The Scottish Government

471. Davie - the land of Milk and Honey

Hi Davie

Thanks for your posting; it seems to put the nationalist side very fairly & I wasn’t sure how to reply at first.

One answer would be to say how you feel about Scotland is how I feel about Britain.

Another answer could really have been to agree with the sentiment behind Michael Holmes’ comment posted Tuesday 26th Feb. (interesting isn’t it, how BRITISH nationalism is “unpleasant” but SCOTTISH nationalism is good enough to sustain an entire (minority) government!)

In the end I picked out a couple of your questions as you seem genuinely interested in the answers.

If Scotland leaves the Union then Wales will surely follow. As for Northern Ireland - the Unionists there have been sold (by both Labour & the Tories) down the river long ago & will be lucky not to find themselves in a united Ireland some time soon.

What would be destroyed is my sense of national identity - my Britishness. Under those circumstances I don’t find words like ‘destroy’ harsh; dramatic maybe but then so is the loss.

If you read my other postings Davie, you will see I’ve never played the financial card; in fact I’ve said you can’t put an economic value of nationhood & if you don’t feel British then of course you should vote SNP for an independent Scotland.

Which brings me back to my starting point which is my country is Great Britain first, (England second) & I feel about Britain how you feel about Scotland.

We are both nationalists Davie!

Mike

470. Ellis Sims
I'm not politically aware enough to understand the ramifications of federal countries like Canada, but I presume this would be like devolution, but with more powers. In that case I would support it just as I support devolution, and devolution with increased powers. But my preferred option in ascending order is still full independence - and independence outside the EU as the top one.

Outside the EU we could control all our own policies and budgets for RET, roads and communications, fishing, etc. Inside the EU we could negotiate for these rights as part of oour package, rather than being included in the overall British package.

A lot is made by opponents of independence that as a small country we wouldn't have the same power of negotiation as Britian does. But ours would all be relative to our own needs and aspirations.

Small is representative and relevant. It's also dynamic and responsive rather than monolithic and cumbersome.

An issue I see is that the Westminster government still hasn't moved on from the days of the British Empire, and I feel it's perhaps more alive in emotions and actions in England than in Scotland. This Empire is gone, it's split up, it's passed, it's history.

It's time to move on. Welcome to the 21st century!

PMK Ayrshire

Don`t think you can win this one mate! If you re-read Michael`s post 468 very closely, in between the lines you can just about make out the words HORSE / DEAD /FLOG ! (rearrange at you leisure)

Anyway Independence is bound to be financial suicide for Scotland, "Father Cairns" said so and he NEVER lies ! :-)

Post 468 Michael Holmes - I hope you understand that you represent the nasty underbelly of British NATIONALISM. Nice hint of sectarianism in there too for the mix?!

Incidentally, the UK Government is not a real government either by your logic. It has devolved much of its former powers to Holyrood, Cardiff Bay and Stormont; equally it has to follow many EU directives and enshrine them in law. So the UK Government is "not a real government" either.

For your information, Alex Salmond personally favours independence with the Queen remaining as head of state: "Elizabeth 1st Queen of Scots". That is not my personal preference, but it is the view backed by the leader of the SNP (which you seem to think is nothing but Irish Republicanism in disguise).

Finally, all independent economic analysis suggests that an independent Scotland would prosper. Do you have any stats to prove your case, or is your claim that independence would be a financial disaster just based on blind faith?

467. Mike KIng - Birmingham

Thank you for your honest reply.

You stated "I'm here because I wish to continue to belong to the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which Scottish independence will destroy". Mike, , , You will still belong to that "United Kingdom". It`s just that I will not!
There will still be a union of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

"destroy / destruction" ! (harsh words fella , some might even say melodramatic )Tell me Mike Exactly what would in your view of the union be destroyed ?

Bear in mind, all the people of Scotland are asking for is the right to set and raise their own taxes, keep the revenues raised, spend these revenues as they see fit and make their own decisions regarding immigration / foreign policy / and the like. Undeniable rights your UK Government has deployed troops to protect and defend on behalf of other countries around the world. It`s ok for everyone else just not for Scotland?

Now before you reply, , and I really hope you do. Remember, you can`t play the financial card because everyone and I mean EVERYONE knows that particular labour propaganda was debunked years ago. Neither can you do the "scaremongering" thing because that was just so 1997, which leaves the the old separatist chant we have heard so many times before but, will allow if you can supply written evidence that there will be barbed wire fencing and machine gun turrets along Hadrians Wall together with armed border guards with Alsatian dogs. No?

And finally why did I find it amusing? I`m sorry for that statement I apologise , I should have used the word bemused rather than amused. You see Mike for the first time in hundreds of years the Scottish people are genuinely positive, eager and excited about Scotland and it`s politics along with it`s rightful place in the world. We can`t be bullied or frightened by the Westminster "Monsters" anymore. As they say "That dog won`t hunt"

Yours,
Davie.

Dave Eastabrook, what does the idea of a Federal United Kingdom say to you? How do you rate it?

i am not here to argue with any other person.
i am here to argue solely for Independence.
you have all seen films where you cheered for the underdog.
well i dont believe in underdogs.
i know that Scotland wants freedom.
even if it hasnt grasped it yet.
you can argue Union till you are blue in the face
but freedom is the way forward for the nation
to take her place among EQUALS.
get the message and vote for your own future.
Labour and Tory had time to prove they could prosper the nation.
they failed.
Independence.
Its time.

461. Davie - Land of Milk and Honey

Dear Dave

You asked (in a polite & coherent enough way) "Why am I here"?

I'm here because I wish to continue to belong to the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which Scottish independence will destroy.

And even though I won't have a vote on the matter I will speak out against that destruction.

I don't know why you should find that amusing but that is your prerogative.

Just as it is my right to say what I think.

Sorry if that offends anyone but …..

Mike

462. Ellis Sims
I think it's more the oil itself and the oil industry created Aberdeen's oil industry, and Edinburgh - and Glasgow - had a strong financial sector long before the Tories of the 80's. As for getting to Edinburgh, my feeling is that long ago the A1 should have been turned into a full trunk road, and the East coast rail line upgraded. As for airports, with the industrial boom around Inverness as well, being in charge of our own airports for this time may have led to a lot of differences for the better.

Oil in Scotland - we don't have the headquarter jobs we should, nor other scientific, engineering and technical jobs to do with oil exploration and extraction. Had Scotland been independent all these years, I'd guess we'd have had at least the chance to do better with this, as we'd have had our own government talking, plannning, cajoling and wheeler-dealing on our behalf. Tax advantages? Certainly sir/madam! Full relief on investment? How many infrastructure jobs do you plan to give us? OK!