Scottish independance.

[Dead_Phoenix]

i want to say i would like a civil discussion. so please dont mud sling with "were better than you etc"

As an Englishman from the Westmidlands, this whole scotland asking for independance (well alex salmond), has got me wondering what the actual Scottish people want?

So id like to invite any Scot (still in Scotland or out of it) just to say if he or she would and why?

its curiosty more then anything.

[Fiancee]

Legalization of weed? All English hippies goes there to smoke. Not that I know anything but isnt Scotland like top 5 of world's beer consumers.

[Fiancee]

Damn it was Ireland and not Scotland...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ion_per_capita

But anyway even more reason to get money from Irish and English guys.

[Grey]

This the internet the only "civil" thing we understand is you wait for the mods to leave then you post random stupid **** and then remove it before they come back

[DFawkes]

All I know is that we've been told almost nothing. We know what the wording of the question will be (Should Scotland be an independent country?) but that's about it. There's very little information on the possible benefits and costs of doing it.

I can't speak for everyone of course, but it feels like there wouldn't really be much benefit to me. Most things that I feel strongly about have already been devolved to the Scottish Parliament anyway, so I think I'd prefer to stay with the United Kingdom. Hopefully there'll be more information closer to the time so people are better informed

[SmgUk]

No Offense to anyone who is Scottish including "DFawkes" but as a Englishman I really can't see why Scotland would want to be Independent anyway ? They would be worse off than at the moment there are already more benefits to living in Scotland than England as part of the United Kingdom.

[Dead_Phoenix]

All I know is that we've been told almost nothing. We know what the wording of the question will be (Should Scotland be an independent country?) but that's about it. There's very little information on the possible benefits and costs of doing it.
hs
I can't speak for everyone of course, but it feels like there wouldn't really be much benefit to me. Most things that I feel strongly about have already been devolved to the Scottish Parliament anyway, so I think I'd prefer to stay with the United Kingdom. Hopefully there'll be more information closer to the time so people are better informed

over here were getting told our government are just releasing info on what exactly will happen to you guys if you left. Like being completly out of the EU. And having to re apply for everything which will take many years.

I remember a couple of friends of mine were talking about it. (kind of the reason for me asking) One was for one was against. The one who was against did make a very good point, The main source of income for scotland is the north sea. But that is international waters so will not make Scotland any money. The one for said ah yes but there run by Scottish companys. Again the one against said but where are they based? London. So they will infact be paying English tax. so it would turn out if you guys did go I dependant we would not have to use the money made to give back to you.

[DFawkes]

A lot of the North Sea oil is a part of Scotland's income, coming into Scottish companies at Scottish facilities, as well as being refined in the same areas. There was some piece of legislation to figure out which would actually belong to Scotland/England and it was something like 90%.

But that's only just now, if we did split off that legislation might no longer count, and go by the boundaries that other countries recognise. Which countries? I've no idea, but once the split happens I'd be willing to bet everyone will try to claim it - certainly can't see it being anything like 90% once it's all settled. Given it's a good chunk of our national income (google suggests about a fifth), that would be bad. Wouldn't be great for the economy either, and there'd probably be a knock on effect towards the UK.

The only way I could see it working (at least in the short term) would be some sort of phased split, as everything gets figured out. Whichever way it goes, I still really can't see the advantage at this time, especially if re-applying for EU membership means we have to take the Euro - that'd be a right pain if I pop on the train for a day trip to England and have to get my money converted!

I should add this is all half-researched guesswork from an ill-informed man here, so to be taken with a pinch of salt

[Dead_Phoenix]

nah its as interesting to hear from the every man, gives a nice idea what the general public are feeling. thats why i thought id start this.

you say about the the refinement coming into scottish facilities etc, but again most of those companys head quarters are registered in london, meaning again they would pay mostly english tax. scottish would see a hugly deminished income from the north sea then they see now, unless all the companys uproot from london and move up north. which i would sadly doubt it.

i just hope for everyones sake that people dont vote for independance purly on because they like the idea of being there own country, but they vote for it because it would actually benefit them.

[DFawkes]

I'm really not 100% on the facts, and it really doesn't surprise me how the SNP are keeping issues like Oil revenue so confusing - if you listen to them, you'd think we own everything! It'll be up to the opposing parties to make sure we get the "facts" on that, but given it'll take years of legislative haggling and negotiations to get everything sorted out I don't think there'll be facts, just the best case scenario which the SNP will insist is right, and the worst case scenario which the opposition will warn is correct. It'll probably end up halfway between.

i just hope for everyones sake that people dont vote for independance purly on because they like the idea of being there own country, but they vote for it because it would actually benefit them.

I definitely agree on this. Voting for independence just for the sake of independence would be rather silly and potentially harmful to Scotland and the UK. Unfortunately I do have friends that feel that line of logic is good enough. Hopefully they're in the minority and people really look at the issue before deciding.