Scexit / Wexit / Nexit

[manc_don]

As I understand it if they went by themselves  they would become an archipelago inside Scottish waters only owning up to 15 miles from their coast which would have little to no effect on current oil fields.  I read this in the wee blue book and it seemed well researched if your wanting source. 

 

Re the bit in bold.  There are plenty of countries that  look after their citizens far better than the uk gvmt does, surely its not unreasonable to think we could join that collective as an independent nation.  I can understand your cynicism, hell you've lived the uk quite a while after all, but I don't think it's fair to judge an Independent Scottish parliament so harshly before they have even had the chance to prove otherwise.

 

Genuine question, as I don't know, but what makes you think they would? What have the Scottish government done to try and help Aberdeen in this time of crisis? I've always been of the opinion that the Scottish government has been central belt centric and I wouldn't expect that to change. The infrastructure north of it is woeful at best. I would have thought any scottish government would have the power to control this sort of thing? As I said, not attacking more enquiring.

[Nips_and_Tatties]

While if they wanted it, that's up to them, latest poll for Shetland independence was in single digits. It's never happening.

 

To be fair , only 8 people live there though.

 

[tlg1903]

Genuine question, as I don't know, but what makes you think they would? What have the Scottish government done to try and help Aberdeen in this time of crisis? I've always been of the opinion that the Scottish government has been central belt centric and I wouldn't expect that to change. The infrastructure north of it is woeful at best. I would have thought any scottish government would have the power to control this sort of thing? As I said, not attacking more enquiring.

I disagree they are central belt orientated.  They are the first Scottish government to not only take the dualing of the a9 seriously but actually make it happen.  Massive investment and the vast majority of it on road outside the central belt.  People did complain at the start about average speed camera's but they have been a positive in my experience and I drive that road an awful lot with my job.  The death toll is down a bit which back's that up a little which is no bad thing when it's statistically the most dangerous road in the uk. 

The distributor road is going in Aberdeen and there is also a much needed new crossing of the river ness being built up here.  I think they do what they can, the O+G sector being healthy is good for the Scottish Gvmnt surely?

 

[tom_widdows]

I disagree they are central belt orientated.  They are the first Scottish government to not only take the dualing of the a9 seriously but actually make it happen.  Massive investment and the vast majority of it on road outside the central belt.  People did complain at the start about average speed camera's but they have been a positive in my experience and I drive that road an awful lot with my job.  The death toll is down a bit to back that up too and it's statistically the most dangerous road in the uk. 

The distributor road is going in Aberdeen and there is also a much needed new crossing of the river ness being built up here.  I think they do what they can, the O+G sector being healthy is good for the Scottish Gvmnt surely?

 

I was just responding to Kow, I don't think Orkney and Shetland would secede.

 

The Duelling of the A9 is a good thing but once you get past Inverness there are quite significant issues.

Take Wester Ross for example where younger populations are on a serious decline. Both Ullapool High School & Gairloch High School are set to drop to 4.5day weeks and there are so many houses for sale yet no one is buying as there is no work. Ludicrously the prices aren't dropping either.

The Locals I know are fed up with Visit Scotland boasting about the North Coast 500 yet covering up that tourist income has actually declined whilst traffic has increased. Only the Petrol stations have seen a rise in income as people now take their camper-vans rather than chose to stay in hotels & B&Bs or drive the whole thing in 2-3 days rather than hanging around for a week like they used to. many of them make sure they stock up in the Inverness tesco before they cross the Kessock Bridge rather than rely on the small local stores or restuarants.

 

BEAR are responsible for the A9 section of the NC500 so it gets maintained however the rest of it falls into the remit of Highland Council so if you are planning on driving from say Loch Carron to Ullapool you'd better invest in a serious 4x4.

The 10 year freeze on Council tax certainly hasn't helped and the former SNP led coaltion council did themselves no favours with their attempts to shut down rural services for minimal savings which eventually resulted in the Independents taking control when the Lib Dems quit.

 

You can build all the Hydro plants & wind farms you like in the Highlands but with technological improvements they bring minimal employment to the areas and if the tourist trade continues to decline the recent resurgence of the term 'Highland Clearances' may become a reality

 

For the YES campaign to get a real foothold in the highlands (not just Inverness) they have to start showing that an independent Scottish Government is actually interested in the people that live and work there rather than the tourists who turn up for the weekend.

 

This is however probably moot point as the Highlands, Eileen Star, Orkney & Shetland only accounted for 6% of the total votes cast in the 2014 referendum so it I suspect it is unlikely either side of the campaign will really be too concerned about what they think.

[Elgindon]

Sorry mate but for every door opening, another shuts.

 

When we take devolution to the extreme, here's how it works. Aberdeen is the capital. And I'm the fucking president.

 

Elgin and Buckie and Lossie etc. are great assets, part of the plan but we're nae giein you cunts a say. You're too close to Nairn, a border yet to be negotiated but hopefully we won't include them. They can float off to Inverness and the Highlands or whatever the fuck they are.

