If it's a no vote, Alex Salmond could always do what the Jersey politicians did with the result of last year's referendum on the future of the composition of the States with how many Deputies, Senators and Connetables were to have seats and ignored it (there were 3 options, not 2). How did they get away with it? A caveat stating that if the turnout was less than 40% that it was invalid. Turnouts in St Helier for any election are usually 20% - 25%, and that was the case again. In order to get over the 40% mark, they would've needed almost 100% turnout from the other 11 parishes and that was never going to happen, especially as it was the first election after the eligible voting age was reduced to 16.
Bit harsh Harry To be perfectly honest if it meant that everyone paid every penny they were supposed to I'd tax them at the normal rate. We'd still probably collect more than we do now.
I will be very interested in the International implications of this referendum in regions such as Brittany, Corsica, the Basque and Catalan regions, the north of Belgium and the Liga Nord in Italy - it sometimes seems like the nation state has outlived its usefulness and the Europe of the future will be one of regions. Would this be such a bad thing ? I am hoping that, whatever the result of the referendum, it triggers off the discussion of decentralization of the powers of Westminster - not just in Scotland and Wales but also within England. Why is Germany not on the list of countries effected by separatist movements ? Because I already pay my taxes to the state government in Düsseldorf and not in Berlin - and because the states of Germany have had a large measure of autonomy since 1945. (would be nice to get rid of Bavaria though !).
You see - I don't see it as harsh - Rooney is to get paid £15 million per year - and yet people get out of their prams over Bankers. To me it is good luck to them - nobody ever paid me quite £15m per annum - yet I was worth it according to my wife and kids. So long as Rooney spends the money it will filter down the line so let him enjoy it. There is no rhyme or reason for some earnings nor for people whose ancestors beat us poor Angles at the Battle of Hastings. I can accept not having a 500 acre spread in Surrey - I am not jealous of others' wealth. Tax people enough to pay for things we really need as a society but let's stop trying to equalize everyone by robbing the rich. Look what happened to Robin Hood
Having watched the Welsh crowd singing their anthem in Cardiff tonight, it would seem that to have a language that even the children can sing would promote nationalist feelings more than the Scots singing in English.
It's always amazing to hear the Welsh and French singing their anthems. I don't like to be disrespectful of GSTQ as it is our anthem but it doesn't have the same uplifting qualities and passion as many others.
Tears to my eyes every time I hear the Welsh sing, takes me back to the valleys, yes I'm half welsh..
BB, In respect of your 'Good Luck' post .... Living on the West Coast ... I don't know many folk who are in the 'Yes' camp ... Bear in mind, this is a very much a Labour orientated area with many (sadly former) Mining communities ... Not sure a lot of luck is needed ... As said the other day, the SNP only got in as a protest vote, look at the 1997 Devolution vote ... .. I think the recent Clydebank By-election with the increased majority for the Labour guy showed what is what ... As I said in a post a few days ago ... The UK Labour Party will not want Scottish Independence as they will have no chance of forming a Government in Westminster ... Oh... and to say again today, I haven't heard or read anything today that says how everything will be paid for if Scotland becomes Independent ... H654
Come on chaps, argue any facts that might be in the public domain, but opinions are exactly that, they are opinions. They are not wrong or right they are opinions - fine if you don't agree with them, but respect the other persons right to hold them. My view is based on my intense dislike of vast centralised government that just eats up huge resources and adds very little value. All it does it create more laws to force the huge populations into little easily managed boxes - that is why I hate the EU and the concept of the Euro. 500 Million people! So I would support Scottish independence, but if I was a Scot I would like to see more real hard facts to answer the questions I have - I have really tried hard to find a place that is even asking the questions, let alone supplying the answers. It seems we are left with one group accusing the other of scare tactics and threats and the other group accusing the other of scare tactics and threats! - how stupid is that. On reflection, I think the whole debate comes down to the size of Scotland and is it big enough to be economically viable on it's own? So that should be the focus of the debate - does Scotland have the ability to raise the revenue it would need to fund it's very ambitious plans? Yes yes, I know the yes campaign will quote the North Sea revenue and the tax revenue etc. from Westminster and the no campaign will quote the SNP's very ambitious spending plans and it's plan to attract Corporates with a reduction in Corporation Tax - but would you gamble your families future on such a lack of real hard detail? My brother has lived just outside Aberdeen for around 20 years and his youngest son (30 this year) considers himself more Scottish than English, so we always have some funny banter on that. I suspect my brother would vote no and my nephew yes, but I have not canvassed their opinion as yet!
It seems very strange to me that at last general election the three parties in Scotland, Lab, Lib and Con, who are all against independence received 80% of the vote, whereas the SNP only received 20%, yet it is suggested that it could be a close run result. There is little in the way of hard fact available, so why are people supposed to be changing their minds? I suspect spin is very hard at work here.
Latest poll is 38% YES 47% NO, the yes closing the gap because of this latest currency debate, in all likelihood when it finally comes to the vote it'll be around 30:70 in favor of NO of those who vote. To be fair in the Northern parts of Aberdeenshire one might have a different impression, Banff and Buchan, Salmonds stomping ground is perhaps a case for independence itself.
To be fair w-y as is usually the case on hornets threads most of this debate has been very polite - and a little bit of passion adds some fun OFH - the SNP 20% are naturally 100% for independence so it only takes a quarter of the other 80% to be labour or whatever but support independence to bring the numbers close. From what I have seen the percentages in the yes and no campaign have moved remarkably little since the campaign got underway. I suspect it will be in the last few weeks we will see people's real opinions crystallising
Interesting related news on the radio this morning... RBS report £8 Billion lose! Standard Life state that they would have to consider their position if Scotland became independent. A Scottish financial company with over 5,000 employees in Scotland, but with 90% of it's customers based in England & Wales.
So one of the largest employers says that there are too many unanswered questions about where the SNP would take the country, so they put out a statement. The Yes campaign in Scotland has published a response to Standard Life's warning on independence. "Standard Life wants to see agreements on currency, regulation and taxation, which is exactly what the Scottish Government has proposed," it says. That surely shows up that Salmond will not give a detailed answer to something that could affect the lives of those 5,000 employees. As someone who receives a small amount of income from shares, as I now live in a foreign country, the sum has been reduced by a withholding tax. I can well see why Standard Life would wish to protect the vast bulk of it's customers by avoiding being listed on the LSE as a foreign company.
