to think that if scotland and ireland where independent countries we can all pay at least half the amount of tax.

[bluegreysky]

in england we would all be better off as we wouldn't need to pay anywhere near as much tax, to support scotland and ireland's finacial dependence.

im sick of the way they bleat on about wanting to be there own country and independent.
and the scotish kids getting uni free, funded by us etc.

what do you think?

well i am scottish and i cannot stand the SNP

that salmond twat makes me puke

as dh says, i wouldnt tire of punching his bloated face

I have no idea wtf you're talking about and I can't make my mind up whether I'm Scottish or English, so I'll just sit and wait until expat posts her malt loaf recipe.

Custardo - maybe start a new thread about it. Twould probably be taken more seriously

custardo - well said! I have been in scotland nearly 9 yrs and initially did think that independence was something spouted by the SNP every 4 yrs. since they have been in power however we have had big changes (for the better imho) such as reduced prescription charges with plans to abolish them like wales, nhs funding being more accountable (ie keep monklands a&e open but then your health centre cant be upgraded - the electorate will realise that funds arent finite).

it does get me that we have all the oil within a few miles of the scottish coast yet westminster get all the revenue but that would have to change.

there are currently discussions here about a local income tax to replace the council tax which would be interesting.

however funding will be a major sticking point cos per head, more money is spent on people in scotland than england by the treasury at the moment (we have one of the highest rates of heart disease in the developed world).

the other point is that geographically, although scotland represents about 1/2 the land mass of the UK, it only supports about 5million people so councils have an uphill task maintaining the infrastructure to ensure that all communities have access to services.

sorry that should read that fund ARE finite

ifaik its free and you get a student loan as well

if you are a uk resident your fees are paid for you

I haven't read the thread but isn't it true we pay higher for our prescription so the scottish can have theirs free?

I haven't read the thread but isn't it true we pay higher for our prescription so the scottish can have theirs free?

i doubt it somehow

Message withdrawn

juneybean - we dont get free prescriptions. we pay £5 per item. welsh prescriptions are free

Ahh sorry, I knew someone was getting them free lol

yes i did prune

did you get my text?!

Um, can I just point out that the OP is bluegreysky who IMO is a troll - has started off a pile of facile debates and has no history prior to 7/8/08. No connection to me, blueskythinker

Duly noted bst!

LOL at Alec Salmond, NailPolish. Smarmy and smug, smug, smug! Don't get me started on Nicola Sturgeon.....

How tedious......Scots don't get free prescriptions nor free higher education.

If we're in the business of divvying-up resources, we'll have my sister and her two best friends back. They were educated in Scotland and are now all working in the health service in England, doing essential jobs that there aren't enough trained English people to do.

I'll also happily take back my army sergeant uncle. Think I'm right in saying that Scotland, per head of population, has traditionally supplied the most army personnel.

And if bgs wouldn't mind popping my contribution to the London Olympics back in the post, we'll call it a day...

well we all get free education over here in the republic (although now the govt are trying to take that away from successful people as well,but that's another thread) so the old independence has done wonders from us.
i have no idea how we'd be affected if the op's wish came true and we were granted independence once agai as i'd imgine being granted independence from ourselves would be a logistical nightmare.

I'm ignorant of the facts too but I think some of the thinking behind the op's post is that as the population is more widely dispersed and rural in Scotland the provision of services is more expensive. Of course there is oil revenue to consider too but I've been given understand that London is the only net contributor to the national coffers.

at mayorquimby, that would be what is generally known as anarchy, am i right?

yes i presume it would.
but even this shower in government (the catch all phrase for when your not quite sure who's in power or how well they are actually performing)m would manage make a balls of anarchy. we'd just end up with no busses or something

There are busses? No-one told me