OT- do you think Scotland will vote to be in or out of the union?

Ok then, I propose a NUFC referendum..

 

I don't think that one will be close for some reason

 

If they do vote Yes then it will indeed be a difficult road ahead for everyone - tho not an impossible one. It is in the rest of the UK's interest that Scotland does not crash and burn though - perhaps especially for those of us close to Scotland - as any failings on either side will be felt by the other side. Neither side of the argument has covered themselves in glory in dealing with this aspect. A lot of bridges are being burned on both sides and that helps nobody.

 

Indeed it seems we have a game of political ****storm top trumps taking place. It appears to be more about the individuals own point scoring agendas at times. Much humble pie to be eaten on both sides if the YES vote prevails. I assume Salmonds abrasive stance is simply to garner public support in a run to the finish line. Its a bit gimmicky for me but has been necessary to turn the polls around. The flipside is, and they will have known this, there may well be a price to pay once the real negoiation starts if successful.

 

A real **** up on the part of the No campaign that.

The truth (sure you can use the pound but it will mean letting a foreign country set your monetary policy and you'll have to cut about 5% off your budget overnight) is much scarier than the bullshit. I think they assume people won't be able to understand the truth, which I don't believe is correct. People can certainly sense the bullshit.

 

AHM is right.... Pardew in or out...... well the results are in.......

 

There is a huge amount in that. I don't think its any coincidence that the polls have changed in favour of yes after each scaremongering speech by the likes of Cameron, Osborne and Darling. At the start of this campaign Scotland would have voted to stay in the UK, tho by a smaller majority than ever before. I don't particularly like Salmond, but he has done a good job of exposing Westminster's bias to the South (and in particular the South-East). Those wanting a No vote could have acknowledged the problems and had very little negative effect. Instead they chose to bullshit. Its almost been like Cameron and Osborne want to lose to get rid of the block Labour/SNP vote. None of this will hurt London very much but we'll be even more ****ed than we are now. We will be even more dominated by London, and it will get worse again in 2 years if we leave the EU.

 

No bookie is offering more than 2/5 on a No vote.

I don't think it will even be close.

 

I don't see many people living in cardboard shanty towns, 100's roaming the streets looking for a hand out to survive in Newcastle, the piles of bodies left to rot because of starvation, disease and war, do you really think that living in one of the most developed countries in the world is something to complain about, your idea of ****ed should be put into perspective, no satelite tv, only one night out on the piss, only 3 pairs of shoes which bit of your life is really bad when compared to the poverty, destruction and death that occurs around the world and why would it be any worse if the Scots voted to leave the union.

 

You're 100% right about how much worse it can be elsewhere. Does that mean I just say 'f** it, no point in ever voting, or ever wanting our region to be treated better, or wanting to do something about the high number of people who can't get a job, or who can't have family visit because they're not allowed a spare room, or not caring about the huge divide in investment between different parts of the country, just because lots of other areas and people have it worse?' In relative terms our region is being f**ed by Westminster (as are others) and suffering a massive amount of neglect and under investment in comparison to the South-East - not just in overall terms but in 'per-head' terms. I don't feel guilty for seeing that as a bad thing, and I don't see it as meaning that I can't recognise the utter deprivation and horrors that exist elsewhere in the world.

The reason I believe it will get worse is that the rest of the UK becomes even more dominated by London, and more London-centric. In addition to this, we will be competing with businesses on our doorstep who may well be operating with lower levels of corporation tax, or in the case of the airports, without having to pay aviation duty. There is a huge risk to this area whether though a Yes vote, or increased powers through a No vote.

 

Weren't the TV debates between two Scotsmen?

 

Aye Darling and Brown.

Personally I'm a unionist, and I think it's going to harm both countries if there is a split. Still, that said, I'd rather have a content neighbor than an unhappy co-tenant, even if it did cost me a few bob. What I am pissed off about is that the whole sorry - and for most of the past 3 centuries unimaginable - affair is that it is entirely the fault of our greedy, self serving, inept, morally bankrupt, ethically crippled and mentally challenged politicians. Howling s**ts the lot of them. Frankly this whole sorry mess is the logical outcome of their petty playing people off each other so they can keep their piggy noses in the trough.

On the other hand, while I'm sure this is to the overall detriment of both countries, I expect the NE actually will do well out of a split. There'll be all sorts of cross border arbitrage which will benefit Newcastle. MOD shipbuilding will probably come back to the Tyne as well - if for no other reason than the North East will be the new Labour heartland.

(Also, the NE has been historically ignored because the voters are so tribal you don't have to bribe them. If people would mix it up and create a whole bunch of marginal seats then it would be different. As is the Torys will never win; so they don't give a ****: And Labour will always win; so they don't give a **** either).

 

Have to say I feel the north east will suffer if Scotland opts for independence as politics will swing even further to the right in Westminster due to the parties chasing votes. We will become even more forgotten about and I doubt very much that any lessons will be learned about what brought the Scots to this point through governments ignoring the less well off in society.

 

Yes they were, forgive my slip. I was indeed supposed to write smarmy faux Englishman

 

peoplw are getting windows smashed if they have a no vote poster or flag, a guy got bottled in the city centre for having a union flag


its a mini northern ireland

 

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Good sense prevailed in the end.

 

The scariest statistic here was that there were over 3000 spoiled ballots in a simple Yes or No vote. In the first result announced alone there were 7 people who voted both Yes and No.

 

Good job they're staying, they can't look after themselves