what's it like for an English person living in Scotland?

[KookyNotOoky]

Have been pondering moving north of the border.... I was wondering what it would be like living there as an English person? I've only ever been on holidays up there - mostly just some good-humoured ribbing, however I've read from some English people that this can get very wearing after a while and can sometimes have an unpleasant edge to it.

I don't agree with you about the SNP, OP.

I am English and I live in Scotland with my Scottish husband. No problems at all and we're both members of the SNP.

I do not agree with their stance on the trans issue but I feel politically homeless in that regard anyway. When we lived in England we were Labour Party members. I do not agree with the Labour Party's stance on the trans issue either. Or the Lib Dems'. Or the Greens'.

Just the Tories', in fact, and I would not vote for them if they offered me a million quid. So it's tricky.

But Scotland qua Scotland? As an English person?

Brilliant place.

And OP - I've been here for over six years and never had anything unpleasant said to me as an English person.

Couple of good examples there of what happens when you dare to criticise the SNP. There's not a healthy political climate in Scotland at all.

I've lived in Scotland for 23 years since I left school in Northern England. Never had a single issue except occasional making fun of my accent but not specifically an English thing and done lightheartedly!

Based on your ignorant responses above, I'd stay put.

Whether you like it or not SNP is the majority government here because Scots believe they are best placed to run the country. Almost half if not more now want an independent country and most of us are decent people who just want a better future and don't spit on or abuse people.

I'd avoid the islands if you do move here, they hate the English most of all.

My DH has had abuse for his English accent when visiting where I grew up in Scotland but it isn't a very regular thing.
There is a bigger divide than you might realize but people will mostly be perfectly polite to your face.

Politics is very toxic in Scotland with the SNP having a cult like status with a surprisingly large percentage of the population. I have pro and anti SNP family members and the referendum was a difficult time.

Politics in Scotland is far from settled I would think carefully before investing heavily in housing. Although I think the latest SNP finance scandal may have pushed the next referendum back a fair while.

what's it like for an English person living in Scotland?

Colder, wetter, darker sooner, a very dry senses of humour and love a good moan.

Scotsnet gives you a good idea of how vocal and unrelenting the anti-SNP/unionist key board warriors can be and it shuts down any decent debate, but ime most Scots rarely discuss politics that vehemently in daily RL, even during the height of the independence debate any discussions I was part of were more neutral discussions on specific topics and differences of opinion are respected without resorting to inflammatory language.

There will always be the type that are looking to stoke the fire and if you do want to find some to debate with, in your style of posting, you will find them and I doubt it will be pretty.

We're both English and have lived in four wideranging areas of Scotland for 50 years; Glasgow; Stirlingshire, The Islands, the Highlands.

It's different. Thank god. That's why we love Scotland so much and will never move back to England.

I've very rarely encountered any anti Englishness; some ribbing which I give right back in kind. Which is fine. It's my experience that at every level of society, the inhabitants are more egalitarian, articulate, generous, good humoured.

Yeah probably best you don’t move up if that’s your view.

The “war on alcohol” is needed imo - there are deep running socio-economic problems in Scotland that you obv don’t understand.

I was going to say "Most places should be fine for English people" but then I read your second comment. I've changed my response to:

People who move into Scottish communities, no matter where their origin, will likely be welcome if they are decent humans who seek to learn about their new area and fit in with existing customs. Working locally and contributing to the community will also help.

People who are rude and poorly informed about THE ENTIRE COUNTRY and happily spout off about how much better the place they came from is, will likely be treated politely but muttered about behind their backs and generally left out of the community.

I fear from your second post that you fall into the last category.

It doesn't matter what your thoughts are on the SNP (and remember that all your "knowledge" is filtered through the English media, which often prints two different versions of the same story on either side of the border) but respect for the fact that a lot of Scots did vote for them would go a long way. Do you think all English people are one homogeneous mass? No? Why then do you think that it's not okay for different Scots to have different opinions?

Yet more examples of the cult of SNP. They see criticism of the SNP as criticism of Scotland. Toxic.

Ah, heres the real reason for starting the thread.

I’m not an SNP voter or a nat. You surely cannot deny that nationalism in Scotland is a very emotive issue and there’s so much more to it than politics?

People... disagree with you? Same as if you criticise any political party?

Here we go again - SNP baaaaaaad.....

As I said Scots love a good moan.

@lysozyme Ah, heres the real reason for starting the thread.

Had the "exact" same thought. They masked it well though for the first few posts.

I'm not part of the SNP cult, or the anti-SNP cult! I vote for different parties at elections depending on what they're offering, and don't support any particular party.
But generalising that every SNP voter thinks as a mono-culture is deriding something like half of my fellow Scots, and that's not acceptable. SNP voters don't all think the same, and neither do Labour voters etc. Everyone is, thankfully, an individual.

@recyclemeagain I agree with your comment I too, after reading that one too that OP who claims not to be political but seems to be acquainted with SNP policies .
Seems like op is here to stir .

There's a book called I Am An Island by a Londoner who moved with her DH to a croft on one of the islands in the early 2000s. The author experienced a lot of prejudice.

I've lived in Scotland for the last 5 years. My husband was threatened with serious violence in the street, for speaking in an English accent. The person concerned was successfully prosecuted, but it's had a long-lasting effect on my DH.

He found the whole incident very upsetting and unsettling, and it has shaken our future plans. Do we want to live somewhere where we are not accepted?

Apart from that incident, we've met many decent and lovely people, and had occasional 'banter' with locals (but nothing offensive).

I do think there is a problem with the divisiveness of Scottish nationalism. Recent politics have encouraged rather than discouraged this unpleasant tendency. I will say no more about that for now, because I try to be optimistic about our future here.

@lysozyme there's a big difference between having a political disagreement and telling someone they are not welcome in Scotland if they dare to criticise the SNP. Joyous and civic my fucking arse.

I'm Scottish and I find your second post offensive for multiple reasons. Your mass generalisation, sweeping contentious statements and repeated use of horrible words awful. Tbh your attitude absolutely stinks and if you voiced such views anywhere in the UK I think you would cause offense. I don't know if you are just posting to shit stir or if you really believe the bilious words you are spewing. If your attitude and opinions are truly this then please do not move to anywhere in Scotland.

SW Scotland here. Been here since 1983 - never had a problem. Loads of English in these parts anyway.

Who said that?

She was talking about the SNP. Not Scotland. The SNP are not synonymous with Scotland.

I think it's mostly just fine, especially in nice areas but I predict that, eventually, if we get more and more people moving up from the south as the climate warms up, the pressure on the housing market from people cashing in on higher property prices down south could cause growing resentment. I don't know when that line would be crossed but there is potential for issues, especially in areas also under pressure from tourist numbers.