Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

ICM/Scotland on Sunday: NO 49, YES 37. The rest are don't know/won't vote.

ICM polling has shown YES is static and NO has picked up a few of the don't knows in the past couple of days.

However, when you strip out the don't knows from any poll you always end up with a little over 60 NO and a little under 40 YES. ICM/SoS don't seem to have put the detail online so I can't see if that still holds true, but it always has been until now.

Basically, nobody with a settled opinion on the issue has changed their mind over the past 18 months. I suspect most of the 'don't knows' haven't either, and probably won't do by September.

Salmond will have to win all the don't knows if he wants to even come close to winning the referendum. I'd say that's very unlikely.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

What baffles me is the mindset of the people who'll actually vote Yes.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

"Each to their own" as they say.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Talking among my friends/colleagues not one is in agreement with the yes vote...but many of my eldest son's friends in the age range of "20-23" seem to be undecided ... compared to a couple of months back. TBH I wish it was all over I THINK THE UK SHOULD BE ONE ...
The UK...

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

What will the UK become if Scotland leaves ? The Slightly Less United Kingdom ?

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

According to one leading Scottish legal expert "What was created by the Treaty of 1706 and the Acts (Scottish and English) of 1707 was a new legal entity referred to as Great Britain. It was the Act of Union of 1800 that created for the first time a legal entity known as "the United Kingdom" -- namely the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (now the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). If Scotland achieves independence, it is not "United Kingdom" that will have to cease to be used by the remainder, but "Great Britain". It is Great Britain that Scotland and England formed in 1707 and it is Great Britain that will cease to exist if that union is severed. There is no reason whatever why the remainder should not continue to be called the United Kingdom or UK, but the full title would have to be changed to something like "the United Kingdom of England (?and Wales) and Northern Ireland".

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

:LOL: :rolleyes: No United Kingdom maybe less better, only joking ;) as you know you love us Scots really :luv: :D Go on admit IT !!!
I personally think Alex Salmond, will end up with a egg on his face "Scotch Egg"... I cannot see the the yes vote IMO ...

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Nothing against Scottish singers but the idea of these islands sending TWO songs to the Eurovision Song Contest is appalling!

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

We're not including Wales in it under any circumstances, we'll just have to be known as the kingdom

---------- Post added at 13:41 ---------- Previous post was at 13:40 ----------

They have to go now, we need tae points

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

We'll keep our name. The Act of Union is irrelevant, people outside the country won't care at all.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Yet more 'bullying'...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26362321

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Well at least they've finally answered the Currency issue.

[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

My pension is with Standard Life and I would want it regulated by the UK Government. Especially when it comes to protecting the contributions....

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

You're just a bully! :lol:

I would have thought this action would amount to a fiduciary responsibility of the company and others like it.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Alec the Great Democrat and all round big fan of referendums says there should not be a referendum in England, Wales and NI on whether to share their currency with a separate Scotland.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ncy-union.html

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Sounds about right to me. He's shown how much he likes to have his cake and eat it. Only someone like Salmond could claim to be the victim of bullying whilst at the same time prancing around telling the rest of the UK what it can and can't have.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I do intend to steal his lunch money however. FOR ENGLAND!

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Maria Miller says independent Scotland would lose the BBC, does that mean no TV licence :LOL: ...

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

That's right, free telly for Scotland all paid out of what is the massive bottomless pit of money that is North Sea Oil, that will apparently pay for absolutely anything the Scottish heart desires.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

No you have wrong it is more bullying LOL what rubbish all this bullying bull, if Salmond can say what Scotland will get why cannot he be told what Scotland will lose ... utter rubbish all these bullying claims ...

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

That is bullying, the artist has attempted to make wee Alec look like a swivel eyed loon with a penchant for wigs, outrageous

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Hahahahahahahahaaaaaaaa.
C'mon up and join the clan,Scotland welcomes you.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-services.html

---------- Post added at 17:16 ---------- Previous post was at 17:14 ----------

No EastEnders either,yessssss.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

every cloud has a silver lining ..... all the men in Scotland will vote YES now thanks to the bbc leaving Scotland.... ;)

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Thank you Beeb,mwaaaaaa.:)

---------- Post added at 18:08 ---------- Previous post was at 18:04 ----------

Will we still get Star Trek though.:)
[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

:D

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Surely you can do better than a 4 year old article jimi... Especially when it's about something that happened 6 years ago. EDIT- The article is probably 6 years old as well.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

:D

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Don't hold your breath... ;)

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Just testing tae see if anyone was paying attention.;)

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

:clap: :rofl: :D Great comeback fae Jimi ;)

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I believe the kidz call it an 'Epic Fail'... :D

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

At least one company boss does not think a yes vote would be a bad thing...British Airways boss: Scottish independence could be 'positive development'
"Mr Walsh's comments further underline the UK government's duty to engage properly with the issues of the independence debate.

