Scotch Independence - the countdown

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Should Scotland be an Independent Country?

  • Yes

  • No


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GLASGOW will vote yes in the referendum, and be "Freedom City" Alex Salmond predicts.

The First Minister said the opportunity to extract the city from Tory power will inspire people to choose independence.

Many within the Yes campaign believe if they can win over a majority of people in the city then there will be a majority across the country.

Mr Salmond said that target is within reach and benefits for the economy and health will then follow.

Speaking exclusively to the Evening Times, Mr Salmond said he was focussing on enjoying the Commonwealth Games and would be on a "self-denying ordinance" from the referendum for the Games.

However he said Glasgow can see improvements from an independent Scottish Government raising its own money setting its own priorities.

He said: "I think Sir Harry Burns put his finger on it. The Chief Medical Office, recently retired believes the key to success in facing the deep-seated health problems of this city and this country because it's not specific to Glasgow, is the sense of empowerment that independence will bring.

"He thinks it will change people's lives for the better, not just the country and the economy, but people's lives and that was a very powerful message from Scotland's most respected physician."

"Also practical things, we won't have bedroom taxes and oppression of the poor which is what happens from Westminster at present so we won't have regressive policies that bear down on the poor, led by people like George Osborne.

"The amount of money he has taken out of this city is huge."

Three years after the SNP took more seats in the city than Labour for the first time ever, Mr Salmond said he sensed an appetite for independence.

He said: "I'm on this self-denying ordinance, so I'm trying not to get drawn into argy-bargy with George Osborne. He'll go back to London and then we'll all get on with enjoying ourselves at the Games.

"That's what I intend to do over the next 10 days and I'm sure I speak for everybody in Glasgow and Scotland. What I would say is I'm confident yes will win in Glasgow.

"Latest poll indicated that swing last week and I'm confident we will win the city of Glasgow so I suppose you could call Glasgow Freedom City."

Chancellor, George Osborne had just announced £18m towards medical and scientific research projects in the city, as part of the City Deal Prime Minister David Cameron announced this month.

Mr Salmond said people in Glasgow will see through the UK Government's announcements of cash for projects in the city.

The money, he said, was dwarfed by Scottish Government investments, including benefits of the Games spending.

He said: "I think most folk in Glasgow say beware of Tories bearing gifts. But let's take every advantage we can get because we've had precious little from George Osborne and the Tory Party."

The First Minister said the money was a "drop in the bucket" but welcome

He said: "The link between the facilities and the economy is very important. The Hydro is probably the best investment made in a venue in Games history.

"Now, without the Commonwealth Games we wouldn't have the Hydro. The economic effect of the Hydro is going to be huge for this city and this country in the next generation."

Returning to the Games he kept us guessing if he would repeat his Wimbledon flag waving moment.

He said: "There will be a million saltires in this city, so mine would be one of a million."

But its clear he believes it will be an independent saltire flying over Glasgow on September 19.

Jesus, don't you ever have a day off?
 
GLASGOW will vote yes in the referendum, and be "Freedom City" Alex Salmond predicts.

The First Minister said the opportunity to extract the city from Tory power will inspire people to choose independence.

Many within the Yes campaign believe if they can win over a majority of people in the city then there will be a majority across the country.

Mr Salmond said that target is within reach and benefits for the economy and health will then follow.

Speaking exclusively to the Evening Times, Mr Salmond said he was focussing on enjoying the Commonwealth Games and would be on a "self-denying ordinance" from the referendum for the Games.

However he said Glasgow can see improvements from an independent Scottish Government raising its own money setting its own priorities.

He said: "I think Sir Harry Burns put his finger on it. The Chief Medical Office, recently retired believes the key to success in facing the deep-seated health problems of this city and this country because it's not specific to Glasgow, is the sense of empowerment that independence will bring.

"He thinks it will change people's lives for the better, not just the country and the economy, but people's lives and that was a very powerful message from Scotland's most respected physician."

"Also practical things, we won't have bedroom taxes and oppression of the poor which is what happens from Westminster at present so we won't have regressive policies that bear down on the poor, led by people like George Osborne.

"The amount of money he has taken out of this city is huge."

Three years after the SNP took more seats in the city than Labour for the first time ever, Mr Salmond said he sensed an appetite for independence.

