Independence for Scotland?

[Rob MacKillop]

Will the flag unfurl completely...?




Things are definitely hotting-up here in Scotland, with only eleven more days to the vote. For the first time, those who want to leave the Union have nosed in front in a major poll. It's only one poll, but a significant one. So, what is happening?

Labour supporters are realising that if they ignore the Westminster Labour dictates, and vote for Independence, then Labour might well rule in Scotland for decades. Westminster-based Labour Party members don't want this at all costs, as without the Scottish Labour vote they are unlikely to have enough votes to defeat the Conservatives.

The message is getting through that you don't need to agree with the Scottish National Party in order to vote YES in 11-days' time.

With England moving more to the right, and possibly leaving the European Union, Scots are looking more towards a centre-left coalition, staying within Europe. It's becoming apparent that the best way to do that is vote for Independence.

Whether you want Scotland to leave the Union or not, 50% of the Scottish population is about to become very unhappy...

Interesting times.

 

[Davie Hudson]

i seem to have managed to largely avoid it

 

[Rob MacKillop]

But it won't avoid you, Davie...

 

[Tom Dinning]

Strange lot up there I the north. To us down here it sounds like you're subdividing a suburban lot and sending the family to their corners. Can't you lot get along together?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Tom, no.

 

[Tom Dinning]

Mmm. A bit like my family. Now I understand. If that's the case, even living apart won't really make a difference. I've tried it and it didn't work for me. I'll swap you my two sisters and a brother for Yorkshire, Wales and a small island of the coast of Scotland.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Actually, Tom, there's not much humour around at the moment. It's suddenly become very serious. The break-up of the UK could be less than two weeks away. Incredible.

 

[Hamish Gill]

If Scottish labour is made up of people like Gordon Brown... Good luck to those labour voters I say!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

It's not. They're not that clever

 

[Hamish Gill]

It's not. They're not that clever

Even more right wing then?? You are in the shit!

 

[Brian Moore]

Scotland can vote overwhelmingly Labour (as they have) and end up with a Tory government in Westminster. That's problematic for me.

 

[Tom Dinning]

I'm confused. What ever happened to the goodies wearing white and the baddies wearing black?

 

[Beth Carter]

I'm confused. What ever happened to the goodies wearing white and the baddies wearing black?

they still do. in politics they all wear black suits, so it's easy to see which side they're on.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Scotland can vote overwhelmingly Labour (as they have) and end up with a Tory government in Westminster. That's problematic for me.

Which is why Labour supporters in Scotland are waking up to the possibilities an Independent Scotland brings. I know lots of people who would happily vote Labour within an Independent Scotland. Of course "Independent Scotland" is a misnomer - we are very much part of the European Union.

 

[Tom Dinning]

Curious thing, politics. Democracy is even weirder. Mind you, the alternatives are not crash hot.
Let's assume the politicians know what they are talking about. How is it they come up with a completely different answer to the same question? And as for the voters, most wouldn't have a clue about the complexity of the problems yet they vote the politicians in. It's not like the voters are a world apart. They live in the same street, even the same house and vote for different people.
You're right Rob. It would be funny if it's wasn't so serious. National allegiance has a lot to answer for. So does greed but I'll leave that for another time.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Nobody can predict the future even though somebody claim they can. Either way, Scots are going to be Scots and to a certain extent very different from the English. Being separated may prove good or bad, but being a small country I believe they may do good on their own, as another one I know. All the best to a great nation, no matter what.

 

[Brian Moore]

Which is why Labour supporters in Scotland are waking up to the possibilities an Independent Scotland brings. I know lots of people who would happily vote Labour within an Independent Scotland. Of course "Independent Scotland" is a misnomer - we are very much part of the European Union.

This is why for me it is not about SNP or Alex Salmond; it's about getting the government the majority of the people vote for. And as for the European Union, in a sense there exists historical precedence here since from the Middle Ages right up through the Act of Union in 1707 Scotland always leaned toward Europe for trade and political alliances. I don't think membership in the European Union necessarily erodes the notion of independence as it pertains to self-determination.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Exactly! Alex Salmond would be the first to agree.

 

[Paul Lange]

But once the UK leaves the EU we will be able to eat bananas that have less then 2-1/2 of curvature but you Scots won't be able to because you'll still be in the EU.

That's my perfect argument for not splitting.

 

[Brian Moore]

But once the UK leaves the EU we will be able to eat bananas that have less then 2-1/2 of curvature but you Scots won't be able to because you'll still be in the EU.

That's my perfect argument for not splitting.

So what you're saying Paul is "Make like a banana and do not split."