"Instead, the self-styled project fear [the no campaign] are intent on wasting time engaging in their 'dambuster' strategy of scaremongering and attempting to bully people in Scotland to vote no."
Scottish independence could be a "positive development" for British Airways, according to the boss of the company which owns the airline.
BA boss: air passengers will go to Scotland to avoid paying duty...wonder what good old Dave will make of that comment...Salmond will love it I bet...

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Come on Hugh use the correct lingo. It's 'bairns' ;)

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Uh huh. So a Government that pretty much everyone and their dog admits has a huge hole in their budget and can't fund everything with oil money will remove air passenger duty so they get even less money?

Plus how many passengers from England would save money by having to travel to and from Scotland to get a flight? A few in the north but that's it, unless Mr Walsh seriously thinks they will get on a plane, pay APD, fly to Glasgow or Edinburgh and get on another flight so they don't pay APD.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Strange, we don't see hundreds of thousands of extra British passengers flying from Dublin, which has a lower APD of 3 Euros....

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Yes truly mystifying.




:D

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Not really. Whilst it's not "hundreds of thousands" it is a very considerable increase none the less.

"More than half a million Northern Ireland residents used Dublin Airport last year, a 15 per cent increase on 2011, according to new figures from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA)

The growth in northern business was far in excess of the average at Dublin Airport in 2012, as total passenger numbers at the airport increased by 2 per cent to 19.1 million last year.

“Dublin Airport’s business from Northern Ireland is booming,” said DAA Public Affairs Director, Paul O’Kane. “Last year 521,000 Northern Ireland passengers travelled through Dublin Airport, which is equivalent to almost 30 per cent of the population of the North.”

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I think there's little point arguing, lower taxes attract people who are in a position to take advantage of them. That's missing the point though. First off, the GuessNP wants a currency union with the UK, which would require a high degree of tax harmonisation. Their two policies may well be in conflict. Second of all, tax cuts in one area have to be balanced by tax rises elsewhere. Given the number of free sweeties the GuessNP has been promising to dish out in the event of a vote for Dalriada, there is a massive tax bombshell hiding somewhere in the detail.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I agree. It's best to leave the eventual outcome of the referendum (whatever it may be) to those who will be exercising their votes on the matter.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

:wavey:

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Context is all....

https://www.dublinairport.com/gns/at...5_in_2012.aspx

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Tricky chap context eh? ;)

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Absolutely Hugh, I agree.

"London Heathrow was the most popular destination for Northern Ireland passengers using Dublin Airport last year"

Heathrow is served by Belfast / Northern Irish airports. My point, which I'm sure you understood, is that a reduced tax will encourage people to use certain airports where the saving is an option. Dublin airport figues as per the link confirm that fact.

Walsh would appear to agree and corroborate that and he is after all, in this context, better qualified and placed to do so than you or I.


---------- Post added at 18:03 ---------- Previous post was at 17:43 ----------

Can be.

---------- Post added at 18:04 ---------- Previous post was at 18:03 ----------

Sorry Chris, forgetsies.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Mr A, I agree - but my decision to use an airport is usually where can I fly to, not will I save £10 or so (especially if I have to travel for two hours to get to the airport, rather than 30 minutes)...

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

In other words not saving anything...

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Likewise.

---------- Post added at 18:42 ---------- Previous post was at 18:40 ----------

You are assuming they don't save anything. It's their choice based on what they believe / establish to be value to them. Perhaps people car share, perhaps they avail of other travel savings to avail of the cheaper tax levy. Context, it's a tricky chap - as someone once said.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Another nail in Better Together's coffin methinks.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics...currency-union


---------- Post added at 21:36 ---------- Previous post was at 21:32 ----------

Nice article as well.


http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2014/02...osphere-media/

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Good first link, from a reasonably impartial source.

