Remind me what's good about living in Scotland?

[CoralPaperweight]

I moved to Scotland 25 years ago (central belt) and I've had a great life here but over the last year or so I've got increasingly itchy feet. May be a post-Covid or age thing but I'm not sure I want to stay in Scotland forever - it just doesn't seem to be as appealing to me, and even the cities seem a bit flat at the moment. Realistically, I can't disrupt DS education at the moment, he's very settled and happy so please remind me of everything that is fantastic about life in Scotland. I'm forever reading threads about people who are desperate to move to Scotland and I'm not really seeing why at the moment.

That’s actually quite encouraging @Shunter350 as I think a lot of Tory voters didn’t vote, so hopefully this bloody referendum will never happen.

Even Joanna Cherry has said they need to spell out exactly how things like the finances and pensions would work, and I don’t think they’ll ever do that!

Ah, so this isn't about all of the great locations, activities and resources that Scotland has to offer ... < gosh! colour me surprised and confused> 🙄

If you hate living in a country where people vote differently from you and your intolerance to democracy negates all the positives of living in Scotland, then I'm genuinely sorry for you.

Everyone in Scotland has seen a party they didn't vote for in power whether at Westminster or Holyrood. It's the nature of democracy.

I adore politics but it definitely doesn't outway all the veritable jewels on my doorstep - the history; the scenery; the culture. Regardless of how other people vote, I always feel lucky to live in Scotland. And if I didn't, I definitely wouldn't spend years venting on social media. Carpe diem!

It’s the fact that we get SNP at every election who focus on independence and independence only to the detriment to public services that is frustrating.

Is Scotland going to get independence (or even a vote on it) anytime soon? No. It would be nice if this was recognised and NS got on with the day job.

Yes. The issues that should be being dealt with by the ScotGov are being ignored while they pursue showboaty, yet hugely unpopular policies like Named Person, Hate Crime, Gender Recognition.

Meanwhile there are serious problems with health, education, transport and infrastructure that are somehow just swerved and ignored, every time.

The political situation is really quite troubling, imo - and I say that as a former 'yes' voter and someone who's voted for the SNP in the past.

Still, there are the baby boxes ...

It doesn’t suit the SNP narrative for Scotland to be a successful part of the UK. We need to be downtrodden and grievance-ridden otherwise what sunlit uplands can independence and it’s ‘levers’ offer.

What we're saying @DaisyQuakeJohnson is that a lot of Scottish people aren't SNP fans foremost.

No, and yet the SNP are looking to the uk again to solve the cost of living crisis for them, despite having tax raising (and cutting) powers.

The cities are very very scruffy at the moment

Yes. Correct. It benefits the Nats for us to feel bitter.

We no longer live in Scotland (I’m Scottish).Things I miss -

The incredible scenery - mountains and lochs and long white unspoiled beaches

The fresh water from the tap.

The friendly people.

The accent - I always find it comforting to hear a Scottish accent!

I don’t miss -

The shit weather. I always hated never being able to expect a proper summer and the PRESSURE to go out and enjoy it on a sunny day. Where we live now it’s sunny April - Oct mostly.

The SNP and their awful, misogynistic, divisive politics. A real factor in our decision to move.

Love Scotland but not sure we will ever return there to live.

the PRESSURE to go out and enjoy it on a sunny day

Oh, god, glad this is not just me! I get really angsty when the sun's out, like you've got to try and pack in a whole summer in one afternoon in case that's it!

The extremely low voter turnout in British and Scottish elections means that every SNP voter is in a minority in Scotland. The majority of people eligible to vote chose not to vote for the SNP.

Exists in England too! So it's not a new problem to me. Both countries also have the weather becomes shite the day schools break up thing but a month apart...

Universal law re weather/school hols, then. Presumably follows same causality cycle as hanging out washing/precipitation.

To those planning on selling up if it was a yes. I’m afraid that would be too late, unless you can take a hit on losing value. You will never hear this from inde propaganda campaigns, but the absolute head mash of having borrowed from a U.K. bank, based on BoE interest rates, means anyone with a mortgage in Scotland will be screwed until they can work out where/who has loaned the mortgage money in which currency. Tip of the destructive iceberg.

It’s absolutely fine to adore where you live, but despise how those you didn’t vote for are destroying your once wonderful country. The never ending debate over independence, the growing xenophobia and post covid landscape make it a miserable place to live at the moment. No sign of that changing anytime soon. I completely understand why the OP is struggling.

I’m consistent with my opinions and don’t just ‘drop in’ around election time…sigh. In fact, we are thinking of leaving before the DC go to high school in two years time or before another neverendum, whichever comes first…

It’s the mortgage that worries me. A GBP mortgage, but earning groats to pay it with, and a ruinous exchange rate. Hoping to get our 3 through high school by the time an independence vote is nearing so we can sell and move, but so many people have no idea that if they have a mortgage the simple economics of independence will leave them bankrupt very quickly. It’s not just a matter of selling up, it’s getting your money out of the country before they introduce capital controls - as mooted in 2014.

"It’s absolutely fine to adore where you live, but despise how those you didn’t vote for are destroying your once wonderful country." @NowThatsWhatICall22

Aye, that's how I feel about the current UK government.

@Fairisleflora it'll be bawbees not groats!

Yes to the mortgage problem. The supporters just don’t understand or care about these things.

I also resent the way Scottishness and it’s symbols have been co-opted by the SNP, and you’re not truly Scottish if you don’t want independence

Capital controls - putting limits on people taking their own money out of the country or taxing it punitively - one of the reasons I'm buying a house in France now.

I've also heard 60% higher rate tax coming in at salaries over 35k in an independent Scotland to balance the books, but I don't think there will be independence...but who knows?

It’s so frustrating to hear that same argument for independence. We have no governance from the ‘tory party in Westminster’ in Scotland that impacts our day to day family lives. So currently voting in Scottish elections is your only option anyway, it’s irrelevant that you didn’t ‘vote in the tories’.

Health, Education, Police, extra tax payments, etc, etc. All ScotGov. Even the social benefits system which is a central issue is micro managed at a Scottish level too (it’s not processed by an anonymous centre in England who don’t understand how best to distribute it, as some leaders will have you believe). Anyway, this is derailing the OP’s thread now with the same old arguments…even though it demonstrates a reason to leave, not stay in Scotland.

Well to raise enough money to replace the Barnett formula from income tax alone you would have to double it.

Well it's alternatively sunny and pouring with rain where i am at the moment which I think sums up Scotland.

I have actually cheered up a bit in the last couple of days as I've made the effort to plan a couple of things for the next few weeks ... nothing terribly exciting but low key stuff that shouldn't get cancelled ie actually going into work and seeing colleagues, lunch out, walk and coffee etc

Its good to have plans, stops us mooching about fretting about everything. Or maybe thats just me? Anyway my washing has been out and in all day. Its either threatening to rain, lashing, or bright and sunny. Catching the sun is lovely but sporadic. Hope its a decent summer 🤞🤞🤞

I like a plan. Something to look forward to

I managed to get a washing dry in between showers today! So that's a win. I actually quite like the constant chat about weather and washings. My pals in the North West of England have the same chat.

@CoralPaperweight glad to hear you're feeling a bit brighter. Having things to look forward to always helps.

@NowThatsWhatICall22 my issue is the democratic deficit.

Defence, welfare, employment, foreign policy, immigration, trade all reserved amongst others. The people living in Scotland didn't vote for Brexit. But, because we're in the union we got it anyway regardless.

I'm no fan of the current Scottish government but at least we elected them.

Anyway, at least we can agree about the weather!