Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 7257525)

No way. Sure we've had issues with the banks and bail outs and that but we're clawing our way back again and getting on top of things. Things have improved majorly in the last 12 months in regards to work etc.

What do they mean by that statement anyway, Have you ever been to Ireland? Makes us sound like we're a third world country or something :laugh:

Anyway, just because one country might be doing better than another doesn't mean you want to switch nationalities lol If Germany is doing better than England would the English all want to become German? :think:

Originally Posted by Lee. (Post 7257534)

This is good Niamh! I'm still coming to stay there if we vote no on the 18th! :)

Originally Posted by joeysteele (Post 7257491)

The truth is, there will be uncertainties were Scotland to be independent, not just for the Scots but also for the English,Welsh and those in Northern Ireland too.
The futures of all those Nations needs to be addressed if the Scots vote 'yes'.

However, Wales and Scotland particularly have had a pretty bad deal within the UK from successive govts.of both parties and even moreso from this coalition disaster we have had for the last 4+ years.

Fear of the unknown should not be barrier to taking the challenge.
The rest of Europe,other Nations too along with the USA would want Scotland to succeed if it said 'yes'.
I also firmly believe it would be in England's,Wales and N.Ireland's interests too to support and ensure the stability of Scotland being so close a neighbour.

The only person talking sense for me at present is Alex Salmond on this,he knows there are uncertainties and challenges ahead but he feels Scotland,no matter what govt. it chooses for itself can rise to that challenge.

All we hear from the no camp, is as he says negative statements and threat after threat.
I heard today that if the Scots vote yes, then in 2016 the Scots MPs elected to Westminster would be gone and there would have to be another election.
Nonsense, that will depend on the result of the 2015 election anyway.

If as the polls suggest,Labour were to win say a 40 overall majority,which is the present guide from the polls.
No further election would in fact be necessary,losing the Scots seats would reduce the Westminster parliament to 591 seats, If Labour had a 40 overall majority,losing the likely 42 Scottish MPs they had would still leave them with an overall majority
in double figures.
Likewise if the Conservative party scraped in by say a 5 to 10 overall majority then again no new election would be necessary as that overall majority would rise in Westminster.

Instead of harping on about all the negatives and things that may need to happen, the 'no' campaign should be spelling out exactly in clear detail all the new powers Scotland would actually get.
While similar,there are 3 varying degees of transfers of power on the table, now which one will 100% be given to the Scots,that we don't know as the 'no' campaign will not spell out the full detail..

I think Alex Salmond is well aware that Westminster 'will' have to work closely with an independent Scotland,no more walking over the Scots by Westminster but dealing on an equal basis with them.

I know this post appears to favour independence and maybe I have come round to thinking Scotland could do better on its own.
My view now however stems from what I believe has been a disastrous and negative 'no' campaign,that still appears to take the Scots for granted by talking 'at' them and not 'to' them.

The way for Westminster to help ensure financial stability for all is to say what they will likely be forced to say if Scotland votes 'yes' and that is, yes Scotland can operate the pound still.
It would be folly for Westminster to refuse and obstruct an independent Scotland doing so,that would cause massive problems for the citizens of the remaning original UK countries.

On that point,I really feel Alex Salmond has won the day and with the EU likely to do all it can to support an independent Scotland,it may well be that it is the bumbling, incompetent politicians we have been left with, that have the greater struggle after a 'yes' result..

Originally Posted by Z (Post 7257995)

I feel like I'm living in a cuckoo clock, the Yes campaign basically didn't have a leg to stand on all this time, they were fighting an uphill battle trying to convince the people of Scotland to dip a toe, then a leg, then their whole selves into the unknown and all the Better Together "campaign" had to do was not sling mud back at the Yes campaign, whose campaigning method of choice has been to try and make the No side look stupid - not only did they completely take the bait but they then sent Alistair Darling to try and make them look good in a televised debate and he took the bait on live TV and now they have "call me Dave" Cameron taking the bait 8 days before the referendum. I actually think the yes campaign might win now, and I would never have predicted that in a million years. It's not because the Yes lot have been particularly good, it's because the No lot have been spectacularly bad. I'm on the fence and in principle I think I'm still a no voter but I wouldn't really care what the result was either way anymore. I can't call it anymore. I think a marginal yes victory or a marginal no victory.