Not so keen on your perhaps less so second link, from Robin McAlpine, who was one of the closing speakers at the Radical Independence Conference in November 2013.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I can't get my head around the fact that Britain is in support of the Ukranian demand for Independence yet seek tae deny Scotland the same.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Deny Scotland by giving it's people a.chance to decide? Interesting analogy, perhaps wee Alec can pop over and Vlad can explain it to him over dinner, poor Alex a third rate politician but a first rate second course.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

What Ukrainian demand would that be? It is an independent country.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Do you mean Ukraine with it's own currency, a foreign fleet in one its ports, and has just impeached a corrupt despotic leader who refuses to accept reality - some similarities to Scotland, then.... ;)

Is wee Eck going to ask Norway to send troops in?

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Ah facts, the arch nemesis of the SNP and their supporters. I suppose trying to explain the complexities of Ukraines history and current political situation to someone whose whole outlook is based on English = bad would be a bit difficult.

Anyway it's not just in Scotland where a yes vote is unappealing to people.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...s-independence

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

That's just bullying.....

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

If you're going to use Bella Caledonia as a reference for independence Jimi you might as well go the whole hog and post links to the highly neutral Sinn Fein and Gerry "Honest" Adams as well. Then for parity I can post links to the EDL and Golden Dawn.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Also we're giving Scotland a vote to decide for themselves. I don't see Russia advocating the same for Ukraine.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Ah, but I am sure we will send in Special Forces to Faslane, and then start "military exercises" along Hadrian's wall.

Oh, wait - no, we're not.....:erm:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/at...king-facts.png

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I noticed that both you and Hugh seem tae dislike Robin McAlpine's article,which part did he tell porkies like?
Gerry Adams has nothing tae do with Scotland,end of........

---------- Post added at 14:14 ---------- Previous post was at 14:05 ----------

See Damien,this is the bit I love,"We're giving Scotland a vote."
That's as bad as this clown from the Daily Fail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO7YxtlTKRY

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Bella Caledonia is a rabid pro-republican anti-British rag that's incapable of giving a fair and unbiased opinion. It feeds the bigots of society with it's hatred towards Britain, which is lapped up by the Irish/Scottish republican/nationalist supporters it aims itself at. It holds no credibility in a debate on Scottish independence. It has no unbiased views. It's unable to see anything without it's green tinted spectacles on. It's a joke, as are it's bigoted contributors who are prominent in the comments sections.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

What's wrong with what I said? You're getting a vote to decide your future. I understand this is a novel concept with Salmond and his dodgy interpretation of democracy.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Well they should keep out of the vote as they haven't lived there for ages.

http://news.sky.com/story/1219686/co...cotland-debate

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Maybe you should have translated your post into plastic Scottish like Jimi does, he might understand you then :)

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

She makes it sound like the Scots hates us as much as the Welsh do.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

So, i think the average person does not give a hoot they just want to get on with there lives.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Absolutely. I don't know anyone around here who hates the English.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Anyone who 'hates' people simply because of their nationality needs their head testing.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

:tu:

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I can't ever remember hearing any genuine hate for the English, plenty of banter but no real dislike never mind hate. The extent of the Scottish/English rivalry these days doesn't really amount to much more than the same type of ribbing someone from Glasgow would give someone from say Aberdeen about sheep shagging.

Of course there will be exceptions but the same type of idiots can be found anywhere and would find any reason to hate on others anyway.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Especially if it fits an agenda.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

All this bullying is really rather tiresome:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26371454

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I bet Salmond grasses on us for bullying him too!

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I am shaking in my boots :)

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Yet more bullying for Salmond.

http://m.stv.tv/news/politics/265962...-yes-32-no-57/

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

It's rather worrying that around 1 in 3 are apparently buying into Salmond's nonsense however.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

To be fair, those aren't the ones who have bought into Salmond's nonsense, those are the ones who have been in favour of separation since forever.

The infuriating thing about this whole referendum bunfight is that so far, it has utterly failed to shift public opinion significantly in one direction or the other. We have known for decades that there is a natural inclination for independence that ebbs and flows between about a quarter of the electorate, at its very worst, to a little over a third at its very best, and the referendum campaign hasn't shifted it significantly one way or the other. What shifts those numbers is the performance of Westminster politicians and whether Scottish voters think they are getting a fair deal or not. Tories are good for the SNP, which of course is why Fat Alec is so desperate to get in front of a camera with Cameron.

I wish we could just have the vote now, get the result everyone knew we were going to get, and then get on with building up our country instead of tearing it to pieces.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Mr Idiot is at it again:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...revealed-poll?

We're being bullied!!!!!