He said: "I'm on this self-denying ordinance, so I'm trying not to get drawn into argy-bargy with George Osborne. He'll go back to London and then we'll all get on with enjoying ourselves at the Games.

"That's what I intend to do over the next 10 days and I'm sure I speak for everybody in Glasgow and Scotland. What I would say is I'm confident yes will win in Glasgow.

"Latest poll indicated that swing last week and I'm confident we will win the city of Glasgow so I suppose you could call Glasgow Freedom City."

Chancellor, George Osborne had just announced £18m towards medical and scientific research projects in the city, as part of the City Deal Prime Minister David Cameron announced this month.

Mr Salmond said people in Glasgow will see through the UK Government's announcements of cash for projects in the city.

The money, he said, was dwarfed by Scottish Government investments, including benefits of the Games spending.

He said: "I think most folk in Glasgow say beware of Tories bearing gifts. But let's take every advantage we can get because we've had precious little from George Osborne and the Tory Party."

The First Minister said the money was a "drop in the bucket" but welcome

He said: "The link between the facilities and the economy is very important. The Hydro is probably the best investment made in a venue in Games history.

"Now, without the Commonwealth Games we wouldn't have the Hydro. The economic effect of the Hydro is going to be huge for this city and this country in the next generation."

Returning to the Games he kept us guessing if he would repeat his Wimbledon flag waving moment.

He said: "There will be a million saltires in this city, so mine would be one of a million."

But its clear he believes it will be an independent saltire flying over Glasgow on September 19.

I once thought you possessed a modicum of intelligence.

But no you are just another sheep believing the SNP untruths.

Even if we do get Independence we will vote in Labour, guaranteed.
 
I once thought you possessed a modicum of intelligence.

But no you are just another sheep believing the SNP untruths.

Even if we do get Independence we will vote in Labour, guaranteed.

I don't think Labours behaviour during the run up to this referendum will be easily forgotten . Siding with the Tories will see them lose the first election after independence at least .
 
Labour have no chance of winning the next Holyrood election. They're trailing miles behind the SNP in the polls and they've got Joanne Lamont as leader.
 
Stonehaven is in Aberdeenshire you daft bawbag.

I'd take you seriously if you didn't refer to Perth as a "nice city" cause you like Dunkeld. Don't get pedantic with me fanny features.

Aberdeenshire is an entirely different entity to Aberdeen City you ****in clownshoe.

Christ you're dense.
 
Having just been swollen by pride and wept my way through the games opening ceremony am voting YES! YES! YES! YES! <wah>
 
There is a sort of fallacy going around, about this election, and that is the erroneous belief amongst many Scots that the English really care about whether Scotland votes for independence or not. Perhaps there may be some "feeling" about it all in the far north of England and amongst a few of the more rabid Daily Mail or Sun readers south of the border, but those apart from those, frankly my dears, we couldn't give a damn.

Only two things even surprise me about it all. 1) That it has taken the Scots this long to get a re-run of the 1978 fiasco and 2) That there is still a measure of doubt about the outcome. If I were Scottish it would be a no-brainer.

A couple of months ago, I asked a Scottish colleague who, despite having lived in England for all her married life and done very nicely, thank you very much and is driving her office co-workers nuts with her relentless (and monotonous) determination to "rid my country of the foreign invader" (that'd be the country you left in order to improve your life and haven't lived in for more than thirty years, would it, Mona..?), a simple question and it was this:

My wife is half Scottish. I am full-blood English. If Scotland votes yes, she will be able, by virtue of her Scottish father (now deceased) to acquire dual nationality, as will our daughters (they have a Scottish blood grandparent). Would I also be able to do so despite having no Scottish blood relative, but qualify by marriage.

It isn't that I particularly want dual nationality. I'm comfortable in my own skin. But I ask because the thought occurs to me that there is probably nary a family anywhere in the country, north or south, that hasn't been mixed by marriage at some point and has produced progeny that would therefore be of mixed English and Scottish blood. It is quite likely that, if everybody who was able to take up the offer did so then any claim of "Scotland for the Scottish" would be at best, ironic and the stuff of very English humour.

I suppose there are true full blood Scots roaming in the gloaming somewhere in the Outer Hebrides, ritually burning each other as blood sacrifices to their pagan Gods or whatever it is they do in the long winter nights, but I would suggest there is probably the odd drop of Anglo blood scattered here and there too.