Originally Posted by joeysteele (Post 7258398)

It is a pity that since David Cameron took the trouble to go up to Scotland that instead of preaching to invited/selected audiences and doing the rounds of the bigger businesses,he actually took the time to 'talk to' the ordinary citizens of Scotland.
Unbelievable how this PM treats 'ordinary' people of any nation.

Originally Posted by arista (Post 7258423)

Yes and the Labour Leader
doing the same



Thats why a Live Debate
with the young on Ch4HDNews is better

Originally Posted by Z (Post 7257995)

I feel like I'm living in a cuckoo clock, the Yes campaign basically didn't have a leg to stand on all this time, they were fighting an uphill battle trying to convince the people of Scotland to dip a toe, then a leg, then their whole selves into the unknown and all the Better Together "campaign" had to do was not sling mud back at the Yes campaign, whose campaigning method of choice has been to try and make the No side look stupid - not only did they completely take the bait but they then sent Alistair Darling to try and make them look good in a televised debate and he took the bait on live TV and now they have "call me Dave" Cameron taking the bait 8 days before the referendum. I actually think the yes campaign might win now, and I would never have predicted that in a million years. It's not because the Yes lot have been particularly good, it's because the No lot have been spectacularly bad. I'm on the fence and in principle I think I'm still a no voter but I wouldn't really care what the result was either way anymore. I can't call it anymore. I think a marginal yes victory or a marginal no victory.

Originally Posted by Josy (Post 7258475)

You will care in the end because no matter what happens it's going to mean big changes for our country, atm the country is split down the middle and I just hope it can come back from that after this referendum, all I'm going to say is make your own decision, I have lost count of the amount of comments I have seen over the pst couple of weeks saying 'I'm not telling you how you should vote BUT' then go on to list reasons on why you should vote for what they think is right, so do your own research into things, you still have time and make sure you vote because every vote is extremely important.

Originally Posted by lostalex (Post 7258594)

so when does Ireland get to have a referendum? or maybe we should just allow some parts of Scotland to become separate?

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier (Post 7258852)

The problem with ever trying to have a "proper" referendum in N.I (which I assume you mean, as R.O.I is already... well... a Republic...) is that the division is completely wrapped up in sectarianism. It could (and probably would) spill over into violence very quickly.

Originally Posted by Josy (Post 7258475)

You will care in the end because no matter what happens it's going to mean big changes for our country, atm the country is split down the middle and I just hope it can come back from that after this referendum, all I'm going to say is make your own decision, I have lost count of the amount of comments I have seen over the pst couple of weeks saying 'I'm not telling you how you should vote BUT' then go on to list reasons on why you should vote for what they think is right, so do your own research into things, you still have time and make sure you vote because every vote is extremely important.

Originally Posted by michael21 (Post 7259260)

the whole of the uk should get to vote as it we affect some outside scotland i say feck off scotland england don't need you

Originally Posted by lostalex (Post 7258939)

No, i didn't mean the so-called Republic of Ireland, i mean All of Ireland, just like All of Scotland gets to vote...not just the parts that are pro Brritish, but the whole thing.

or should just SOME parts of Scotland then also get to vote for independence?

after this referendum should we then have a vote for just certain parts of Scotland to become their own republic?

Originally Posted by michael21 (Post 7259260)

the whole of the uk should get to vote as it we affect some outside scotland i say feck off scotland england don't need you

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier (Post 7259392)

R.O.I and N.I are not two parts of the same country, though...