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Is Scottish independence a 'good or bad' thing?

This poll is closed

Should Scotland be an independent country?

YES 32%
NO68%
Total votes: 931
Mod edit: This thread has been closed after reaching 10k posts, but the discussion continues in a second thread which you can get to by clicking here.

Sorry for poor phrasing of the question, but I'm about to start an essay on Scottish Independence and I'm having the "blank paper" problem. I'm writing the essay in terms of fiscal policy but I am not sure what my opinion is. So that's why I want to know, what do the general public (or at least a load of intellectual, opinionated students) think about this? Even if anybody doesn't have anything to offer for my essay - in terms of fiscal policy - it may be quite an interesting debate. So all opinions regardless of the relevency to my work would be interesting. Thankyou :smile: - (Nothing rude please, there's no need for it).
(edited 9 years ago)

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Reply 1
Original post by CartoonHeart
Sorry for poor phrasing of the question, but I'm about to start an essay on Scottish Independence and I'm having the "blank paper" problem. I'm writing the essay in terms of fiscal policy but I am not sure what my opinion is. So that's why I want to know, what do the general public (or at least a load of intellectual, opinionated students) think about this? Even if anybody doesn't have anything to offer for my essay - in terms of fiscal policy - it may be quite an interesting debate. So all opinions regardless of the relevency to my work would be interesting. Thankyou :smile: - (Nothing rude please, there's no need for it).


It's bad. Nothing good will come of it, especially for Scotland. Also I dislike Alex Salmond.

Salmonds campaign is based on nothing but lies and fudged figures, he hates England so much he would destroy his own country to be away from it. He is openly racist and gets away with it and even encourages racism in his supporters.
Well there is the possibility that an independent Scotland might get greater oil and gas revenues, but these have declined quite dramatically over the last few years anyway.

Scottish public spending is *very* high, much higher than in the rest of the country, which might suggest that a new Scottish government would need to raise taxes.

An independent Scotland would also find it quite difficult to borrow to fund the massive deficits it would be running right now. Presumably, it wouldn't have its own currency, either using the pound or the Euro - and, without sovereign monetary policy, it would be vulnerable to self-fulfilling sovereign debt crises just like Ireland or Spain.

There's a lot of good data on Scottish fiscal stuff here.
Reply 3
They want our money, we want their oil. And even if that weren't the case, no-one would do anything because they don't want the hassle of something with a distinct chance of turning into a civil war.
Reply 4
I think if it got independence it would be one of those middling struggling countries. It would't collapse but I really doubt it would do well at all and would need to either raise taxes or gut services since its public spending is so high. The entire Independence project is based on oil and gas and some noises towards renewable energy, would't surprise me if an independent Scotland ended up suffering from Dutch disease. Although I suppose they do have the whisky industry going for them
Reply 5
You should judge your answer on why more English people are in favour of it than Scots.
Reply 6
The only significant debate in terms of fiscal powers was on the Scottish Parliament's borrowing abilities. Basically, they didn't have any - less than a local authority, for example. The Salmond administration followed the Labour principle of spending to get us out of recession and, despite funding coming from London, suggested that it was a lack of these powers that was buggering the economy.

The Scotland Act 2012 now legislates for fairly significant borrowing powers for Holyrood, although they won't come in for a couple of years yet.
Reply 7
Original post by L i b
The only significant debate in terms of fiscal powers was on the Scottish Parliament's borrowing abilities. Basically, they didn't have any - less than a local authority, for example. The Salmond administration followed the Labour principle of spending to get us out of recession and, despite funding coming from London, suggested that it was a lack of these powers that was buggering the economy.

The Scotland Act 2012 now legislates for fairly significant borrowing powers for Holyrood, although they won't come in for a couple of years yet.


WOW Lib. Still frequenting Scottish Independence threads all these years on! I admire your staying power.
I can't see any good will come of it, it's too pie in the sky for me, an ideal. They believe (mainly because of Salmond's questionable figures) that they'll be better off without England dragging them down. As dapperatchik said, I imagine taxes would have to be raised to facilitate their spending and with a lack of industries, I can't see them doing better than they are now, probably worse.
Reply 9
Original post by Howard
WOW Lib. Still frequenting Scottish Independence threads all these years on! I admire your staying power.