My colleague was unable to answer my question so I will put it to the group here. Does anybody know..? I'd appreciate an answer.


As for the referendum itself, well, my view on it is that democracy will take its course and the will of the people be done. Fair play one way or the other. I don't mind if Scotland goes independent. Good luck to them. I can still recall seeing grainy old black and white images on our telly, of the Union Flag being hauled down in places like Kenya and Jamaica and other parts of the old Empire, celebrating the independence in those countries. It was all done in a very civilised way and although I'm in no doubt that many Scots will tastelessly gloat (should they win), My shoulders are broad enough to shrug that off.

I'm of the view that historically, Britain gained far more credit for the way she disposed of an empire, than she ever got from acquiring it.

All I ask is that once it's all over and the initial euphoria (or calamitous depression as the case may be) has worn off, let this referendum be the end of it. One way or another, let's get it done and dusted and call it a day. It's dominating far too much of our attention and it's becoming tiresome now. Let's agree to abide by the result and just get on with our lives thereafter.

Let the voting commence.
 
Aye yer right . The fallacy around this election is ......it's not a f**king election you moron
 
There is a sort of fallacy going around, about this election, and that is the erroneous belief amongst many Scots that the English really care about whether Scotland votes for independence or not. Perhaps there may be some "feeling" about it all in the far north of England and amongst a few of the more rabid Daily Mail or Sun readers south of the border, but those apart from those, frankly my dears, we couldn't give a damn.

Only two things even surprise me about it all. 1) That it has taken the Scots this long to get a re-run of the 1978 fiasco and 2) That there is still a measure of doubt about the outcome. If I were Scottish it would be a no-brainer.

A couple of months ago, I asked a Scottish colleague who, despite having lived in England for all her married life and done very nicely, thank you very much and is driving her office co-workers nuts with her relentless (and monotonous) determination to "rid my country of the foreign invader" (that'd be the country you left in order to improve your life and haven't lived in for more than thirty years, would it, Mona..?), a simple question and it was this:

My wife is half Scottish. I am full-blood English. If Scotland votes yes, she will be able, by virtue of her Scottish father (now deceased) to acquire dual nationality, as will our daughters (they have a Scottish blood grandparent). Would I also be able to do so despite having no Scottish blood relative, but qualify by marriage.

It isn't that I particularly want dual nationality. I'm comfortable in my own skin. But I ask because the thought occurs to me that there is probably nary a family anywhere in the country, north or south, that hasn't been mixed by marriage at some point and has produced progeny that would therefore be of mixed English and Scottish blood. It is quite likely that, if everybody who was able to take up the offer did so then any claim of "Scotland for the Scottish" would be at best, ironic and the stuff of very English humour.

I suppose there are true full blood Scots roaming in the gloaming somewhere in the Outer Hebrides, ritually burning each other as blood sacrifices to their pagan Gods or whatever it is they do in the long winter nights, but I would suggest there is probably the odd drop of Anglo blood scattered here and there too.

My colleague was unable to answer my question so I will put it to the group here. Does anybody know..? I'd appreciate an answer.


As for the referendum itself, well, my view on it is that democracy will take its course and the will of the people be done. Fair play one way or the other. I don't mind if Scotland goes independent. Good luck to them. I can still recall seeing grainy old black and white images on our telly, of the Union Flag being hauled down in places like Kenya and Jamaica and other parts of the old Empire, celebrating the independence in those countries. It was all done in a very civilised way and although I'm in no doubt that many Scots will tastelessly gloat (should they win), My shoulders are broad enough to shrug that off.

I'm of the view that historically, Britain gained far more credit for the way she disposed of an empire, than she ever got from acquiring it.

All I ask is that once it's all over and the initial euphoria (or calamitous depression as the case may be) has worn off, let this referendum be the end of it. One way or another, let's get it done and dusted and call it a day. It's dominating far too much of our attention and it's becoming tiresome now. Let's agree to abide by the result and just get on with our lives thereafter.

Let the voting commence.

I love it when someone goes to the effort of writing a 500 word article to point out they don't care.

1978? I'm assuming he's referring to Scotland's shambolic showing at the World Cup in Argentina? He couldn't possibly mean the referendum of 1979 surely?