You see it as bullying? Scotland can't continue to use the £ and this alone will sink it - goodness knows what will happen if it's a yes vote ....monopoly money????
All that the YES campaign can offer are promises of what MIGHT be if they win. There are no assurances from anybody that what the YES people claim will 'naturally' happen will actually come about. It is not in the SNP's remit to demand a currency union. The BoE has clearly said NO, the UK politicians have clearly said NO. It matters not why they say NO if that is the stance then Scotland is taking a BIG chance in assuming that minds will change in their favour. Scotland has already been told that they would have to apply for membership of the EU and that their former status as part of the UK is no guarantee of acceptance. As ALL existing member states of the EU have to approve such an application, why do the YES campaign insist that Spain will vote for Christmas? Oil. No substantive negotiations have yet taken place. Yet the YES campaign have already arbitrarily re-drawn the map in their favour. Send a gun boat is my response (and don't leave them any form of a navy!)
BP had this to say [Independent today] ''Bob Dudley, the chief executive of BP, argued that long-term investment in North Sea drilling operations required “fiscal stability and certainty”. He said: “As a major investor in Scotland, now and into the future, BP believes the future prospects for the North Sea are best served by maintaining the existing capacity and integrity of the United Kingdom.” That doesn't look too promising and Standard Life are also moving South should it be 'yes'. It's a win/win for Salmond though - yes and he gets what he wants. no and he gets the plaudits for having the guts to try it.
It's a big gamble for Salmond's political career. Lose this vote by say 5% or more then he'll get more than just a kicking from the media. Politics is not the arena for the gallant loser - not that Salmond's behaviour has been anything near gallant!!
Don't agree Dave, Salmond has made the SNP a force to be reckoned with north of the border, if only 5 people in every 100 vote against independence its a feather in his cap tbf, if the margin was much bigger he might opt for the pipe and slippers but he will carry on fighting for a better deal for Scotland on the main issues raised in his campaign. If as expected the no vote win it should bring about a modernisation of the UK charter, things that were relevant in the 17th century have no place in the modern age.
I'm not so sure it's a big gamble - a gamble certainly but one he sees worth taking. If anything I see it enhancing his standing, trying and failing is honourable, not trying at all is weak.
Page, As I said politics is not kind to losers and Salmond is no exception. The SNP have grown strong (fat some may say) on the back of Labour's inability to sustain its traditional vote. In Scotland, the NO campaign is firmly wrapped around Labour. If No win by 5+% then watch a re-invigorated Labour party claim the credit and tear Salmond and the SNP to shreds.
The referendum is what the SNP have always wanted it's the cornerstone of their policies, when the Scottish people vote No, then their entire purpose for being needs to be re-evaluated by their party and I doubt Salmond will be the man to do it. (not that I care) They got to the point they always wanted to - a vote on Independence - and have then blown their chances by failing to have enough credible answers to the basic economic factors that an independant Scotland would face. Once the dust settles the lack of planning and credibility of the SNP on these issues will be pawed over by the bitter masses and Salmond will ulitmately be found to be the architect of their failure.
The knives will be out for him both internally and from Labour when he loses this referendum. If you want an example then look no further than leaders of the Conservative Party from Major to Cameron (and some may say that Cameron was a winner by default [and then only just!]).
SNP Sore losers you reckon? No doubt Labour will be gloating but you have to go into these things with the end in mind and unless he has the 'I resign if we lose the vote' attitude then I see it boosting him.
I'm still predicting a Yes vote. Unless I misread the situation- the Yes voters are the more militant and likely to actually make it down to vote. Some No voters won't be as motivated.
When it comes to political parties the only thing that counts is power. Fail to deliver that and no matter how good/nice/clever you are, you will be sacrificed if you are the leader. Just as Labour could not get away from the bad rep of Gordon Brown, the SNP would always be wide open to an attack of any Salmond led SNP - LOSER/ You've been proved to be wrong by the people!
Talking to the scots here, of which there a quite a few the split between yes and no is obvious. No to independence just don't see the benefit and are worried about the consequences if yes vote wins Yes to independence basically comes down to "i hate the ****ing english". This is a very simplified version of the many convos i've had with lads and lasses round here but does give you the general thrust.
The Scots I know [not all the Scots I know, just the ones I've been talking to about it] don't see it that way although they are riding high on a yes outcome, maybe they will turn on him should they lose. These same Scots also don't realistically see yes happening they just very much want it to.
i may be a bit naive in all this, so apologies, but i don't understand scots who live in England who are wanting or hoping a yes vote, why are you living in england for starters then? i don't know personally if this would or would not be a good thing for Scotland, as i don't know all the pros and cons for it.
You've misread it. They'll collectively bottle it on polling day and the No vote will win by circa 7-8% The 'undecideds' are being excluded from the pre-election polls, and the majority of these won't sudddenly become raging Nationalists next Thursday.
There's the cynical answer - I live in England because I couldn't wait to leave Scotland - vote yes and see 'ya. There's the idealist answer - I live in England because my job located me here, Scotland's my heart-home - vote yes I'm ok I'm in England.
