Scotland independence--yes or no

Post by **jamestkirk** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:26 pm

Would love to hear from you guys from the UK especially - your thoughts & feelings on it.

SO divisive , so interesting. I'm watching it closely; from an outsiders point of view I'm torn.

Post by **Roughie** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 8:15 pm

I'm like the vote is at the moment, close to 50/50.

I lived in the UK for two years. I believe it would be bad for them to split, but at the same time I can understand why they want to. I met many people from Scotland, Wales and Ireland who did not want to be known as British and wouldn't recognise the name United Kingdom either. It's all rather interesting.

Post by **Steeps** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:29 am

I'm from Newcastle, which is right near the England/Scotland border, and I don't care either way. I consider myself English, not British or from the United Kingdom, in much the same way that the Scottish, Irish and Welsh identify with their countries.

I understand why the Scottish would want independence but I'm not sure that it is in their best interests economically. Look at Ireland and the mess they are in at the moment. But if that's what they want, I certainly wouldn't begrudge them or object to it.

Post by **Roughie** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 10:01 am

Well looks like they are staying put.

Post by **jamestkirk** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:48 pm

Yep. Hope it is accepted by all without too much bitterness... or gloating.

Post by **anytimecowboy** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 2:27 pm

The No vote was an 'im alright jack vote' by selfish bastards. So I hope we get more of the same just out of spite. We had a chance to change UK politics and amke a real socialy conscious democracy but people just dont care, it seems people only care about themselves and their own nose. Fuck them I hope the UK becomes more unfair and less domacratic just to spite the selfish no voters

Post by **donquixote** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 12:13 am

Well no one can say they didn't pull out all the stops and the turnout at 84+ % was the highest anyone can remember.

The election was brought about because the Scottish National Party * won a majority in the 2nd tier of British government (3rd if you count Europe).

Edit * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_P ... es_summary

Younger people were more keen on independence and for the only time 16 and 17 y.o. were allowed to vote.

Scots living one inch or more south of the border were not allowed to vote but my English school friend was because he moved to near Edinburgh two years ago. This disenfranchised 800,000 who had taken advantage of freedom of movement, language, currency and job opportunities in England, Wales and Ireland and who would therefore be more likely to vote against independence.

Like myself the NO (stay together) campaign was complacent and hardly started until the final week when it started to look close.

The phraseology might be considered loaded "Should Scotland be an independent country?". Though I doubt that had much impact it might be helpful to consider it put another way ..... "Should Scotland leave Great Britain".

As said, the result was 45% for indepenedence although there was a far greater turn out than in 1979 the result compares unfavourably with the 51+% who voted for independence back then.

I'm a bit more cynical than I was in April : /