Scottish independence - as an Englishman, am I "wrong" not to give a crap?

[danny la rouge]

Well it was meant as a joke, albeit a poor one. You know a bit of satire based around the absurdity of some of points that have been raised such as Doctor Who etc. Sorry I inadvertently antagonised, I promise not to do it again.

Fair enough. Trouble is that the reality is weirder than any of the parodies.

 

[weltweit]

Very little, I'd imagine. Who the fuck takes any notice of the empire games?

Who takes any notice? Some of the Scottish people I was speaking to last week.
They think the games could influence voting, perhaps it depends if one of the campaigns can capitalise on it or not.

Another motivation for independence that was mentioned to me was the defence of the Scottish NHS against the sort of creeping privatisation that is happening in England. That was from someone who was definitely voting yes.

 

[danny la rouge]

Who takes any notice? Some of the Scottish people I was speaking to last week.
They think the games could influence voting, perhaps it depends if one of the campaigns can capitalise on it or not.

Another motivation for independence that was mentioned to me was the defence of the Scottish NHS against the sort of creeping privatisation that is happening in England. That was from someone who was definitely voting yes.

You're right about the latter.

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

Another motivation for independence that was mentioned to me was the defence of the Scottish NHS against the sort of creeping privatisation that is happening in England. That was from someone who was definitely voting yes.

Health is already a devolved matter, so the defence against any creeping privatisation is really kind of immaterial in the yes/no poll.

 

[weltweit]

Cameron apparently said last week that if Scotland votes No, they will be able to have greater devolution.

But since then he has been pushed on the specifics and not coughed ... people are thinking it was perhaps cynical..

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

Cameron apparently said last week that if Scotland votes No, they will be able to have greater devolution.

Well, yes, the already passed Scotland Act will come into force if it's a No vote, giving some more powers to Holyrood. Not a huge amount, but some.

 

[weltweit]

Bearing in mind the addition of younger voters for this referendum, some I believe Aberdeen schools held mock referendums a couple of weeks ago. Their result, 53% no, 47% yes. Quite close, with some time to go.

 

[q_w_e_r_t_y]

I have heard yes supporters claim an independent Scotland can save the Scottish NHS from the creeping privatisation happening in England. It is an interesting line, I am not aware if it is part of the yes campaign, but some yes voters seem to rate it as an argument.

Once the private contractors are set up in rUK, they can challenge the NHS in Scotland under EU competition rules, if Scotland is still part of UK. Cannot do so if Scotland is independent.

 

[Dogsauce]

Imagine NEVER being ruled by the Tories ever again. That's what the no vote is up against.

 

[brogdale]

Clowns...

The CBI has petitioned the Electoral Commission to cancel its registration as an official supporter of the no campaign in the Scottish independence referendum.

The sudden switch in policy came after more than a dozen organisations, including major universities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee, government agencies in Scotland and the broadcasters STV and BBC, resigned from the CBI to protect their neutrality in the independence debate.

John Cridland, CBI director general, said the controversy over registration had raised damaging questions about whether the CBI was changing its role to become a political organisation.

Its new legal advice had established that the decision breached the CBI's own rules and had not been signed off properly internally. "The CBI is politically independent and impartial," he said. "Registration has raised a question as to whether we have changed the CBI's role – we have not."

'yes' must be pissing themselves.

 

[William of Walworth]

Imagine NEVER being ruled by the Tories ever again. That's what the no vote is up against.

I know, but that 'never' is FAR from true down in these South of Scotland parts ...

 

[Belushi]

I know, but that 'never' is FAR from true down in these South of Scotland parts ...

Vote Plaid

 

[William of Walworth]

Did that at the last GE, he lost his deposit and Sian James got in with a 10,000 plus majority ... she's not at all bad as it goes, as proved by her imminent retirement from Parliament

 

[DotCommunist]

To be honest, the only way the BT campaigne could further shit thier own bed would to be exhuming the bones of hadrian and running them up and down the wall while shouting 'DEATH TO THE PICT!'

 

[William of Walworth]

Surely there must be talk in Scotland of all sorts of splits and disagreements within that campaign, plots to bring in a half way competent strategy, etc.

