[logpogingg]

Two words for you: oil and gas.

[healty-back]

Aren't they almost depleted?

[yarita]

hmmmm


oil and gas?

hasnt there been a number of new builds recently - moving the pipeline to newcastle and away from scotland (main oil pipelien from the north sea field)?

[mikaelluioy]

Two words for you: oil and gas.

But corporations control that, not governments. Even the US can't really get BP to bow to it's demands. They don't pay their fair taxes to anyone, they will walk all over and independent Scotland.

[bUqLfXRI]

But corporations control that, not governments. Even the US can't really get BP to bow to it's demands. They don't pay their fair taxes to anyone, they will walk all over and independent Scotland.

Corporations bid for the contracts. the governments can set requirements in the licenses.

[Spisivavona]

there are a lot of military bases and training area's in Scotland that support the local economies.

2 are closing down due to defense cuts.

and I think more will be drawn back over the boarder if the Scots wants to go on their own.

Scotland will never truly split from the UK, although I wish they would so that were not burdened by them and have them meddle in our affairs when we cant meddle in theirs pay them moneys when they give nothing back,and have to listen to them moaning about everything like a hard done by sibling.

I've been Scottish since birth and I have to say I RARELY meet anyone that gives a **** about being part of the UK. I think anyone with half a brain realises complete independence is a massive and I mean massive risk. But feel free to make massive generalisations if it makes you feel like your argument has more weight.

[logpogingg]

hasnt there been a number of new builds recently - moving the pipeline to newcastle and away from scotland (main oil pipelien from the north sea field)? Some of the Norwegian gas production is piped to far north of Scotland, so it's unlikely these will be moved down into England - the cost wouldn't make it viable.

But corporations control that, not governments. Even the US can't really get BP to bow to it's demands. They don't pay their fair taxes to anyone, they will walk all over and independent Scotland. Large amounts of the gas and oil consumed by the likes of England and Wales are piped across Scotland. An independent country wouldn't allow this to occur for nothing.

[Auzuigcx]

I've been Scottish since birth and I have to say I RARELY meet anyone that gives a **** about being part of the UK. I think anyone with half a brain realises complete independence is a massive and I mean massive risk. But feel free to make massive generalisations if it makes you feel like your argument has more weight.

It would be a massive risk, but thats surely a reason to give a **** about being part of the UK.

[Z2sc8gEz]

The general feeling I got when I was in Scotland, is that the Brits owe every Scot man woman and child a Living, for all the terrible things our ancestors did to William Wallace many moons ago. [rofl]

[healty-back]

Some might, when I lived there almost all didn't give much of a damn - just wanted to get on with their lives.

[Spisivavona]

It would be a massive risk, but thats surely a reason to give a **** about being part of the UK.

I take it you're being facetious and ignoring the fact I obviously meant that rarely have I met a Scot that is ADVERSE to us being part of the UK.

[WaydayNef]

Can we not cut Scotland and Wales away from our sacred land and let the buggers float away?

I often think about the North in that way.

I take it you're being facetious and ignoring the fact I obviously meant that rarely have I met a Scot that is ADVERSE to us being part of the UK.

No he is just simple.

[mikaelluioy]

Large amounts of the gas and oil consumed by the likes of England and Wales are piped across Scotland. An independent country wouldn't allow this to occur for nothing.

Did you see what happened just recently when George Osbourne increased the tax on a gas field? They're just going to shut it down now and so everyone loses but a point is made. Even Russia just had to retract an attempt at controlling petrol prices. They put some price restrictions in place that just meant that huge amounts of petrol got exported instead resulting in fuel shortages. You simply can't push energy giants around. The Scottish people will never see their fair share of the oil profits, nor the English or Welsh for that matter.

[Auzuigcx]

I take it you're being facetious and ignoring the fact I obviously meant that rarely have I met a Scot that is ADVERSE to us being part of the UK.

No, but that's not really what you're first sentence said. I thought you were implying not many Scots give a **** about being part of the UK.

No he is just simple.

Charming.

[healty-back]

Did you see what happened just recently when George Osbourne increased the tax on a gas field? They're just going to shut it down now and so everyone loses but a point is made. Even Russia just had to retract an attempt at controlling petrol prices. They put some price restrictions in place that just meant that huge amounts of petrol got exported instead resulting in fuel shortages. You simply can't push energy giants around. The Scottish people will never see their fair share of the oil profits, nor the English or Welsh for that matter.

The British Government screwed themselves, and the country, with their original exploration and least terms. Bloody incompetence!

[Tyncneiff]

Arent Scotland, Wales, and N.Ireland pretty independent as it is? Kinda like the US states.

I think that Scotland could do just fine on their own. Especially if Scotland is already financially sound enough to split away. They could easily absorb any cost impact of seceding. Scotland might get a lot of money from your Parliament or whatever, but then a lot of the taxes that are collected in Scotland goes to the general government. Once they secede that money stops going into the UKs government bank, and into Scotlands bank. Will help offset what is given to Scotland and I would not be surprised if it would be even more money through the taxes then what they are given from the government.
Some of the first things Scotland might do is actually lower some taxes to attract business and keep business in Scotland rather then setting up shop in England.

If Scotland would get any oil in their position whether it be platforms, oil/gas fields and pipelines, with the current price of Brent Crude they will do just fine even in the immediate short term and have a bright future a head of them with many surpluses, depending on how much oil they do get.

[yarita]

free university education and free prescriptions would stop overnight in scotland

[Auzuigcx]

free university education and free prescriptions would stop overnight in scotland

Yeah, these are examples of why people should give a damn. Scotland takes advantage of being part of the UK (and who wouldn't).

[Grennios]

What happens to combined things like the Army bases and the like ?
What happens with things like oil and the situation where Scotland gets more money per head than England?
What happens with currency and border control?

The whole idea of Scotland not being part of the UK is stupid, benefits barely any one and is a waste of time.

What bugs me is the current Situation where Wales has its own parliament, Scotland does yet England has no representation... When England and Scotland joined to create the UK all those years ago representation for both countries was disbanded and Westminster was formed to represent the United Kingdom. Now in Wales and Scotland these have been reformed yet we in England have nothing to represent our own interests. All of us should be looking towards Westminster for representation of the entire UK.

Simply put currently Scotland gets the best of both worlds with additional funding from the UK Government and the power to change many things effecting its own local interests, why would anyone give that up?

[Spisivavona]

No, but that's not really what you're first sentence said. I thought you were implying not many Scots give a **** about being part of the UK.

Context is everything, apologies if I didn't make it obvious enough.