UK and/or scotland

[MartinAS]

Any thoughts on this debate? Seems a shame to split things up, even if not near perfect. Canada has had the same question and so have so many other parts of this small planet.

Martin

[Graeme]

Well as you are probably aware...today is referendum day. Quite an atmosphere in Scotland....which of course has been building over the past two years since the ballot was announced. (Please remember that Scotland never been fully integrated into the UK).

Probably boils down to two main issues:-

1. Do you think that Scotland is viable on its own?
2  Do you want to remain part of the UK?

Both of these questions raise a huge raft of issues and caused a lot people to ask a lot of questions. The problem is that nobody can give definite answers to any of the questions as the issues would all require protracted negotiations and compromise to get to an end point.

However, even the No campaign have acknowledged that the answer to the first question is yes, of course Scotland would be viable. the differences have been over the degree of change/financial impact that would take place.

That leaves the second issue. The blind Nationalists who have painted their faces with a saltire and screamed "freedom", have always been and remain, in the minority. The majority have remained (and maybe still do...watch the result!) a sensible bunch of outward looking liberally minded people who have by and large accepted that they just get on with things. The problem is that over the past 40 years, as they have just "got on with things" the dominant southern part of the Britain has lurched dramatically to the right and has moved significantly away from the values of the Scots. We continually have a Government we didn't vote for. This is the fundamental reason why the vote (according to the polls) is so very close. A very significant number of Scots have simply asked themselves the question..."Why cant we have a government that reflects our beliefs and aspirations?"
If there is a yes vote today, it will because the bulk of Scottish people have sought to have a political system which reflects the views of the people of Scotland.

Sorry if the above is too brief...its not that easy to condense two years of discussion into a couple of sentences.

Graeme

 

[Pipeman]

I think that the rest of us hope that Scotland doesn't leave the Union, but if it does, well so be it.

Good luck to them.

[MartinAS]

Hello all
there was no real answer...Yes   or No. But it appears that the No side has "won". There are still basic questions that have to be answered and hopefully the promises from Westminster will be acted on, not just for Scotland but also for northern Ireland and Wales also. All in the same boat.the initials UK should really stand for UNITED Kingdom of..... In fact the remaining words should be dropped.
Do I have a right to offer an opinion? Probably not. I was born in the UK (Oxford... as I wanted to start with a good education !!!) and have lived in Canada most of my life... as a landed immigrant/citizen. We too have had problems and probably will still but really it is a great country.
the same problem goes on in other areas and all should look at the future and work together. we might have to get rid of the politicians and entrenched groups first....
In any case I hope the Scots and the politicians in Westminster can see the light, beyond their own immediate gains.

Best wishes to all sides.

Martin

Meanwhile... Take pictures..