I am currently very pro Scottish Independence…

[Iheartscotland]

what do you think, objectively, are the best arguments for independence?

and/or

for remaining in the union?

Answers that are well reasoned and backed up with facts and figures would be great, but you know- go with whatever you feel.

Haven’t you learnt from Brexit though?

The cost of separation is to both sides with the smaller being damaged more

Very anti independence. Not planning on giving my reasons so the SNP-bots can either educate me into thinking “correctly” or take notes so they can spaff more ££££ on marketing, white papers and “research”.

The only positive I could see coming out of independence would be that the SNP might finally be held to account for their appalling policies and the disaster that is the education system. At the moment the only focus is on independence when the Scottish government should concentrating on what is actually important. Just depressing.

Gosh it's refreshing to see someone asking so many questions and in such a professional manner. Perhaps you could tell us why you are so pro indy or doesn't that fit your remit?

🤣🤣🤣🤣 me too

So, who are you working for, OP?

Yeah me 3.

If someone declares for one side of the debate then I'll wait for their arguments before giving mine. Joking aside it smacks off a very poor attempt at data collecting.

*sp - of

I’m English although with Scottish relations who are all strongly opposed to Independence. A few years ago I was doing quite a lot of work there and almost without exception the (quite senior) professionals I worked with were of a similar view.

Sturgeon isn’t politically my cup of tea, but she’s seemed pretty sensible compared with the ongoing shower of whatsits we have. With the disaster that is brexit, I can understand a lot of people saying they don’t need Westminster. Once independent Scotland could join the EU. But that’s problematic and would face veto from various countries.

what I don’t understand is Sturgeon’s stance on women/trans people. She didn’t need to go there and it’s lead to her resignation. Speaking to a very pro independence colleague last week (used to work for SNP) he thinks current issues have set back independence for 30 odd years. He was scathing about all 3 candidates.

I'm anti-SNP and independence because I can't see one thing the SNP have done that's benefitted Scotland and I don't see what would be so great about an independent Scotland.

The country is a mess. Nicola Sturgeon's constituency is particularly grim for the poor folks living there. Yet they put council tax up. Then they do something meaningless that has no real impact, like introduce a 'baby box' as a PR stunt and harp on about it, whilst blaming Westminster for Scotland's drug and education troubles. They've had the ferry scandal, the 16 year old scandal, I'm sure there's a fraud investigation ongoing, Alex salmond scandal...

I hate the tories as well btw.

I'm a Scot, living in England, married to a Scot.

I support the right of a Country to be self governing, but I would be sad to see the Union broken up. I don't think Devolution has been the gift that Scottish voters thought it would be, and the SNP haven't exactly glorified themselves with regards to health, education, transport, etc.

I think a lot of Scottish independence voters come from a "nationalist" mindset - something I was glad to leave behind when I moved away. I think that Great Britain is a small country, having a split would create even more of an "us and them" mindset in Scotland.

I'm not politically astute enough to argue this with facts and figures, but so much about voting isn't about facts and figures is it? It's about how people feel.

I think Brexit has demonstrated quite thoroughly that unions are better than division.

Scotland and the rest of the Union are happier and more powerful together. Look at the constant chaos, bureaucracy and customs problems at the Northern Irish border. Why would you inflict that on Scotland, when it’s so easily avoided?

What I would like to see is an end to the SNP’s obsession with Scexit and instead the best Scottish politicians getting more involved in Westminster and taking power over the whole Union. Nicola Sturgeon went a bit weird but if she’d focused on being a great British politician instead of trying to destroy the Union, she could have been a fabulous Prime Minister. God knows we need some decent politicians in England! Please lend us some 🙏

I voted yes in the referendum, but if we had another one (which I don't think we should) I would vote no, I feel just the referendum itself caused so much divide in society and that's with yes losing and us not going off to form an indy Scotland, which would have been even more fracturing, much like the brexit one. Before even getting into the economics side.

I am English, a long way from Scotland and with no ties to Scotland so my opinion is completely irrelevant. But, as you asked…

I am very happy for the Scots to stay, I’ve never met a Scottish person I didn’t like (though that may change if I ever meet some of the politicians!) and tend to think the more the merrier; it’s nice to have close ties to our neighbours.

