:cheer2: love it.

so we are both calling each other naive and ill informed, but we still both claim to have huge respect for each other!

if that's not diplomacy i don't know what is :flowers:

Personally.I hope Scotland stays united with England,Wales and Northern Ireland Also I really won't consider the UK still as being the UK if Scotland is not part of it.

Being of Scottish ancestry on my Dad's side,it is a land I really love. However politically it has been the testing ground for some of the most abhorrent policies by Govt's that Scotland would 'never' have elected.
I totally understand the frustration and anger Scots may have as to having govt after govt inflicted on it by the far South of England only.

The Scots are a very friendly Nation,the deserve a whole lot better than they have had rammed down their throats by uncaring Conservative govts and also from Labour govts that have for too long taken for granted the solid votes the Scots give them.

I applaud Alex Salmiond for his efforts both in governing Scotland and getting this referendum held although I fear the result.
I worry the result could be decided with a yes vote, not because the majority want independence but the 'no' voters may be less eager to vote whereas the 'yes' voters will I feel sure go out and vote come what may.

If Scotland does vote to remain united in a UK,while that for me would be a great thing, I really hope however that in that event govts of all colours will start to treat them with far more respect than they have for decades now.

I also believe, no matter what is said now,that ways will be found for Scotland to keep the pound as its currency, for the Queen to remain Queen of Scotland and that the EU will certainly find ways to fasttrack Scotland as a full EU member too.
No matter the threats and ugly tones stemming from Westminster as to that at present.

For me, I feel it will be the rest of the UK that would be weakened and downgraded internationally by Scotland voting for independence.
I can actually see the Scots getting a lot of assistance and goodwill from other Nations.

I still hope for a no vote however,Scotland does however,in my view,deserve a far better deal than it has at present in this UK set up.

very well articulated Joey. probably the best post of this thread.

obviously europe needs america and vice versa in many ways and many interests are shared

whilst europe is financially in a heck of a mess....However id say USA interferes more in europe than we do in the US.....I really dont think american politics is relevant in european forums.....I cant recall the UK parliament ever discussing america and I watch them debate at pmqs every week. the yanks want a european leader so its a one stop shop for them. but that leader will never have much power in reality.

america will remain more powerful and richer as it has a far better constitution. but the poorer in europe get treated far better on average.

europe has become a bit of a basket case. waste, burocracy 585 page constitution, endless petty laws, no accounts, no accountability, the euro is a flop, umpteen nations bankrupt etc in many its a busted flush. It really needs to target and properly regulate corporate corruption in the markets, but the tories in the UK fought against that

so our system is now one where the elite 10% in effect live in tax havens even within the UK and the poorer 90% pretty much pay all the taxes. VAT at a mosntrous 20% is of course the biggest crippler for all poor/working class people. it steals money on nearly all goods and fuel off the poor, it keeps small businesses from expanding and hiring and only recoups real money for big businesses. so called free marketeer lolololol maggie thatcher milk snatcher , took vat from 7.5 to 17.5% which detsroyed the small businesses and ruined the economy. she was an elitist and didnt give a damn about the economy or everyday working people. she was another rich mans puppet.

I digress.

europe is a mess. Thank goodness we have germany

great post.

scotland wales and northern ireland dont get nearly enough funding from the barnet formula. which is partly why their services and the nhs is falling apart. the method needs to urgently be reviewed , its costing these countries and northern england billions.

the scots are massively loved and respected, moreso than us in england lets face it. you can go round the globe and no one has a bad word to say about the scots. their country is spectacular, its mostly clean and hospitable. most things are affordable. culturally its fabulous. the heritage, the history, the architecture, the world wide brands from tartan to scotch to golf, ancient laws, to bagpipes to cashmere and tea cakes.....theyre education system is the best, their history of writers, poets , legendary inventors, song writers, their stunning architecture still wonderfully maintained, their wonderful lochs, their magnificent mountains, our greatest ever comedian, the best salmon fishing in the world too....scots immigrants along with the welsh immigrants and some english too, wrote the american declaration of independence and the constitution...i believe it was partly from the declaration of arbroath if memory serves me correct

I could go on, whats not to love

Ive done business with many people and sorry to generalize livia but id rather do busienss with the scots than almost anyone else. when the deal is done, the deal is done. fabulous. europe and us in the Uk would gladly do business with them.

Haha... I suppose that's true. And I do have huge respect for you, even when you're wrong x

Not sure Europe is irrelevant to the US, the US is desparately hoping Europe will apply more serious sanctions to Russia because it cannot harm Russia with its own unilateral sanctions.

The US needs Europe to apply serious sanctions to Russia as Europe is a major trading partner and has the power to hurt Russia, the US in this situation is irrelevant to Russia and Russia knows this.

Putin is applying all his diplomacy to Germany and the UK he knows these countries hold the key to whether further sanctions will be applied.

Personally I don't think the EU will upset Russia any further as they would suffer also.

And why should they suffer to help the US, the US created the very situation that has forced Russia to defend itself and protect its naval base in the Crimea .

To be honest Obama needs to get a grip and stop prodding the bear because eventually it will strike back and as another poster said , the US is drowning in debt and knows its only a matter of time before the US dollar loses its reserve currency status and when that happens well ... Massive recession in the US which will make the last one in 2008 look like a tea party.




.

If Scotland votes to go independant then let them i say.Really could'nt care less.There should be an option in that poll for 'Don't care either way' which i suspect is most people who live outside of Scotlands position.

Not at all look at Ireland and how they cope being divided, it would be a nightmare.. tolls, passports, sending and receiving products, accessing services.
I feel like the UK is a classic car being sold for parts :(

you just described maggie thatchers long term economic policy in a nutshell

Well where's our vote ? Do we want Scotland to stay - typical the English have no voice at all. I think most English are sick of the Scottish whinging and would send em packing !

Everything about this post seems to assume that the US benefits by Russia being hurt? How does it benefit the US to hurt Russia? the US is just doing what it's always done since ww2 ended, trying to protect a free Europe from Russia. i don't see why anyone would complain about that.

http://media.skynews.com/media/image...-1-329x437.jpg

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...o-independence

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...rendum-011.jpg

Aye.

don't see how the games we effect how people vote most would of nade up there mind by now

8PM tonight on STV1HD
Salman Vs Darling Live


I will watch via my SatHD box

Its also free to watch via online

can we all stop pretending like scotland is going anywhere, scotland ain't going anywhere. ain't gonna happen.

the only thing LESS relevant than the commonwealth games, is the scotland referendum

http://player.stv.tv/live/

Sign in to watch Live at 8PM online tonight
others its on STV1HD and STV1 8PM

Live now

pathetic self pity, we english have the wealth and power and parliament here and the monarchy hich means all real wealth effectively belongs to them in london........as for us, what about the welsh and english having a say? youve been listening to too much london ccentric biased tabloid westminster self pity

ps we have assemblies in england too

im finishing off the grass (my ride on is better than livias ((honda))) and them im watching with a bloody mary or 2

I am watching Live on STV1HD

Salmond Won it.

http://www.independent.co.uk/incomin...mond-getty.jpg

The polling is saying Alistair Darling won it but I agree with you, I think Alex Salmond was the best here.

Oh please just hurry up and let it be over.
I can't stand Salmond or Sturgeon..and I don't mean the fishy kind.

Win or lose, keep them off my telly.

the yanks want to supply the gas, at leats john mccain and a get tea parters do