Nothing if not persistent, Howie. Can I take it from your icon that you've left the US behind and buggered off to Canada now?
The problem is, there are many complex points to consider about what would happen in an independent Scotland. How much of the UK's sovereign debt would they inherit? Who would have the rights to the oil? How much would Scotland have to increase taxes or decrease spending in order to balance its books as a separate entity? Unfortunately, the answers to all these questions are far from obvious. However, they would most likely work out to the disadvantage of the Scottish public, something that Mr Salmond is extremely good at concealing.
Scotland has to become independent for the sake of is own economy! The measly 54 MPs elected from scotland will never make a difference in who gets in power considering from London and down further in the south east have 129 MPs! We are getting NO say in the way or economy is run cause our votes don't matter to the public school boys in downing st. The Tories are going to pass more and more legislation allowing the rich to get richer and poor to get poorer, even though its the multimillionaire bankers who caused this mess, not labour! Not to mention trying to convince us to get out of the EU and lose the best political and financial safety net in the world! Also, us Scots get given too much from Westminster? Do we hell! We put in more than we get back! Scotland will come out better in 2014, then we'll see how England, Wales and Northern Ireland do with a permanent Tory government that do not care about 90% of the population.
From here we can only go up ALBA GU BRATH!!!!!!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Reply 13
Good for Salmond and his massive ego, bad for everyone else.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 14
Original post by emmarussell55
Scotland has to become independent for the sake of is own economy! The measly 54 MPs elected from scotland will never make a difference in who gets in power considering from London and down further in the south east have 129 MPs! We are getting NO say in the way or economy is run cause our votes don't matter to the public school boys in downing st. The Tories are going to pass more and more legislation allowing the rich to get richer and poor to get poorer, even though its the multimillionaire bankers who caused this mess, not labour! Not to mention trying to convince us to get out of the EU and lose the best political and financial safety net in the world! Also, us Scots get given too much from Westminster? Do we hell! We put in more than we get back! Scotland will come out better in 2014, then we'll see how England, Wales and Northern Ireland do with a permanent Tory government that do not care about 90% of the population.
From here we can only go up ALBA GU BRATH!!!!!!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App



I hope to God this is a parody. If not then I'm afraid I question not only your intellect, but your sanity. You might as well have thrown in something about William Wallace from that film you saw, or how Margaret Thatcher actually thought Scotland was in Lancashire...
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 15
Original post by L i b
I hope to God this is a parody. If not then I'm afraid I question not only your intellect, but your sanity. You might as well have thrown in something about William Wallace from that film you saw, or how Margaret Thatcher actually thought Scotland was in Lancashire...


I'm always pleased when somebody else has posted what I want to post, before I get the opportunity. Ta!
Erm never mind the economic problems it would cause Scotland, th diplomatic problems it would face, I'am sorry to say this but would Scotland ever be able to impact the world stage on its own?

Even more so is why inderpendance? Inderpendance from what? We are the same culture, why would anyone vote for something just to create another border, there are too many. We are all British, we have been the same country since 1707 and we are an island. An island united can stand together but an island separated can weaken its strength. What I'am trying to get at is that really the chances are you are English/Scotish. My family is a mix of English, Welsh and Scotish. How do you think we feel about this? Is it far to separate family's into different countries when they feel as one. If you vote yes your ignoring the fact that it is nearly impossible that your family is only Scotish, as I said we are an island, a bit of rumpy pumpy is overiously going to happen:wink:. There is the reason we need to stay as one, because at heart we are one!
Reply 17
Original post by WilliamsQI
I'am sorry to say this but would Scotland ever be able to impact the world stage on its own?

!


Scotland always has and always will punch above it's weight in terms on 'impacting the world stage'.

One good thing about Independence is that Scotland would no longer have to get dragged into these pointless wars just to asslick the Americans.
Reply 18
Original post by emmarussell55
Scotland has to become independent for the sake of is own economy! The measly 54 MPs elected from scotland will never make a difference in who gets in power considering from London and down further in the south east have 129 MPs! We are getting NO say in the way or economy is run cause our votes don't matter to the public school boys in downing st. The Tories are going to pass more and more legislation allowing the rich to get richer and poor to get poorer, even though its the multimillionaire bankers who caused this mess, not labour! Not to mention trying to convince us to get out of the EU and lose the best political and financial safety net in the world! Also, us Scots get given too much from Westminster? Do we hell! We put in more than we get back! Scotland will come out better in 2014, then we'll see how England, Wales and Northern Ireland do with a permanent Tory government that do not care about 90% of the population.
From here we can only go up ALBA GU BRATH!!!!!!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


Yorkshire has 52 MPs and got broken into several ridings as well as losing area due to border changes, yet we don't complain.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 19
Original post by Jordan_1
Scotland always has and always will punch above it's weight in terms on 'impacting the world stage'.


Yes, because it was part of Britain...

Original post by Jordan_1
One good thing about Independence is that Scotland would no longer have to get dragged into these pointless wars just to asslick the Americans.


I can only assume that Scotland will retain a joint military with the rest of the UK, in which case you will be obliged to do as we tell you.

If we are responsible for your safe-keeping, so you don't require the need for your own military, simply because you won't be able to afford anything more than state police, then Scottish servicemen will remain in the British forces.

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