Please add your support for an independent Scotland

[grumplass]

Please comment on this thread to indicate how many supporters of independence are on Scotsnet.
Please do not post if you do not support.

@TeacupDrama hmm I think that's been analysed before and found wanting due to the use of whole UK statistics, constituency boundaries and first past the post versus proportional voting. It was a bit apples and pears.
It's been superseded by the last Holyrood election where remain was very clearly in the SNP manifesto.

aye

"Confidence and positive attitude are really the most important things in terms of achieving independence."

They really, really aren't though. This is exactly the argument that was used before Brexit - take back control, release our potential, let's not be held back any more...and we all know how that has turned out - or rather we don't yet, because 4 years on we are still trying to figure it out! Are we SERIOUSLY going to repeat the same mistakes again, and vote to leave without a plan in place first?? There are independent bodies that can assess economic plans (like the IFS) - it's not good enough to say its all too hard to predict so let's not even try. The economics/border issues etc. aren't 'distractions', they're the fundamentals! If the future is that uncertain, surely the best thing to do is wait until our situation is more stable at the very least.

Which I guess brings me back to my original point - surely you couldn't pick a worse time than now to push for this level of constitutional change.

@Y0uCann0tBeSer10us
My point is
We had a plan but it will never be good enough.
Brexit is getting through despite everything and that's because those who are driving it show unstoppable confidence.
It's the one leaf we must take from their book.

Broadly yes.

Anecdotally I have previously no-voting friends (finance industry, as well ) who are now yes, or more yes than no.

I think after The Vow and the past few years of Westminster politics, it’s a given really. Would like more Scottish politicians of other parties to take on some of the debate but I understand why they won’t (a unionist party is a unionist party) but it doesn’t make any difference actually because while they are hated by many, that’s not enough to put the rest off.

‘They’ being the SNP

The IFS is partly funded by the UK Government thus not politically neutral. It would be good if the Tories could create a paper demonstrating the benefit for Scottish people. Maybe they'll write it on a bus? Sorry, couldn't resist!

Yes and I’m English. I’m tired of hearing about it, just go!

Thanks @CountessFrog you'll be welcome to come on your holidays 😊

Aye!

So because you think Kate Forbes performed well in some clip with Douglas Ross that adds up to an economic case for independence that stacks up?

See frankly that is crazy talk...

Erm, nope. I'm not going to go into my background on here.

It's the patronising argument as no economists are of the view that Scotland's financially better off as an independent country.

Now THIS is crazy .
www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/pest-control-firm-forced-to-recall-faulty-face-masks-after-netting-170-million-ppe-contract/22/10/

No the difference is @Scotslassie1 that the uk govt IFS funding stays regardless of whether Scotland leaves the UK or not. The IFS has operational freedom to evaluate data and is held to account by many academic economists that interact and benefit from academic freedom from political influence through the tenure system.

Whereas Kate Forbes always knows the answer she hopes for when she starts out.

*as if

@goldenharvest

Of course, if they take their fair share of national debt, have their own banknotes, and are financially self sufficient. And pay the large petrol companies for their investment in off shore oil fields. And good luck with oil as the world switches to greener energy

And aren’t given money by us to provide free university places in Scotland and subsidise prescriptions, which are also free there I believe.

Just on the Shetland and indeed Orkney question, I read with interest an ongoing debate in the Shetland council of wanting greater autonomy from Holyrood similar to the Isle Man so maybe they will be off with their oil reserves in the ground and wind energy. Interesting times up north.

@AnoDeLosMuertos

We'll tell the jokes.

No x 10000 times

And aren’t given money by us to provide free university places in Scotland and subsidise prescriptions, which are also free there I believe
No we give you all our money and you give us a wee bit back!

We were strong no voters in the house but we have all changed to yes! And to be a bit controversial we also think people over a certain age should not be allowed to vote for our future generations. I believe if we had a an age limit on the brexit vote we would not be leaving, so yes and hopefully asap!

Nice - so you'd like to withdraw a democratic voice from anyone that you think might be in a cohort that doesn't agree with you? I'm no fan of brexit but I don't think resorting to disenfranchising people is a step towards freedom...

Well I don't agree with@lalahotpants there. However all EU nationals were actually disenfranchised in the Brexit vote no matter how long they had lived here or what their tax contribution was.
It's all one way to keep us in our place ...

I'm Yes and was last time round. Interesting to see the Unionist arguments haven't changed, the Shetland one is always amusing.

Long term poster here......

We are English, although we have lived in Scotland since 1998, coming here to work from university. We have loved living here and our proud to bring up our children as Scottish but I have become more and more disheartened, upset and concerned about the blinkered and anti English sentiment of late.

We work in the energy industry and I personally know several well-paid individuals in the north east of Scotland who are considering leaving Scotland should it become independent. Our own two person company pays in excess of £50k tax a year. Tax rates in England are lower and many higher paid individuals may consider leaving if Scotland becomes independent. Financial reasons aside, we would be keen to move to be nearer family without the obstruction of border controls.

In these difficult times, we should be unifying and working together rather than segregating. PMs come and go and Boris will be gone in the blink of an eye so I would hope people would support a longer term view of the advantages of the Union.

“And to be a bit controversial we also think people over a certain age should not be allowed to vote for our future generations.”

I absolutely hate this argument, as if older people don’t have children or grandchildren they want the best for. I suspect you’d be up in arms if a minimum age of say 25 was applied because younger people are more mobile and more able to escape to another country if having given it a shot it all went tits up. Perhaps we should start from the premise that everyone wants what’s best for Scotland and go from there.