Is England not shitting itself Scotland becomes independent cos then they will have the tories FOREVER

[ssd]

Its a thought isnt it....

DC must be rubbing his hands, get rid of those bloody labour voters in Scotland and we;ll be in gov forever!!!!

To Glaikit: I've recently visited two schools where there have been independence debates. In both, less than 25% voted for independence.

In my son's school, despite his SNP teacher's constant pressure (!) and despite a school magazine with Alex Salmond on the first three pages, independence is not popular.

I have the feeling (hearsay, I admit) that there are management cliques in a couple of schools who have strong views on the subject, and make them known to teachers and students. There are also a few teachers - a tiny minority - who have no scruples in propagating their pro-independence views. I have not heard of the Better Together team doing this.

The argument for letting 16- and 17-year-olds vote is that it is their future. But how many people at 16 even know which subjects they want to take at uni, or what job they want to do?

Having said that, in many ways I feel the country's future is safer in their hands than in the hands of people who base their decisions on decades of prejudice and ignorance.

The only thing is, as one teacher said to me, the young people are as likely to vote against what the teacher says - just because they don't like the teacher. But again - is that really a good way to decide whether Scotland should be independent??

Where would it leave Wales and Northern Ireland?

Stuck with Tory governments forever. That's why I'm against.

*Where would it leave Wales and Northern Ireland?

Stuck with Tory governments forever. That's why I'm against*

Not really. I'm not quite sure where people get this from as Scotland effectively has no say in which Party is in power, much the same as Wales and NI, as our populations are too small, I'm guessing significantly less than the population of London alone.

Sadly for Wales and NI they are screwed whichever way the Scots vote

I hope that the Scots (of which I am one) read up and vote with their heads not their (anti English, not me but there are a few!) hearts

At first it looked as if it would be Scotland's big loss to be out of the UK. Now it's looking more like the rest of the UK's loss if Scotland votes for independence. At first I thought they should stay and now I think go for it. Why not. And maybe there should be some redrawing of the borders just to add to the complications.

I don't know many folk here who are anti English just for the sake of it, I think many don't trust the tory gov but thats true for many in England as well.

Although I've seen quite a lot of anti Scottish bias here which surprises me.

does anyone know why Scottish people resident in England dont get to vote, yet expats living in Spain do?

Only Scottish residents have a vote in the indyref. Yes campaign link just incase anyone is easily offended!

And maybe there should be some redrawing of the borders just to add to the complications

I'm sure there will be. Land borders are fairly uncontroversial (I think) but the Westminster government has moved the marine boundaries a few times (in their favour of course)

Yes!
Let the England/Scotland border run from the Bristol Channel to the Wash.
That would make me happy.

Never thought of that - brilliant result. Bring it on and then those of us who are the net payers and the 1% who pay 3o% of the tax take might get more say in how our money is spent.

Labour will just have to change their policies to appeal more to (English and Welsh) people if Scotland leave the UK.

Or England and Wales will have to leave the UK also.
Let Northern Ireland have it.

@ HollyHB

No ones going to want the UK at this rate. It'll stand for Ununited Kingdom.

if i were scottish, i'd get rid of us ASAP.

I think i might move to scotland

So what would happen to the Lions? And the Six Nations? Priorities, priorities....

Six nations would be safe surely? Otherwise France and Italy would have to be in the union too? And the lions pick from those eligible for Ireland, which includes republic and northern. Rugby is safe!

And let's face it the British lions were really the Welsh Dragons on the last tour!

The British and Irish Lions (to give them team its full name) would be called........

.......wait for it........

........the British and Irish Lions

If Scotland does vote "Yes" it would leave the United Kingdom but does not leave Britain, which would a geographical impossibility

Don't understand the question about the Six Nations - it is already played as 6 different countries (hence the name ) - the United Kingdom is irrelevant in this rugby sense: two of the countries are outwith the UK and a third draws its players both from a non-UK country and part of the UK.

Yes I know. I'm sensitive to these things being Welsh. No need for the hmm face! It's just the whole "home nations" thing. And the triple crown.

Guess it's a non issue. I was just being a little facetious.

If Scotland leave the UK will get the Tories? Um...If more people in the New UK vote Conservative we will get a Tory government. But to get a Tory government we would have to be predominately a Conservative voting country, so 'we' would be getting what 'we' want. (Even if I'm a Labour voter). That's democracy.

Not with the current system, which means that even if a minority of people want the Tories we still end up with a Tory government.

I don't see that Scottish independence means we don't 'belong together': we share land mass and history, nothing can alter that. Independence simply means we are ruled separately. I feel strongly that small states have the right to self-determination: I doubt many would question the right of Luxembourg and Montenegro to independence, for example, despite long histories of rule by other countries. The political complexion of Scotland is now so different to England's that it seems only fair.

Isitmebut ^ next time I need confused ramblings on poorly digested economics, I'll know where to come...