However, I do find it irritating that the Scots get a lot more government funding per head than people in other areas of the UK and the benefits that go with that funding (as others have mentioned on this thread) but still seem to spend a lot of time complaining about the English and being part of the Union. It’s the English and the Union that are paying for these extra funds, maybe an independent Scotland would find a way to have an economic boom and replace the funding, who knows? But for now they are taking proceeds of our taxes and complaining about it a lot of the time.

So I guess my view is stay or go as you wish, marginal preference for stay, but if you stay then please stop complaining.

All of this.

OP why do you want Scotland to be even more fucked than it is, or have you fallen for the bollox peddled by the SNatziP?

I am not completely anti-Independence but think it should only be considered once it has been properly thought through and plans made for currency, defense, pensions etc etc (I’m sure there are many more things that currently inextricable intertwined with the rest of the UK. It is absolute madness to even consider independence without the answers to these things. When speaking with a pro- Indy SNP supporter recently, I asked how they thought these things would work and their answer was simply “that’s not for the SNP to answer, that’s all to be sorted later” Wtf?!!!

Scot but not living in Scotland at the moment. If you think Brexit was a stupid move (which I do), it will seem like a walk in the park compared to independence. Over 60% of Scotland's exports are to the rest of the UK. Imagine if barriers were put in place to trade as they have been following Brexit.

GRR legislation - what a shit show. As with 'named person ' legislation, many experts advised against pushing these policies but we're ignored. Doesn't instil confidence that the SNP listen to any expert advice. The SNP under Sturgeon were playing to the youth vote.

Higher Ed - Scottish students are missing out because of the funded places. Universities are not receiving enough money for home students so are chasing the fees from overseas students.

I'm pro-union, partly because the industries in which I am involved work effectively either at very local level, or across the UK.
I'm very pro local decision-making and I think that we do this extremely poorly in Scotland. Independence is a huge distraction from the development of meaningful local decision-making, as well as the resources needed. The current SNP government are also obsessed with centralisation.
Brexit has also demonstrated the challenges in negotiating and waste of resources involved in disentangling from economic/political unions.
There is no evidence that, based on the likely need to have a very close economic agreement with rUK, that Scottish policies could diverge meaningfully enough from RUK to be worth it.
I find 'blood and soil' nationalism a complete turn-off, as well as the 'wha's like us' exceptionalism nonsense.

My husband has a rare illness that requires complex treatment that can't be obtained in most countries, so I will be voting No if it ever comes up again and live in dread of it. People take stability and supply chains for granted and it makes me so angry. I can see why young people are more often for it because they aren't vulnerable yet (and don't have any savings or pensions to lose).

I feel very close to Scotland but live in England (Scottish parents and other close family, frequent visits).

I'm very anti Scottish independence. I feel the chaos and disaster of Brexit should be the final death knell for it - if you think it's complicated to extricate the UK from the EU how on earth will Scotland leaving the rest of the UK work out?

I think the desire for Scottish independence has a lot in common with Brexit really - about emotion and feelings of identity rather than rationality and what will actually help the country as a whole.

Well put.

Pro Indy always remind me of brexiteers. Nothing costed with no practicalities stated - just this notion for self-determination and “freedom”. And now the SNP have badges themselves as the progressive party and are in bed with the Greens who are bat shit crazy.

Ironically Kate Forbes who has the best chance of proving a sensible case for independence is loathed by the MSPs who are throwing their toys out the pram having belatedly cottoned on to the fact that a Wee Free church goer is religious. So now they are clinging on to the hope that Humza wins which is hysterical as he is the epitome of incompetence.

But say hello to everyone at SNP HQ @Iheartscotland I’m sure they’ll be interested in hearing our views. I know Nicola Sturgeon and her acolytes are utterly dismissive of women in general but surely you are realising that you cannot win independence without the Womens vote (and that’s actual women - not transwomen and their crazy blue haired allies).

Extremely well put.

I do not understand why, having been in power for so long, the SNP have failed to position Scotland to be successful as an independent nation. I see no talent for business or industry, and as a pp has stated, I fear there are too few higher earners to support the rest of the country.

I have yet to read one cogent argument for Independence…

I'm English , Scottish parents I'm pro independence really. Might stop the blaming everything on the English , I think Scotland should go it's own way I think politically it's different to England. I think they many want a more Nordic style country.