This is the list of powers the Scottish Parliament already has- http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/visitandlearn/25488.aspx You'll notice that health is already devolved, yet one of the biggest pieces of nationalist scaremongering is that privatisation in England will affect the Scottish NHS. They never say how, since they know the mere suggestion is enough to sway the terminally naive who only need the thinnest excuse to hate anything English. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/b8efdb02-27cb-11e4-ae44-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3Az2AidX4 Latest piece of BS doing the rounds is the claim that because Alistair Darling (leader of Better Together) received payment for after-dinner speeches from the NHS in England on a few occasions a few years ago, that somehow "proves" he's lying about the NHS up here. It would be pathetic if there weren't so many gullible cretins believing it. What's on offer is more powers for the Scottish Parliament in exchange for a No vote- https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/maintaining-and-strengthening-the-scottish-devolution-settlement It's further complicated by the fact that both Orkney and Shetland have announced they would demand independence from an independent Scotland! http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/shetland-orkney-and-the-outer-hebrides-demand-independence-referendums-of-their-own-if-scotland-votes-yes-9217514.html The 'Balkanisation' of Britain indeed.
Ok, absolutely my last word on this. Just in case you think I'm exaggerating about the student politics mentality- http://t.co/FfKxYpWxCH
Oi. Now my head really hurts. What do the Nationalists hope to gain? I suppose facts just get in the way of stoking a really good campaign. One can only hope that the supporters of keeping Great Britain alive will wake up in time and vote.
Next Thursday. Hopefully those with more than two brain cells will be voting no, but it still won't shut up the bandwagon-jumpers. I pointed out to someone yesterday that in six out of the 13 general elections since 1964, Scotland voted Labour and got a Labour government in Westminster, but still all you get from the useful idiots in the yes campaign is "we-never-get-the-government-we-vote-for!". I've resorted to telling them to go move to a one-party state in that case, and been called a f***ing fascist c*** for my trouble. It's worst among people of my generation who only voted after 1979; they think British political only history started then, aided and abetted by our wonderful teaching profession which has spent the last 40 years telling kids how "utterly evil" Britain, the Empire and everything connected with it is/was, to the point where it's now accepted as gospel. The result could be 90% against independence, and the whingers still won't shut up about the wars of independence 700 years ago. Just back from a weekend in Northumbria with my son; maybe I'll start looking at property down there.
You'd better go now before the barbed wire goes up. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-independence-ed-miliband-raises-prospect-of-guards-along-the-border-if-scotland-votes-yes-9716639.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGA7q9VLfps
Hear hear. I am an Englishman living in Wales and, thankfully, there seems to be a fairly widespread recognition here that Wales could not 'go it alone'. My comment re. Scotland is that there appear to be some serious questions about the viability of a Scottish economy and that Salmond is completely ignoring those questions. Scotland could well become an economic basket case like Eire. I hope that does not happen but Salmond is long on oratory but short on facts.
It strikes me that man as the years go by actually form larger unions. From a family unit to a clan to a tribe to a kingdom to a country, etc. etc. you get the idea. Municipalities often combine to reduce costs. Why pay 3 mayors, 3 sets of councillers, etc. Does breaking up into smaller units seem logical? Maybe for the policitians. KTK
Large singular organisations can do great things....whilst completely ignoring other sectors. At least local governance is firstly existent and tailored to the region...no one misses out. There are many downs sides though of course....too many to list quickly...
Not Las Vegas, but bookmakers just the same. http://sports.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/Politics/Scottish-ReferendumPolitics/Scottish-Referendum-t210005266#
I suspect the parts of Great Britain, or United kingdom if you would prefer, would survive a yes vote without it becoming the end of western civilization, but the Balkanization of the British Union would have serious repercussions world wide. "Britain" has a tremendous political cache on the world stage. Yes, largely on past accomplishments rather than real power, none the less a profound impact on the imagination of people the world over. Somewhat to their irritation the UK is seen as America's "little brother" rather than a full partner as she was some 60 years ago. A yes vote and dissolution would further degrade this to a infant cousin toddler on a child leash. This outcome would serve no one, not the least the US who also benefits from the political capitol a United kingdom offers. The only saving grace is that Doctor Who is made in Wale's!
There should be army boots on the womens' symbol. Today is the big day MrH. Myself, would rather y'all stayed with the family. Not a fan of change. But let the popular opinion rule. Good luck.
The voting should be over by now. I wonder what is happening? Do they do a live count district by district like US elections?
It's 3:41pm EST, voting runs till 5pm EST. So, there is about an hour and a half yet. IIRC, we are going to have to wait till then, since rules prevent the media from reporting results until after the polls close.
