Views on Independence.

[Lazydonkey]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... us-remarks

Pay particular heed to the Spanish foreign minister's words...

Yeah he's saying Scotland voting for independence isn't anything to do with Spain. It's not.

A newly independent Scotland getting into the European is.

[LY055SCO]

They continue to say the situation with Catalonia and scotland are different. They have not said they will veto either.

[BiggestNizzy]

Devils advocate time
http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/fac ... y-eu/17767

[Lazydonkey]

As ive said before, in order to make me vote yes I need facts and decisions.

So far we might get the pound, probably not though.... It would depends on all three major political parties changing their mind.

We might get into the European union.... We might continue with the concessions we currently have.... We might not.... Who knows....

On the basis of that I'm very unlikely to vote yes and hope for the best.

I need facts and definite answers but as every month passes things become less and less definite.
We are asked by the yes campaign to ignore what people have said. Have faith. They will change their mind. Trust us.

No thanks.

[flyingscot68]

I remember posting a long time back that I find it impossible to trust either side and that I need to find the truth from somewhere to make a decision.
Nothing has changed since then, nobody seems to be stating anything that resembles a fact.
I'm finding the whole process tedious now and I'm not willing to spend every free moment I have trying to find out the answers.
I don't trust Salmond or Cameron yet the would be PM of Scotland gets my vote as the least believable one of the two.
The default position for me is NO. I wouldn't take a new job without knowing the pay, the hours and the conditions but that's what the yes campaign want us to do.
I'm all for an independent Scotland, it's my home and I'm proud to be from here.
The yes mob have gone about it all the wrong way as far as I'm concerned, can't see it happening.

[BiggestNizzy]

As far as the pound goes England doesn't own it.

Europe - yes or no vote, will we be in the EU in 5 years ?

Will we spank 5billion on a train that goes from London to Birmingham?

Will we spank a few billion protecting a few houses in Somerset from floods ?

What mandate does a no vote give Westminster?

[Lazydonkey]

I'm guessing the same mandate they've always had...... The people we vote in each get a say in parliament.... And if they don't do as we ask then we vote in someone else next time.

I don't see what money spent on Somerset changes anything? Why shouldn't we spend that money on Somerset? Shouldn't they get protected by their government for the money they've given in taxes? Who are you to say it's not a worthy use of money?

All a yes vote does is give us a huge separation cost and a huge amount of uncertainty over the future.

The current Scottish government haven't proved themselves to be any more or less capable than their Westminster counterparts in my view.

[David]

As far as the pound goes England doesn't own it.

I think you want to research the legal position on that - the pound in your pocket is nothing more than a promise to pay. So far the UK (the rest of the UK) has had to guarantee that promise after Alex threatened to default. The truth is Scotland is not in the position to guarantee any currency at the moment - and it would be a long and painful process to generate the reserves and market confidence needed to start one.

[Edit: That is why Alex S is so keen to take 'our share of the national debt' in exchange for a formal currency agreement. In effect he is asking the rest of the UK to guarantee our currency - as no one else will, but the rest of the UK don't like that idea either]

[Lazydonkey]

I'm not really one for reading red tops but I pick up the record every Tuesday as it's more interesting than reading the BA magazine..... I'm not proud of it but there you go

.... Interesting that their editorial this morning starts with the line "anyone hoping for some clarity over Scotland currency plans from Alex Salmond yesterday would have been sorely disappointed." it doesn't get more supportive as it goes on.

As I say I don't read it every morning but this seems to be a real shift from one of the biggest selling papers in Scotland.

[Dominic]

As ive said before, in order to make me vote yes I need facts and decisions.

So far we might get the pound, probably not though.... It would depends on all three major political parties changing their mind.

We might get into the European union.... We might continue with the concessions we currently have.... We might not.... Who knows....

On the basis of that I'm very unlikely to vote yes and hope for the best.

I need facts and definite answers but as every month passes things become less and less definite.
We are asked by the yes campaign to ignore what people have said. Have faith. They will change their mind. Trust us.

No thanks.

well put!

[woody]

I'm not really one for reading red tops but I pick up the record every Tuesday as it's more interesting than reading the BA magazine..... I'm not proud of it but there you go

.... Interesting that their editorial this morning starts with the line "anyone hoping for some clarity over Scotland currency plans from Alex Salmond yesterday would have been sorely disappointed." it doesn't get more supportive as it goes on.

As I say I don't read it every morning but this seems to be a real shift from one of the biggest selling papers in Scotland.

Are you on drugs? Their editorial line for as long as I can remember has been to attack the SNP and back Labour.

I'm a probably no with some slight wavering. Again, i can see nothing definitive in any of the arguments and nothing either campaign has done has drawn me to their cause.

[campbell]

Basically it's a messy divorce now.

"If you leave, you don't get to keep the car. Your call."

[tut]

There is no real cause for a no vote, it is just to keep the status quo. Apart from the UK Government I suspect the average citizen is not that concerned or even interested

It is the yes vote that would be the ground shaker.

tut

[The Hoff]

You're a very well informed and intelligent bunch and I've read some excellent posts, but are any of you in retail and have an online presence ? This is an increasingly common business model which has not only saved many sme, but allowed them to flourish.
A yes vote could potentially mean cutting off the life blood to many many businesses north of the border as most will be surviving from customers south of it.
You also have the potential problem of increased cross border trade costs from a logistics pov (republic of Ireland vs. NI is a very good example £6.50 next day Ups vs. £16 3 day service) . Transport delays. Not to mention possible export restrictions which would apply. (certainly in my case)
All of which would serve to diminish our competitiveness against businesses based south of the border.

I'm lucky in the sense that should there (god forbid) be a yes vote, I would have the means to open a small office south of the boder in order to keep trading with a foothold in England as I'm only 45min from Carlisle, but to me the cons far outweigh the pros and I've yet to find a retailer who wants it.

There is far too much uncertainty in order to vote yes and a decision like this should be made with the head and not the heart. All IMO of course.

Cowan

[woody]

There is no real cause for a no vote, it is just to keep the status quo. Apart from the UK Government I suspect the average citizen is not that concerned or even interested

It is the yes vote that would be the ground shaker.

tut

I'd say the opposite Tut. The status quo isn't perfect but nothing I've seen from the Yes campaign addresses the weaknesses.

What it does do is introduce a number of uncertainties; given various things happening around the world will multi-national employers continue to invest in Scotland or invest elsewhere? What currency will we use and what is the impact of this on my mortgage, my saving, the ability of my export only employer to export? What are the implications of even a temporary hiatus or uncertainty on our EU membership? Part of the appeal of Scotland a s a place of conducting export orientated business is being in the EU. What of the ability of SMEs to export to England and the EU? I'm sure this would all be sorted after a few years, but by that point an already currently weakened economy could be dealt a much worse blow. The more I consider the who seems to be voting Yes, the more I think it seems to be public sector employees in the main.