 

I recommend a circle around Inverurie and making them an island within our Republic. These cunts love Rugby. Banff another territory vulnerable for exclusion. Wankers.

 

Nairns always been a bit inbred,and you can stick Forres up the Highlands arse too.....sideways

  Alves is as far as Doricland goes

 

Nae argument about Inverurie.Should have been handed back to Arthur Simmers long ago

 

New republic of Nomansland  in the offing

[RicoS321]

You can build all the Hydro plants & wind farms you like in the Highlands

 

Nice one, thanks.

[rocket_scientist]

Morrisey saw the future. This is what he wrote: -

 

Irish blood, English heart

this I'm made of

There is no one on earth I'm afraid of

And I will die with both of my hands untied

 

I've been dreaming of a time when

the English are sick to death

of Labour, and Tories

and spit upon the name Oliver Cromwell

and denounce this royal line that still salute him

and will salute him

Forever...

[Garlogie_Granite]

Genuine question, as I don't know, but what makes you think they would? What have the Scottish government done to try and help Aberdeen in this time of crisis? I've always been of the opinion that the Scottish government has been central belt centric and I wouldn't expect that to change. The infrastructure north of it is woeful at best. I would have thought any scottish government would have the power to control this sort of thing? As I said, not attacking more enquiring.

AWPR

City Deal

 

There's two massive ones for starters that Willie Young won't admit to when bleating about central belt bias! Funny thing is, there was central belt bias, during the days when Labour were Scotland's foremost party, now the claim is laughable.

[Nips_and_Tatties]

Did you see that English cunt's racist rant about Scotland's independence.

 

Fat fucking bald prick.

 

I honestly could never be bored of stamping on that cunts face...( and I hate neds who do that)

 

 

Weird thing is...if he hates Scotland and Scottish so much then why is he moaning about us wanting to leave the 'U.K'?

Thick fucker

 

 

 

[Tyrant]

FFS. Nae this Central Belt pish again.

 

Firstly I don't think it's an issue. I don't know if it was an issue? Some other posters have covered all that.

 

But how is a Central Belt bias (if there was one, which there isn't) not better than a South East bias?

 

I'd be a Yes voter whether there's a bias towards one part of Scotland or not. Surely if you feel there's bias towards a particular area you'd be more inclined to vote yes? If we can vote for our own government we're more likely to get issues like that sorted.

 

All irrelevant IMO opinion.

[tom_widdows]

FFS. Nae this Central Belt pish again.

 

Firstly I don't think it's an issue. I don't know if it was an issue? Some other posters have covered all that.

 

But how is a Central Belt bias (if there was one, which there isn't) not better than a South East bias?

 

I'd be a Yes voter whether there's a bias towards one part of Scotland or not. Surely if you feel there's bias towards a particular area you'd be more inclined to vote yes? If we can vote for our own government we're more likely to get issues like that sorted.

 

All irrelevant IMO opinion.

 

It was something the previous YES campaign failed to fully address. The key to the next referendum is not to ride on the apparent wave of pro independence but to make serious efforts to convince people that whilst change will initially be hard it will be good in the long term.

In the case of the central belt bias suggestion I think its along these lines

'well we are being let down by both London & Edinburgh at the moment but at least we know where we stand. Take London out of the equation and we will just be let down by Edinburgh but we don't have a clue about X,Y&Z....lets just stay put.

 

As I saw it the NO campaign in 2014 were not made to work hard enough as they had the away goals advantage that is there are so many people for which change and uncertainty are scarey they will be more inclined to keep the status quo. The undecideds are therefore easier to influence with 'project' fear'.

I hope that should it come around the YES camp tone down the populist US presidential style effort, keep celebrity endorsements to a minimum and come out with genuine honest proposals along the lines of:

 

'Look this is our proposal for x Y & Z. We have researched this and we think this is a viable option but should it not work we have contingency plans to make sure we don't fall off the cliff. Yes it will be hard, of course it will be, we are taking control of everything and it will take time to work out the bugs but we are confident your life and future generations lives will be better as a consequence.'

 

I was pleased to hear an interview with one of the team hired to work out potential economic models for an independent Scotland in which he admitted the 2014 plan was a tad optimistic and they were now basing their plans on any oil income being a bonus rather than a key element. The more uncertainty you can remove the better your case

 

Get the ball rolling now (if indeed it has not been running since September 2014) while Mrs May is sounding off and the Section 30 is still to be agreed.

 

[TheDeeDon]

I had the misfortune of listening to a conversation on this subject matter today at work between a Hun, two Mancs and a Arab supporting tink, don't think I have heard so much pish in my life, every cliche under the sun was mentioned in the case for not breaking up the union.

 

If I wasn't already a member of leave I would have been after hearing that and to think these fuckers get a vote.

[donsdaft]

Hatchet face has been completely out flanked by the bairn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

( The Bairn, copyright donsdaft, she looks like she was drawn by Dudley D Watkins )