Why would it have to be by the UK? I'm sure most of us would be thinking you made your bed, you lie in it if it all went wrong! You are probably right though but I wouldnt agree with it if that happened.
crackerman do you remember how we bailed out Ireland? It would be similar, the British Isles will always be just that, the British Isles. Self interest between the four countries will always see them co operate if possible. It is however a very unlikey scanario given Scotlands much stronger financial position as an independent nation.
http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/defoed/tour/twells.htm Defoe's visit to Tun Wells crackerman.
No wonder you want a Yes vote then, Spurf. It's a win-win for Scotland and a lose-lose for the rest of the UK, if you look at it like that. I suspect that there'd be a distinct lack of enthusiasm for any aid being given in the case of an unsuccessful spell of independence.
I would take heed of the sage words of one of my favourite Scotsmen - a certain Mr Billy Connolly. He said, "don't vote for them, it only encourages them!"
No country want their major trading partners or neighbours to falter because italways has across border impacts. It is in England's best interests that Scotland is strong financially. It is also in Scotland's best interests that England is strong financially. On a more local level- it is in the best interest of a country as a whole that no one region or area becomes destitute as it pulls down neighbouring regions. When they do economic rebuilding efforts in certain towns across the country- it isn't out of kindness to the people in that community, it's for the benefit of the whole country, if one city is poor- they're not buying goods & services from anyone else in the country.
Cheers Spurf for the link, funny how times have changed. The "disgusted of tunbridge wells" would have a heart attack if anything like that went on here these days. There was uproar before a coyote bar opened where the most extreme thing that happens is that the bar girls get up and dance on the bar. I can't imagine what would happen if a strip club wanted to open! Voting in this town feels almost pointless as it's so conservative and has been that way for longer than I can remember.
I also enjoyed Defoe's description of Tunbridge Wells. There's something about people and places I didn't have an inkling about coming to life.
Most of the financial problems that the UK is undergoing were created by the worst chancellor this country ever survived that proud Scott Gordon Brown ably assisted by the war crimes Scott Blair If Scotland vote yes they leave the UK but do not take with them their share of the national debt they were so instrumental in creating
Absolute nonsense. Gordon Brown will be remembered as a great Chancellor (not infallible) and his measures to offset the American induced Banking crisis was invaluable. The collapse of the sub prime mortgage sector in the US dragged us all down. Every policy Brown and Darling followed leading up to the crsis was supported by the Tories - was their policy to continue in exactly the same way until the International crisis hit. The only difference is they supported less regulation of the Banking sector until they all collapsed and suddenly there was not enough. I know the Mail and the Sun disagree, but that convinces me I am correct.
"Absolute nonsense. Gordon Brown will be remembered as a great Chancellor" He will be remembered for : - Not following schoolboy fiscal macro-ecomomic policy. - The self-aggrandising "no more return to Tory boom and bust" . - Pinning his economic strategy solely on the performance of a market sector whose amorality and similar self-aggrandising arrogance brought the financial world crashing down.
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
http://www.newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-opinion/9235-westminster-rampart-of-lies-bulldozed This is a classic example of how the Westminster elite suppress truths that don't suit their purpose. In the past they would have succeeded but now we have the power of the Internet to expose them. 100% this report will not appear in MSM or BBC they will carry an 'opinion' by Ian Wood with nothing to back it but his title.
Spurf Even if there are substantial oil and gas reserves in the Atlantic and still "100-150 years" worth left in the North Sea this will all become meaningless as the world finally realises that climate change is real and has arrived. Fossil fuels are no longer practicable and the switch to sustainable sources and, unfortunately, nuclear power will ensure that these reserves will remain under the sea where they belong. Next month there is a UN Climate summit that all world leaders, political, financial, commercial and social, in New York. I believe that this time, due to the ever increasing public awareness of climate change proper and lasting changes to policy will finally be put in place to sound the death knell for fossil fuels.
It is a consideration but as the US and the UK are still fighting wars for oil it does not look like it is an asset losing value bearing in mind that oil is used in plastics and IT and many applications it is not just a fuel. Whatever the outcome of this speculation the people of Scotland should know the truth. Finally if as you are trying to suggest this is an asset of limited value why would Westminster be so keen to suppress the news of its extent?
Shame that logic doesn't apply to keeping people in work! The "logic" of laying off people by the Government never made much sense as it's always presented as "this guy earns £20,000 so we're saving £20,000" when in fact you probably then start having to pay benefits, don't get the tax he was paying and the economy doesn't get what he was spending. The "savings" are far more marginal than they are made out.
Regarding oil. There are other factors to be taken into consideration. Regardless of any other extraneous events, the price of oil, like any other commodity, is cyclical. Admittedly, it is not always possible to determined the length of a cycle, but there always is one. The main point to be considered re North Sea Oil is the cost of extraction. In the case of NSO, this is relatively high. If the price of oil falls to far, as it did in the late '90's, it becomes uneconomical to extract the oil.
