You're wrong Lenny because what you have stated is not on a Yes campaign web-site and you have failed to mention Westminster...back of the class young man
You are correct in stating that Scotland is a country whereas Catalonia, Basque region, North Italy etc are regions but the pressure exerted on these countries would be the same. There is no way they will allow it to happen.
Silly me I am beginning to come to this conclusion too - my only thought is there are at least 50% of Scots who do not deserve to be dragged down a dark alley
You mention borders and I was reading a piece from a North of the Border newspaper about why the young are not flocking to the Yes vote. It seems that they have grown up without such restrictions as borders. They do not wish to see a border created between Scotland and the rest of the UK. Strangely they consider themselves to be dual nationality, British and Scottish, and the article suggested that giving the vote to 16 year olds was a bad miscalculation by the SNP who had assumed that the young would support them. Get to 18 years old and the picture changed somewhat, but the British/ Scottish nationality feeling was still there.
I'm not saying that you've got it wrong - but, as you stated, no-one really knows. The EU could give an opinion on what may happen, or so I believe, but only if Cameron asks for it - and he has refused to do so. Anything else is mere speculation, even though Jancker and Avery have both 'hinted' that Scotland's ride may not be as rough as other say it will be. Two pointers that could be interpreted as meaning that Scotland wouldn't have to adopt the euro - Firstly Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II) Some non-euro-area countries are already members of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II). ERM II is a system designed to avoid excessive exchange-rate fluctuations between the participating currencies and the euro that might disrupt economic stability within the single market. Participation is voluntary, but it is also one of the 'convergence criteria' – euro-area candidate countries must participate, without severe tensions, for at least two years before they can qualify to adopt the euro. I'm fairly certain that this has previously been interpreted as a requirement for candidate countries to have successfully operated their own currency for that two year period mentioned - which Scotland wouldn't have done so actually couldn't adopt the euro. Maybe the real reason why AS is angling for a CU in the event of a Yes vote? And secondly, note the use of the term 'candidate country'. Scotland are not viewed as a candidate country anyway - Jancker said as much when clarifying that the 'no enlargement for five years' statement did not apply to Scotland. But who really knows anyway?
Strange then that you don't empathise with both Scotland and Wales, who are in a situation where the votes of English MP's rule the roost on Scottish and Welsh matters...
They have their own parliaments which decide many of their own issues, unfortunately the English do not.
They have their own parliaments which decide many of their own issues, unfortunately the English do not.
Just to clear up a few details on Catalonia - which has been dismissed as a region here. It has it's own language, it's own flag, national anthem, a devolved government and a population of 7 and a half million. It is designated as an autonomous community recognized as a nationality by Spanish law. Quite similar to Scotland I would have thought. The Scottish referendum is bound to cause tremors in some European countries because of similar separatist movements elsewhere. For this reason Scotland will find it difficult to be accepted in Europe as an entity in its own right. You only have to look at the position of the SNP in the European parliament. They sit in a block together with Plyd Cymru, the New Flemish Alliance, the Party of the Corsican Nation, the Latvian Russian Union, the Republican left of Catalonia and Basque Solidarity. All of these parties would gain a boost from Scottish success.
Also Catalonia has the better football team But don't get me wrong BB - I'd actually like to see all of the big nations of Europe break up (starting with Germany !) because they are the biggest obstacle to Europe working well together - to be replaced by a Europe of regions. If you like, a radical decentralization and a return to local democracy. I actually believe that the era of the 'nation state' is coming to an end. The present reality is however that for an independent Scotland to be accepted into the European club is going to be far more difficult than Salmond is actually acknowledging or admitting to the electorate.
William Cameron McLaughlin BA(Hons), MBA Someone in London has a Report on the Scottish Atlantic Margin oil and gas potential. It is inconceivable to think otherwise. Like the McCrone Report, it is being conveniently `concealed` at this point in time. The Scots are being taken for fools by Westminster concerning their own vast assets and wealth. The reader should take some time and join the dots for themselves. Analyse and compare the data and you will find that the emerging picture is very far from the doom and gloom independent Scotland some would like you to believe. Trust me, with the current and future oil and gas reserves, the debt and finance issues are not a problem for an independent Scotland. The only people who get the ``sums wrong`` on Scottish oil and gas revenues are the people who have, and continue to conceal, the REAL value of Scotland`s vast oil and gas wealth To conclude, the oil and gas potential of the Scottish Atlantic Margin is VAST, and the article contained expert evidence to prove this assertion. However, the Scottish North Sea is often used as an area for certain individuals to `bleat` about ``declining`` Scottish oil and gas reserves and revenues. The web site www.petroleum.co.uk (2014) contains a quote which will silence the gloom and doom merchants. It states, ``The North Sea crude oil fields are still fairly full and are arguably, the second most influential oilfield (in the world) in economic terms``. Not much ``declining`` there, is there? Add this to the Scottish Atlantic Margin oil and gas reserves and it will be a VERY LONG TIME indeed before Scottish oil and gas reserves come anywhere near ``declining``. As the writer stated previously, try an estimate of 100-150 years for starters, depending on extraction rates. For Scotland, there is everything to ``play`` for, and the rewards for an independent Scotland will not only be SIGNIFICANT, but IMMENSELY SIGNIFICANT. London has had its chance, and blown it big time by `criminally` squandering Scottish oil and gas revenues. Full report here: http://www.scotsindependent.org/features/game_changer.htm
Reserves are declining fact! If we're producing then the reserves are declining by definition. Our replacement rate in the UK is poor, we are dealing with record low levels of exploration and appraisal despite high incentives (activity stunted by political uncertainty). The biggest field referred to is Greater Clair and its not economic to develop with current oil prices and technology. Any development of these difficult fields requires the US$1460billion estimate for investment, not something any oil company is capable of nor any government and get a return on that investment. Please tell me how the independent Scottish government would provide the environment for this and do so in real achievable manner and I'll be totally supportive. We leave around 40% of the oil discovered in the ground on economic and technical grounds, it just cannot be produced and the more tax you take the more we have to leave as profits must be made, take more tax and the investment goes elsewhere. The Atlantic margin and the Falklands have been of great interest to us in the industry for a couple of decades now. We are just getting to grips with the Falklands and will end up producing a lot more out of the Atlantic margin particularly wit the infrastructure brought in with Clair Ridge and Laggan Torremore but..... the only way this stays attractive and feasible is if the tax take remains low with incentives from central government. This does not fit with the model proposed by Salmond and the yes camp and is the reason why it will not happen whilst the cloud of uncertainty hangs over the UK in its current form. The referendum has killed short term investment as the operators wait to see the outcome, we work in the most risk adverse industry you can imagine and an independent Scotland will sound the death bells for the North Sea and Atlantic frontiers. That's my viewpoint and one I believe is backed up by many others with similar experience of our industry not least of which Sir Ian Wood....
Remove your head from the Westminster sand and read the report it is extensive and exhaustive. Sir Ian Wood sorry not a credible source and purely opinion without fact. This report I post has ALL the info. backed and DEFINITIVE.
