’t mean that I can just move to Ireland and get a job there without applying for the relevant visas first.

Firstly, Britain and Ireland don't have a border (or a boarder for that matter - got to love auto correct). The UK and Ireland have a border. And secondly, yes, you can move to Ireland and get a job there without any form of visa.

Boris believes countries should be able to make their own laws,control their own borders etc etc etc - not sure why that doesn't apply to Scotland?

@monstiebags exactly. We have £ currency issued by Scottish banks - it’s not only the Bank of England that can issue £.

“ My God. You said upthread that we'd be fine as our GDP is 50th in the world. That is also under the status quo. So are we doing well just now or not?”

The question was of size, and GDP and GDP per capita are two completely different things. The UK’s GDP per capita is lower than the Republic of Ireland’s and Scotland’s is lower than the UK’s.

The GDP being close to the top quartile was a response merely to the question of size.

So simple.

“ Eh?? Sturgeon wants to get rid of trident.”

It’s a massive engineering project which will take 10 years.

“ But we'd start off on Day One with the status quo. How would you propose to reduce the deficit? It's not imaginary, it's the difference between Scottish tax receipts and Scottish spending.”

We certainly would not start off with the status quo.

I think scotland being independent would be better for England so if there was a vote for the English people I'd vote for scotland to have independence.

Racism?FFS! Those of you using this word with abandon, why not look it up in a dictionary before you you use it any more. Also those saying Scotland can just continue to use the pound, get a grip! One country can't just appropriate another country's currency. I should think it pretty certain Scotland would have to take the Euro. Would still love to know more about the proposed border though.

Why would we not start off with the status quo? Actually you're right, we'd have the same costs but less money available to meet those costs, because we wouldn't have the fiscal transfer from the UK. We wouldn't be able to balance the books. How can you claim otherwise?

We could use the £ but we wouldn't have a central bank to back it up, and no control over monetary policy. Which is a pretty dodgy situation to be in, and not one that's compatible with EU entry conditions.

People who want independence, what do you think we would be able to do, and would have the voter support to do, that we don't do now? What exactly are we not doing, that would make us great again? (yes, deliberate use of nationalist rhetoric)

Why would we suddenly start voting left wing en masse when we don't so much now? It's a total fantasy.

And yes, it is not racist to call the SNP out for what they are. It's criticism of a political party, which is healthy part of modern democracy.

Even criticism of Scotland as a country (which i haven't seen anyone doing), while unpleasant and possibly xenophobic, isn't racism.

Sturgeon is an arsehole. I’m a Scot who lives in England and it depresses me to watch my home country be destroyed in the pursuit of so called independence

Eh? You don’t live in Scotland, It’s not your country, and the only thing destroying it is successive Tory gov inflicting unnecessary misery. You can keep them and we can move on and make decisions about what is best for us.

Paraphrasing 'if Scotland is that rubbish and unable to support itself, why does England even want to hold on to it?'

Because nation states don't just eject parts that are less economically successful, as everyone knows. How weird would that be? Wales generally has the lowest GDP per capita - has anyone suggested we kick them out? It's not some kind of fee-paying member's club. What kind of way would that be to live? Maybe Scotland should cut off parts that bring in fewer taxes and cost more. Let's be simultaneously left wing and really mercenary.

Sturgeon is an arsehole. I’m a Scot who lives in England and it depresses me to watch my home country be destroyed in the pursuit of so called independence

Eh? You don’t live in Scotland, It’s not your country, and the only thing destroying it is successive Tory gov inflicting unnecessary misery. You can keep them and we can move on and make decisions about what is best for us.

"What first made you feel that the Scottish independence movement wasn't entirely positive and welcoming?"

It's her home country FFS. Has she said she supports the Tories?

“ Also those saying Scotland can just continue to use the pound, get a grip! One country can't just appropriate another country's currency.”

Yes it can. Do you know how man countries use the US Dollar as their official currency? Did you know that Lichtenstein uses the Swiss Franc, and also parts of Italy, despite Italy being in the Eurozone?

Come on, be sensible.

I think claiming that Nicola Sturgeon is to blame for destroying her country was absolutely ridiculous and deserved that reply. Scotland is not being destroyed.

The SNP just won 80% of the seats in Scotland in a general election, won the European elections and has won Scottish elections and been in power since 2008. Lots and lots of people support the SNP, blaming one person belittles the fact that this is a movement, a lot of people want independence.

The SNP isn’t perfect but have at least attempted to support very vulnerable people here in Scotland. I can only assume that some people are unaware of this or don’t think this matters. It matters not a jot that you are Scottish by birth, if you live elsewhere you don’t get a say in what happens here. Oh, and I did jump to the conclusion that someone who is unaware of the mitigation against austerity that’s going on here and thinks Scotland is being destroyed by wanting democracy and self determination must be a Tory.

“"What first made you feel that the Scottish independence movement wasn't entirely positive and welcoming?"“

Could it have been your goady insults about Sturgeon which got you that response or did it just happen in a vacuum?

“ Why would we not start off with the status quo? ”

Because there would be a financial settlement prior to Independence Day.

“ We could use the £ but we wouldn't have a central bank to back it up, and no control over monetary policy. Which is a pretty dodgy situation to be in, and not one that's compatible with EU entry conditions.”

So we’ll bin the pound and have our own currency and central bank and join the EU. Or we’ll keep the pound and join EFTA.

Fine.

Oh, and the £ is not another countries currency. It’s the British pound created at the same time as the Act of Union. The Bank of England is the central of bank of the U.K., just because it’s name the Bank of England doesn’t mean its owned by England.

Boris has said no, which I think has probably signed his death warrant.

Eh? You don’t live in Scotland, It’s not your country, and the only thing destroying it is successive Tory g

I'm sorry did you just tell a Scottish person whether they get to be Scottish and then segue to a "Tory governments" soundbite without taking breath? Amazing.