Also someone needs to tell him (or the writer of the article) what independence means. A "foreign country" is what Independence means. I mean really, the idiocy is outstanding here.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I also see he has been banned from all council buildings in Aberdeen. The person interviewed on the news called Salmond a bully hehehe.

He was also talking total rubbish again on the news tonight claiming the yes polls are rising, even though STV just revealed that the No's are gaining again.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Strictly speaking the matter of independence is largely irrelevant as far as somewhere being described as a foreign country is concerned. To assert that somewhere is foreign is determined by someone not being a citizen of somewhere, not whether that place is independent.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I would have thought that the word was applicable between sovereign governments as well as individual citizens?

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

This really is becoming like a Scottish version of Eastenders with Salmond running the King Alec public house...

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26455655

Ouch!!!

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Bully boys that's all they are!!! :)

I dare say Salmond's Tartan Twits would quite like to retain the 'kudos', jobs etc. whilst being more than willing for the rest of the UK to retain the debts and liabilities...

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Shell have said they are 'backing' the Union.

---------- Post added at 22:38 ---------- Previous post was at 22:36 ----------

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/e...ependence.html

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Dutch bullies, it's nothing to do with them, they should stick to digging dykes, etc etc etc

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

They don't seem to have said much really. They're still going to drill there presumably and are just stating a preference. Kinda boring. I am also wondering it it's becoming too negative and therefore easier to dismiss. The Currency announcement was a big blow and so was Standard Life's announcement but if every FTSE 100 company now comes out on a daily basis expressing their 'preference', especially if it doesn't involve any consequences, then it might backfire. They need to be spaced out a bit and more firm in their warnings....

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

But if they do that Salmond might cry... :D

I reckon Salmond's enjoyed being Mr Big in his little realm and having things his own way a bit too much. Rather like Farrage and UKIP, now the chips are down his policy is under much closer scrutiny and he's not so keen on the rough and tough of politics when he's the one getting shot. Seriously what does he expect? Does he really think the rest of the UK is going to be dictated to on the basis that his party gets everything it wants in order that the rest of us can be 'chummy' and play with Salmond's Scotland?

We've seen one serial fantasist in the news re. Ukraine. Salmond's another.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Uh oh.

In what can only be described as excellent news for the Yes campaign former PM, and man with all round reverse Midas touch, Gordon Brown is about to start campaigning to keep the union. :(

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Believe it or not he's still quite popular in Scotland. Rather a lot of people around here actually voted Labour in 2010, difficult though that is to believe.

One of the things I hate most about this referendum campaign is how it has given me a common political cause with the likes of Brown and Balls. Still, Churchill had it worse, he had to deal with Stalin.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

:D

I dare say we'll soon have modest Gordon claiming the credit for saving the 'union' as well as 'saving the world'... :D

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Now who is doing the bullying?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...at-attack.html

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

The state of the political class in Scotland is a tragedy.

Even if there was an economic argument to going independent - there isn't - who in their right mind would trust any of the absolute dregs involved in politics up here to make a success of it.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

That's OK though, just like it was OK for Unite to use 'leverage' during the Grangemouth dispute... :rolleyes:

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I hesitate to use terms like 'Scotlandshire County Council' when referring to Holyrood, being English and all that. But my missus is genuine born and bred Weegie and that's what she calls it. :D

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Michael Saunders, a Citigroup economist, comments:

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2014/03/48.png

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Danny Alexander criticises the SNP's "John McEnroe defence" on currency:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...itics-26477209

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Sounds unequivocal to me. Not only that, it sounds like true 'independence' but the SNP don't seem to find that a very palatable option. They'd prefer quasi-independence with the fallback position that the rest of the UK would carry the can if/when Salmond's delusions turn out to be as realistic as his 'arc of prosperity' was.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

I'm loving the unsubtle threat that Scotland would refuse to take on their share of the UK debt if they weren't given currency union.

I'm sure international money markets and institutions would look most sympathetically on a state that engages in that kind of behaviour.

As noted here it's unlikely and would be an extremely bad idea.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Anyone with a brain cell should also be very concerned at the ease with which the SNP conflates "the Bank of England" and "the Pound". None of them appear to understand what a fiat currency is, which is troubling as they profess to want to run a country of their own.

I would have thought an understanding of the basics was pretty key to that ambition.

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

Well it's cheaper than Andrex.

http://bit.ly/OgTinl

Re: Will Scotland Leave the UK?
 

It is equally interesting? :D