Will Scotland Leave the UK?

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Hugh

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

Yes truly mystifying.

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by Osem

Yes truly mystifying.

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.”

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.

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by Chris

I think there's little point arguing....

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.

Originally Posted by Mr Angry

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.”

Context is all....

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

Eight of the top ten destinations for Northern Ireland passengers using Dublin Airport were not served by the airports in Northern Ireland

[Osem]

Tricky chap context eh?

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Context is all....

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

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 ----------

Originally Posted by Osem

Tricky chap context eh?

Can be.

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

Originally Posted by Chris

Sorry Chris, forgetsies.

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)...

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Hugh

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)...

In other words not saving anything...

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by Hugh

....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)...

Likewise.

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

Originally Posted by Osem

In other words not saving anything...

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.

[Jimi]

Another nail in Better Together's coffin methinks.

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

by David Scheffer Published 28 February, 2014

Recently, misleading presumptions about what international law requires and seeming indifference to the necessity of negotiations following a possible pro-independence vote in Scotland on 18 September have framed the referendum debate. Politicians can always craft arguments around faulty presumptions and then make a dire outcome sound eminently plausible. But the fate of Scotland cannot be so easily disposed of by George Osborne.

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

Nice article as well.


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

BY BELLACALEDONIA on FEBRUARY 20, 2014 • ( 25 )
By Robin McAlpine

I haven’t always agreed with Martin Kettle’s Guardian columns over the years. They have mixed some good, pertinent analysis of what’s wrong with Britain with some unfortunate Blair-apologising. But of late I’ve felt that his commentary on what’s happening in Scotland just now has been quite good and more informed that many London-based commentators.

I write this because I really dislike overly-personalising political analysis; arguments should stand or fall on the basis of the content, not the person. So when I take his column today as a jumping-off point for a discussion of the skew-whiff nature of UK politics it is only as an example.

The basic argument in his column is that, in effect, the Scottish Government has abandoned reasoned, argument-based politics in favour of naked political posturing. He suggests that, faced with a barrage of detailed questions from George Osborne and some on-air comments from Barosso, the Nats have retreated into name-calling mode and have given up any pretence of statesmanship.

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.

[Jimi]

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.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Jimi

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.

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.