Scotland's chance of becoming it's own country?

[cricket246]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29263022

 

I don't see it happening but then again the end count could be a shocker!

[Shawnster]

England prevails.

[rocket]

And the Queen gets to keep her castle, yippee!

[Modeste]

Scotland was never going to secede. The referendum was a poor political gamble by the Coalition to prevent devolving more powers to Hollyrood.

 

Much like the rest of the world Scotland has been awash with nationalism that recently has also produced sporadic violence between Unionists and Republicans. 

[retroHelen]

We live on the Scottish Border here. We had the unique position of meeting people who live both sides of it and hearing both sides of the arguments. We wondered how we would stand for car insurance as the government said that we would have to pay more if we cross borders into Scotland as another country and we do to give public talks in our border Circuit. My husband gave a talk in Annan, Scotland last week and they were wondering if we would be still crossing a border so easily if the vote was for independence. We would also be struggling with 2 currencies and exchange rates. Life would get very expensive for us generally as we go back and forth in our every day lives let alone spiritual lives. 

 

Many Scots we met who are working people were terrified of the Scots voting a majority for independence. Those for Independence were bullying the ones for Union. Independence voters were tearing down Union vote posters and yelling at people for not being patriotic to Scotland. Yet many working Scots worried that Independence would make a mess of their pensions lodged with English banks/Insurances and how to pay tax for property over the border as the Scots could not keep the £ currency. Independents actually weren't voting for Independence but would be joining more with Europe and having more of their business laws/currency exchange that would mitigate against business with England. The currency situation was not answered adequately for Scots trading mostly with English customers or with businesses that straddled the borders. Scottish companies were losing their stock market value and it would have plummeted if they became Independent. Giving 16-17 year olds the vote let in a lot of persons, without any financial responsibilities to worry about, the chance to alter policy based on very little knowledge of the consequences, just nationalistic 'take a chance' ideals.

 

Most voting for Independence were accusing the Unionists of self seeking scaremongering when they did ask questions as to how 6 million people could sustain a tax system for infrastructure, education and health when near 50% are not working or on 'below tax threshold' minimum wages - students,pensioners, unemployed, part-time workers. Also, if Scotland withdrew from the British armed forces what would happen to Scotland's defence in this dangerous world and what would happen to British regiments and most of it's nuclear deterrent that are based in Scotland (the Independence party wanted the submarine bases of the UK out of their territory) or have Scots soldiers/airmen/naval staff south of the border?

 

The Queen could remain neutral because she would still be Queen whatever the answer, just as she is Queen of many Commonwealth countries with their own Parliaments such as New Zealand, Australia, Canada. Still she, like everyone else with property/business in Scotland would worry about the tax levied on all her Scottish properties/land and how she'd pay for it based on the exchange to another currency from the £. 

 

A majority having voted not to be Independent on the strength of promises for more powers from London Parliament devolved to Scottish Parliament is causing big arguments now. The reason being is that when Britain had a General Election, Scotland was mostly for the Labour Party, the rest of Britain was for the Conservative/ Liberal Democratic party coalition. If more powers were devolved so that Scotland had more powers to vote for it's own policies, then these would be more towards the Labour Party policies that are very different and often against the coalition policies. With this devolution for the Scots, the Prime Minister Mr Cameron (Conservative) seems to promise also more power to the English People to vote for policies in their own areas without the Scots having a say. This does not suit the British Labour Party as most of their serving members in the London House of Commons are from Scotland and would no longer have a say in English affairs. So it's a big muddle as no one can agree how to keep Scotland happily in union with the rest of the UK and each party are accusing each other of pandering to self interests with whatever plan they come up with.

 

This reminds me of the Bible 'governments' prophecy that on coming to their end they were like 'clay and iron' - weakened because they are too different and able to be mixing/keeping united' or the other scriptures predicting future society that they are 'not open to any agreement'.

Edited September 22, 2014 by retroHelen

[rocket]

Neither accept Jehovah's Sovereignty nor his Kingdom rule by Christ Jesus. They get sadder and sadder not knowing the way out, I get happier and happier.