Is Scottish independence a 'good or bad' thing?

It annoys me that the national anthem of Scotland is simply about beating England in one battle.

Then why intentionally delay the referendum until the 600th anniversary of Bannockburn?

I could quote you an official estimate of the cost, but we'll get to the substance first.



Payments toward tuition costs equally fall within the non-discrimination provisions in EU law. This was demonstrated previously in Brown v. Secretary of State for Scotland (1988) among others.

The Scottish Government is indeed obliged to cover the tuition costs of EU students - and do so.

Personally, I think the date the Scottish Gov has set has a lot more to do with the 2015 election than it does the anniversary of some ancient battle. Salmond's banking on it looking likely that another Tory government is incoming, IMO.

I'm not sure, I'm not an expert on the situation on Northern Ireland but if I was to have a stab at it, I'd say there wouldn't be much of an impact. The issue there is more about the union vs a united Ireland, there is no "independence" movement to speak of.
In contrast though, I think there may be a more noticeable impact on Wales, perhaps a growth in support for Plaid Cymru, or maybe even a drop in support. Either way I expect a knock on effect to be felt more greatly in Wales than anywhere else.

Salmond's banking on it looking likely that another Tory government is incoming, IMO.

I'm going to have to agree to disgaree.

Votes for the SNP have increased. I'll give you that. But support for seperation hasn't.

I've just spent the best part of a day answering questions.

Nobody's saying the English hate the Scottish, not that I've gotten any credit from displaying a bit of logic in that case, but I'm hearing people claim that the Scottish hate the English.
And I have already admitted that support for independence is below 50% in the polls, I don't claim to speak for all of Scotland and would never claim to do that.

Personally, I think the date the Scottish Gov has set has a lot more to do with the 2015 election than it does the anniversary of some ancient battle. Salmond's banking on it looking likely that another Tory government is incoming, IMO.

Fair enough; good point.



No I won't.

The SNP are, amongst other things, showing a striking lack of solidarity with their anti-English allies in Wales by stampeding through their own vote rather than trying to negotiate some kind of UK-wide vote on federalism. In effect, Wales will end up being the loser of this if "independence" goes ahead for Scotland. Although in the long run the Scots poor will also be big losers, as their government won't be able to maintain the high levels of public spending they are currently engaged in to win their votes.

I suspect you are right but short-term politics is the worst of all reasons to make a big decision like independence, and this is demonstrated very clearly by the changing voting patterns in Scotland since 1980.

Of all the Scots I know the ones who don't hold archaic prejudices are in the minority. Interestingly all of these are from in or around Glasgow-a city that probably does more business with England than anywhere else in Scotland and has political values more in line with it.

As for the war comment-I'd be astonished if it was a part of the curriculum, but she'd have no reason to lie; she was definitely taught it. Maybe it depends on the teacher (an Englishman isn't going to defame his own countrymen after all), but I honestly couldn't believe such lies were taught at all. On a par with certain Irish believing that Britain deliberately introduced the potato famine.

The biggest question in my mind, is why are only the Scottish allowed a vote?

That's the way referenda always work, i.e. in the same way as other elections. It's absolutely the correct way for it to work. It would clearly be ridiculous if the Scottish wanted Independence but the English didn't want them to have it and on this basis alone they didn't get it (because there are more English than Scottish). In reality that's just one country dictating how another should exist.

That's why I find the concept of Devo Max abhorant. That does effect everybody in the UK, and should therefore be a UK wide referendum

That's however why I find the concept of Devo Max abhorant. That does effect everybody in the UK, and should therefore be a UK wide referendum

Scottish devo-max affects everybody in the UK? I don't understand.

"Anti-English allies"? Please. Plaid is probably the fluffiest party in the UK, bar the Greens. There's not a whiff of anti-Englishness about it. Something tells me you are not overly acquainted with its politics.

As a Welsh nat, I wholly support the SNP in their "stampede". I agree that Scottish independence would have some negative consequences for Wales (though they would be nowhere near as profound as Scottish devo max), but I recognise that it is for the people of Scotland to decide their own future, not the people of Wales, as much as I'd like a vote in the referendum. Plaid are consummately aware that the SNP's raison d'être is to seek independence, and I doubt you'd find a single member who's against this referendum.


I agree entirely, but from the Scottish Gov's point of view, I think it's a strategy that makes sense. Polling suggests that an expectation of five more years of Tory government could have a huge effect on the result.

Yes, it does impact everybody throughout the UK, but it's a Scottish Decision.