"Yep, thus the risk of independence now it looks a possibility leads to a drop in share price for the companies with heavy interests in Scotland." Companies ultimately having strong links to the Scottish debt (the financial sector etc) are going to take a whipping when the markets are uneasy.
Not really. It's a different time of celebrity and personality. The usual will vote for labour or conservative like they always do but anyone undecided is never going to think ed as PM is a good thing for anyone. Labour shot themselves in the foot giving him leadership, he comes across as a total idiot.
A baffling decision made entirely by the unions who clearly felt Red Ed would be more of a push-over than his more intelligent brother. What a democratic institution the Labour Party is
"A point invalidated by the fact that John Major won a General Election." He was serving PM. And had Kinnock as his opponent.
Normally, I wouldn't give Cameron & his Old Etonian cronies much of a chance of winning the next election, but against weird Ed....I'm not so sure. Major was just boring. Not a complete screwball like sillyband
Don't mistake Intelligence with Charisma. Ed is the cleverer of the 2 and definitely the most radical. He also came a close second in the PLP and the members vote when it was a choice between the 2 of them (in the final round)
The big political parties have allowed opportunists such as UKIP to find their way into winning voters but thats all these parties are, opportunists, taking advantage of the naive because they are disillusioned by the main parties and its the same with this vote, people in Scotland (aside from the extreme nationalists) that are voting yes, are only doing so because they are being offered a chance to vote away from the parties/system they no longer trust, yet thats why the voting system is a dangerous one, as its a protest style vote. It wasn't too long ago we had BNP in the news, Griffin on question time, people in offices saying "well they do have a point". No they don't have a point, they are taking advantage of your naive nature. Its a pity its come to this but the main parties are at a stage where there is no trust and these opportunist parties, nationalists parties are taking advantage and while I've been jesting that No will win, I've always known it will be a close run vote, because once you give a nation like Scotland the chance to vote for independence, you're handing them a "way out" and as people in general have lost faith in the main parties, your average person on the street will think "why not, lets make a change". But the big deciding factor will be the "don't knows" as they are the type who are unsure, and people that are unsure (I believe) are more likely to stay with what they know, and pull out of yes, at the last minute but its going to be close.
"The big political parties have allowed opportunists such as UKIP to find their way into winning voters but thats all these parties are, opportunists, taking advantage of the naive because they are disillusioned by the main parties and its the same with this vote, people in Scotland (aside from the extreme nationalists) that are voting yes, are only doing so because they are being offered a chance to vote away from the parties/system they no longer trust, yet thats why the voting system is a dangerous one, as its a protest style vote." Which is why voting should be mandatory, and there should be a "none of the above" box to tick. The latter is your default "protest" vote, and together with the former, it kills the lie that 'our normal voters didn't turn out' etc (everyone voted) .
Yes, voting should be mandatory, every person that is eligible to vote, should be placing a vote and If there is a certain percentage of "don't know" (voters who would usually not vote) with a box ticked then I would use that percentage agaisn't the "yes" percentage as really "No" and "Don't know" should be viewed as essentially the same, that voters either are saying they don't want change or are unsure, especially in such a big move as independence.
I'm sure that if all ballot papers contained a "No longer give a toss" option, it would win by a mile!...
38% of irish voters voted for independence in the referendum held in the 1930s or 54% of those who voted one way or other. The figures would both have been significantly lower if northern irish had voted too.
It's a bit more than a protest vote Boss, that was no doubt the reason the SNP were swept to power in the first place but it has moved on from there, as has Scotland. The thousands of us who have been active for the YES campaign have seen for ourselves that many people switch to YES once they are presented with the facts. That is how we have done it. Last night I attended a play in Biggar: The Pitiless Storm, with actor David Hayman. This is the story of one man, a Labour man's journey from full blown NO to YES. After the performance David Hayman did a Q & A session where he explained that during the course of this tour all over SCotland he has had some 600 people come up to him and say that after seeing the play they had become YES voters. I doubt you would agree with the sentiment Boss (although it would be interesting for you to see it) but these people have been fired with a passion for the better future that Scots could make for their country. There is the change, not figures or politicians arguing back and forth, none of that. What they have seen are ordinary people making something happen despite the full force of the state against them. The power of the internet that brought Obama to office, that changed North Africa is bringing about this change in Scotland. I am not suggesting North African changes are all good btw,
You are not voting for no change if you vote no, 70% of austerity measures still to come. It beats me why anyone would want to vote to stay with austerity measures of which, as I say we have only seen 30% as yet, when a clear alternative is available. No one except the very wealthy will win from the austerity.
Austerity depresses markets and forces people out of work. They then go on benefits that help make the deficit worse (as do the missing tax revenues). The better way is the Keynesian way - i.e. stimulate the ecomony so that there is growth and higher tax revenues. Cut expenditure where it is wasteful, but too fast is counter productive.
Spurf, I'm not questioning your passion or all of the yes campaign as I know very well that Salmond (even though I dislike him and poke fun) believes this is in the best interests of Scotland, much like when you post these links and you see people giving talks or little plays (even if they stretch the truth or tell lies) I know its done from the aspect that this is them trying to win a vote (anyway possible) because they believe in the end its in the best interests for Scotland. In many ways, how a vote is won, even if its won based around lies or false dreams, can be left in the past if once in power it means the country benefits as thats the most important aspect, what is best for Scotland? If that is independence and it means Salmond goes down in history, so be it, as I have no allegiance with a political party, leader and all I'm focused on, is what is best for the country I'm likely to live in for the rest of my working life (unless I move to Cyprus ). Just when I say a protest vote, I'm talking about your average person on the street who isn't clear on why they are voting yes, other then being disillusioned by main party politics so they are going to be swayed by the Yes campaign, the passion and the dreams of a better country, that I understand but I believe too much is based around "what if" and comparing Scotland to Norway and assuming we will become a similar run country and all positive. I just simply don't believe that to be case and I won't get taken in by someone's else passion, I'll make a decision based on my own views and that is No.
My plan I think that was explained pretty well on video I posted of Ivan Mkee explaining the financial situation in SCotland. Scotland.s share of the deficit will be easily dealt with because of the positive balance of payments siuation and the major savings that will be made on many aspects of government including defence. The Independent has published an article today apparently, how Scotland can become the richest nation in the world. I have not read it yet, but the potential is there. Look at the panic in Westminster at the thought of losing Scotland. This remember is the country according to Westminster that they have to subsidise. Really! why so keen to keep it then? People in England have been fed lies for so long that they can't see the truth when it is there in front of them.
