Historic night for Scotland

[fartingfran]

Spine tingling stuff!

cedar, enlighten us and give examples of "anti-tory war mongering" (what is that?) because you are so good at facts.

TBH I don't really care if I'd have to pay a bit more tax to live in an independent country. Some things are priceless.

The Isle of Man isn't part of the UK (or the EU) and the standard of living there is high.

Globally over the last 20 years there has been a move towards smaller nation states. I dont think the nationalist debate is unique to the UK. If we split maybe Catalonia and the Basque country will be next.

If Scotland becomes independent, will the English just be able to move there willy nilly like they can now?

If it remains in the EU, yes.

I sometimes wonder what would happen to 'British' orgs like the BBC after independence.

A lot of things are already seperate like law, banking (less so recently), education and the church but a lot of things we take for granted are 'British' rather then Scottish or English. I dont think this is a arguement against independence just an imagining of what change would mean in day to day life.

Tavish Scott is standing down as Scottish Lib Dem leader now too.

Well the SNP have no effective opposition ... But the LibDems and Labour Parties will live to fight another day, no doubt.

It's dangerous for one party to have too much power. Look what happened to Blair in 1997. So let's hope the other parties sort themselves out quickly.

Even before this election, the SNP had no effective opposition. You only had to watch FMQs to witness that!

R.E. Scottish Independence, here's what i think:

There are 2 things that could happen that would make sense (in my ideal, if-i-ruled-the-world kind of way)

The system we have just now isn't fair on England, and is breeding resentment. England should have their own parliament that doesn't have to deal with the rest of the UK, just as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do. We are a union of countries, not just one big country, the way that i see it, and we all should have the same democratic processes, or at least the ability to choose. We could keep Westminster to deal with UK-wide things and Scotland could still be part of Britain.

Or Scotland becomes independent.
My gut says that would be the best thing but i have my reservations living in the East End, given Northern Ireland and the situation with sectarianism.

Anyone any idea how it would all work? I asked an SNP candidate about it a couple of years ago but 1) None of this seemed very likely at the time and 2) I was a bit pissed.
I remember him saying that we would just keep the scottish divisions of military etc, that the SNP were expecting a 'No' outcome if we ever did get a referendum, and that Kenny MacAskill once spent a night in the cells after a Scotland-England football match at Wembley.

If Scotland ever achieved independence I would bugger off there. An eternity of toryengland would be awful, the conservatives would get in time after time, unless they did something mental like build new council houses.

I agree the system isn't fair to England, an English assembly perhaps?
Scottish MPs should not be allowed to vote on exlusively English matters at
Westminster either - it isn't fair.
I do think though, that since getting a Scottish Parliament it has only shown the polarity between English and Scottish politics.
The Tories will never win over the Scots either at Holyrood or Westmister, so Independance may become inevitable.

SNP MP's only vote when it concerns Scotland, they do not vote on matters which only concern England.

Labour MPs with seats in Scottish constituencies have always voted on England/Wales only legislation (e.g. Brown / Darling) etc. This is the West Lothian question which Tam Dalyell raised as an issue about 25 years ago. Nothing has happened.

There will be an interesting debate about free universities if Scotland obtains independence. I was reading an article which suggested that free university education for Scottish and EU ugs would be subsidised by English/Welsh undergrads paying full fees. If Scotland were independant, the standard EU rules would apply so England and Wales would pay exactly the same as scottish/ EU undergrads.

I feel sorry that Tavish Scott is standing down. The Lib Dems were no longer an option for a lot of people when they decided to prop up the Labour gov. for so long. Ironic really.

I certainly never voted for them after that. Hopefully wee whiney Nicol Stephen doesn't return, he was tainted by the negative slant Labour favour and look where that got them!

I cannot think of one decent Labour MSP who could be leader! (Gordon Brown is thinking of making a comeback, yeah, that'll help.) The Tories better keep Annabel Goldie because she is the only one to give Salmond a proper debate rather than childish mudslinging the other two do.

FYI I didn't ask for anyone's post to be deleted, it is much better to expose the truth behind someone's character no matter how vile the content.

here is that report i have been talking about, not Harvard, i mis-remembered, it's George Mason Uni, Washington, and St Andrews.
www.newsnetscotland.com/economy/861-world-renowned-economist-says-scotland-subsidising-rest-of-uk

Aitch
Have bookmarked for the next thread where the bigots pile in for a bit of Scotland bashing.

That's Annabel Goldie resigned now - a hattrick of opposition leaders. I can't think of any outstanding MSPs in the other three parties who would be considered natural successors.

The SNP have a completely clear field. (Repeating myself): Please let them use their power wisely ...

Aitch thanks for the link, good website :)

there's a documentary on about the campaign in 15 mins