- 15,994
- United Kingdom
- haitch40
- Xbox?
So how would us being independent help this?
You would likely get less "free" things as the Tories would win every election.
Scottish Independence
- Thread starter MisterWhiskers
- 654 comments
- 30,774 views
You would likely get less "free" things as the Tories would win every election.
- 1,046
- Nottingham
Please do not take the English independance idea seriously. England as a whole needs more power over it's self.
- 17,311
- United Kingdom
Wait, so you think that you getting something that hasn't cost you anything is fair? Forgetting that it is paid for by money that's taken from my monthly earnings, and the profits of the hardwork of my employees, as well as their monthly earnings, as well as a portion of a lot of the money we've earned that we choose to spend.... How is you getting something for free fair on those that pay for it?
- 1,046
- Nottingham
Those who pay for it get it for free.
- 15,994
- United Kingdom
- haitch40
- Xbox?
That statement contradicts itself.
- 17,311
- United Kingdom
How has someone who goes to Uni at the age of 18 possibly paid enough in to the system to have the right to expect a free university education?
- 1,046
- Nottingham
This is confusing. I am confused. But the system should work somthing like you only get out of it what you put in.
- 15,994
- United Kingdom
- haitch40
- Xbox?
Ok if we are going by that definition.
How has a 5 year old put enough in the system to deserve to go to school for free?
- 17,311
- United Kingdom
- 29,366
- Glasgow
- GTP_Mars
On my way to Edinburgh tonight via George Square in Glasgow - some trouble and police everywhere... kind of knew this was going to happen.
- 833
- Scotland
- mcgillc_10
Lots of trouble happening in George Square there is also a livestream of it.
- 7,177
- Lisboa
- FLAT_TWELVE
Interesting question and interesting answers so far. From an outsider's point of view, Scotland is a nation without an independent state. Not uncommon in the European history.
This means Scotland is much more than what a state is in the USA (a legal and administrative entity), but it is less than a country in European language (usually the combination of one or more nations in a politically independent state). However, what independence means to the States of Europe is up for debate considering that they're not part of a federation, although most are part of the EU (something we don't know what really is and especially what will be in the future).
Edited because the text was even more confusing than it is now
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- 5,494
- Melbourne, Living the dream
- Aldo_GTP
Looks like the Rangers fans have just woken up after a night on the piss. Gotta love Scotland...
- 9,089
- Scotland
- 5,897
- Pittsburgh, PA
- The_Bman24
When this independence movement started I didn't see it getting anywhere. The resignation of Salmond is the final nail in the coffin, and it will likely be many years before Scottish independence is brought up as a possibility again.
Just a quick summary through an American's eyes.
Just a quick summary through an American's eyes.
- 19,013
- Jersey V.1.0
- axletramp
Fall out. It was always going to happen. Tribal mentality isn't the fault of the people, rather the result of those who create and encourage it. Still, not nice.
ExigeEvan
Premium
- 17,192
Surely if they just gave everyone a traffic cone they'd all be content and calm down.
- 9,089
- Scotland
- 87,557
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
It seems to have got exactly where it needed to get...
One of Cameron's campaign pledges in 2010 was to solve "The West Lothian Question". This can broadly be expressed as "Why can a Scottish MP vote on a matter that will affect only English constituents, while an English MP cannot vote on a matter that will only affect Scottish constituents?"* - but it's a little more complex than that. In effect Scottish MPs can vote in Parliament in favour of bills for all of the UK knowing that Scottish MSPs (often, but not always, the same person as the Scottish MP) can reject the bill, resulting in consequences for English constituents but not the Scottish MP's own constituents**.
Generally speaking, the Conservatives who have little to no presence in Scotland, don't like it while Labour, who do and who can rely on socialist support from the SNP at the UK Parliament like it just fine.
Salmond has been barking on about Scottish independence for decades, getting louder as he rose through the ranks - until he hit First Minister in 2007 where he could have done something about it but just kept making noises. It would seem that Cameron, knowing that Scottish support for independence has never been over a third (mainly in the M8 corridor) and knowing that the independence campaign basically rested on Saltire-waving, took a risk to call Salmond on it and offered him the referendum.
The flag-waving and English-hating nature of the campaign has annoyed middle England. A lot. The question of why Scotland gets to vote in English affairs has come up during the process and made it current - suiting Cameron's agenda. It was inevitable Salmond would resign after literally pinning his flag to a failed independence vote and his resignation puts Scottish politics into a bit of disarray - suiting Cameron's agenda. Now he can make good on his election pledge to solve the West Lothian Question without interference from SNP - he might even be able to make good with a "well, only Scots could vote" argument to let only English MPs vote to solve it, and without Scotland his majority is huge (even more without Wales) - the Lib Dems could vote against it and it wouldn't matter a jot.
The failure of the Yes campaign hasn't really put Scottish independence or devolution back much at all - it'll still happen because nearly half of people voted for it and, with a better plan in future with questions like currency, borders, oil, Trident and the EU answered, it'll be the better for it.
What it has done is provide a spot of panem et circenses for Cameron. No wonder he called Salmond on it.
He's not as stupid as he looks is Dave.
*Named because the two example MPs were for Blackburn in Lancashire (England) and Blackburn in West Lothian (Scotland).
**In effect it's like the representatives for Arizona helping to pass a federal bill and then rejecting it at State level.
- 14,059
- Ireland
- driftking18594
- CiaranGTR94
You stay classy, loyalists.
Please be aware, here in Ireland the term "loyalist" is associated with violent unionists.
Please be aware, here in Ireland the term "loyalist" is associated with violent unionists.
- 5,301
- Tijuana, B.C.
- MRT_Cinnamon
- 819
- Kingdom of Fife
- jackargent
- 4,573
- Moscow
- Rage_Racer_VOLK
- RageRacer48
Ha-ha 
I thought it's only possible in Russia:
I thought it's only possible in Russia:
- 7,177
- Lisboa
- FLAT_TWELVE
I just watched Gordon Brown's "gone viral" speech. I know for some reason he is not liked in the UK (and he is probably hated within the gtplanet UK members, since nobody mentioned it) but ... wow! Last I heard a strong speech not created by a bunch of anonymous cabinet nerds and not read out of blue screens as if scripted to provide sound bytes, ad hominem attacks and previously checked for all around politically correctness ... was a long time ago. That's one for the history books.
Well done Mr. Brown.
Well done Mr. Brown.
- 87,557
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
That'll be because as Chancellor the Exchequer he presided over the introduction of some ludicrous "stealth" taxes, kept raising fuel duty and contributed to some of the most over-reaching public spending schemes of all time helping to set up a massive deficit for whomever inherited government, sold off all of the UK's gold reserves at an adjusted all-time gold price low (and helped cause that by announcing the sales of gold), losing billions from the economy and then, as unelected Prime Minister, did nothing to ameliorate the global financial crisis and held onto the post for as long as he legally could.
So nothing major.
I've heard the speech is good, but I'd not want to watch a Gordon Brown video unless it was released by IS.