 

[DotCommunist]

Surely there must be talk in Scotland of all sorts of splits and disagreements within that campaign, plots to bring in a half way competent strategy, etc.

perhaps there was, perhaps there is. The votes at the end of the year. Its been left too late for reasonable campaigning, left too long out of complacent arrogance. Hence now we see the turn to some questionable tactics.

 

[weltweit]

To be honest, the only way the BT campaigne could further shit thier own bed would to be exhuming the bones of hadrian and running them up and down the wall while shouting 'DEATH TO THE PICT!'

Don't knock Hadrian's wall, if the scots do vote yes we will need to rebuild it, with the guard towers as passport stations!!

 

[weltweit]

I gather Gordon Brown is to take an interest in the no campaign. That is what that campaign really needs, alongside Darling, a known election winner (not), yet another the same!

 

[JTG]

You know that most of Northumbria is north of Hadrian's Wall, right?

 

[weltweit]

You know that most of Northumbria is north of Hadrian's Wall, right?

Collateral damage !!

 

[Delroy Booth]

Scotland is shit

 

[redsquirrel]

Scotland is shit

Cut it out. You're a decent poster but you're going to be booted if you continue this rubbish.

 

[Delroy Booth]

Cut it out. You're a decent poster but you're going to be booted if you continue this rubbish.

 

[editor]

Cut it out. You're a decent poster but you're going to be booted if you continue this rubbish.

He's gone for two weeks, minimum. Have you see the amount of 'shit' posts he made?

 

[farmerbarleymow]

He's gone for two weeks, minimum. Have you see the amount of 'shit' posts he made?

I couldn't keep up...must have been scores of them.

 

[emanymton]

I couldn't keep up...must have been scores of them.

You manage to get the last post in an impressive number of them though.

 

[teqniq]

Car crash type stuff happening with the CBI

Scottish independence: CBI does U-turn on supporting no campaign

British business lobby the CBI has petitioned the Electoral Commission to cancel its registration as an official supporter of the no campaign in the Scottish independence referendum.

The sudden switch in policy came after more than a dozen organisations, including major universities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee, government agencies in Scotland and the broadcasters STV and BBC, resigned from the CBI to protect their neutrality in the independence debate.

The CBI had registered as a supporter of the no campaign, allowing it to spend up to £150,000 before September's referendum, on legal advice because it planned to make clear that it opposed independence at its official events and functions.

It has now promised the Electoral Commission it will not take an active role in the referendum – a move likely to be seen as a blow to the no campaign and a boost for independence campaigners.

John Cridland, CBI director general, said the controversy over registration had raised damaging questions about whether the CBI was changing its role to become a political organisation.

Its new legal advice had established that the decision breached the CBI's own rules and had not been signed off properly internally. "The CBI is politically independent and impartial," he said. "Registration has raised a question as to whether we have changed the CBI's role – we have not."

 

[danny la rouge]

Health is already a devolved matter, so the defence against any creeping privatisation is really kind of immaterial in the yes/no poll.

Not so. The Barnett formula calculates the Holyrood grant as a percentage of Westminster spending. If public spending on NHS in England goes down, that can affect the NHS in Scotland, despite it being devolved.

 

[gosub]

Car crash type stuff happening with the CBI

Scottish independence: CBI does U-turn on supporting no campaign

The Telegraph piece is more in depth, the CBI accidentally joined NO because somebody junior took a decision they weren't authorised to. Actually think the CBI may be holed below the water line a voice of industry stuffed full of quangos and broadcasters that must worry about their impartiality.

 

[brogdale]

The Telegraph piece is more in depth, the CBI accidentally joined NO because somebody junior took a decision they weren't authorised to. Actually think the CBI may be holed below the water line a voice of industry stuffed full of quangos and broadcasters that must worry about their impartiality.

John Cridland, director-general of the business body, said its application to the Electoral Commission had been made without the knowledge of senior executives by a "relatively junior" member of staff.

Lying or incompetent; either seems appropriate for the capitalists' lobbyists.