Will you vote for independence?

[danny la rouge]

I still don't get why the SNP are so opposed to Scotland having its own currency. Sure they think that a currency union is better, but why do they think that a Scottish currency - crowns and groats - is bad?

1. Scotland's currency was never "crowns and groats". It was the Pound Scots. (Crowns and Groats are both pre decimal Sterling coins. They were never the name of the currency north or south of the Border). A Scottish currency would be Pound Scots.

2. The SNP has published its reasons. I have linked to the document at least twice. The different options are laid out and assessed. The other options are not dismissed as bad, it's just that they have assessed formal currency union as best. And any reader can tell that the unannounced plan b is "sterlingisation".

They have not said the other options are terrible, just that they are not their favourites.

This has all been discussed.

 

[Frankie Jack]

I wish I had your patience danny la rouge

 

[danny la rouge]

His gamer site. I made the "I see what he did there" reference to his sites all names W.O.S. Wings Over Scotland, Wings Over sealand, World Of Stuart.

Yes, I subsequently worked that out. But when I first read your comment I wasn't aware of the other sites and still thought he was a retired minster.

 

[DotCommunist]

if scotland did have its own new currency I recon they should go mad and have all the small denomination coinage as triangles, the bigger ones as parallelograms and the promissory notes should be printed portrait rather than landscape.

Imagine how much that would fuck with peoples heads

 

[danny la rouge]

I wish I had your patience danny la rouge

Thank you for your kind remarks.

 

[Quartz]

1. Scotland's currency was never "crowns and groats".

It was several hundred years ago, pre Union, amongst other coinages.

They have not said the other options are terrible, just that they are not their favourites.

Not really. They keep on about currency union and studiously ignore the rest. And note that I'm talking about the SNP, not you, danny la rouge! You've done a far better job than the SNP.

 

[Frankie Jack]

I didn't know Campbell was an actual minister. Always thought he was a gamer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Campbell_(game_journalist)

 

[danny la rouge]

I didn't know Campbell was an actual minister.

He isn't. I just thought he was. Until I found out he wasn't.

 

[danny la rouge]

I should add that I know absolutely nothing about gaming. I don't play video games. Here is what I know: I have heard of Mario. I think there is a thing called an X box, but I have never seen one. That's it.

 

[danny la rouge]

Here's an example of the bias of the press and broadcast media.

Yesterday Standard Life said that in a independence Scotland they'd have to move many of their operations to England. (Most of the media reported this as "leave Scotland", which isn't exactly what they said). It was blanket coverage all over the BBC main bulletins, BBC webside and BBC Scotland bulletins. It's all over the papers this morning.

The same day, the credit assessment agency Standard & Poor said Scotland would have an AAA rating even without oil and gas. Quote "even without North Sea oil – Scotland will qualify for S&P's 'highest economic assessment'." Nothing. Not a peep. No blanket coverage, no headlines. Nothing.

This morning, both oil and airline bosses have been critical of Westminster and favourable to conditions in an independent Scotland. Hardly a peep from the media.

 

[danny la rouge]

Was called away before finishing my point.

OK, and the coverage of the Standard Life story was largely uncritical.Robert Peston was wheeled on to wet his pants about what a blow it would be.

Where was the mention that Standard Life warned the same thing about devolution? In the run up to devolution - nay, years before there was a Labour government prepared to enact it - the company was saying devolution would force it to relocate. It never did. 15 years after Holyrood opened its doors, they're still here. As are all the other companies who warned the same thing prior to the devolution referendum.

Now, don't get me wrong. The empty promises of capitalists favourable or unfavourable to constitutional change are much of a muchness to me. But the BBC should play apply the same scrutiny whichever side is seen to gain. The same scrutiny and coverage should apply to Standard Life's statement as S&P's. And so on.

 

[Tankus]

I listened to Robert Preston and I can't remember a single point ,if any he made, or even the bloody subject he was interviewed on ......was it about Scotland ? What's with the Joe 90's
Should stick to print

 

[marty21]

.

This morning, both oil and airline bosses have been critical of Westminster and favourable to conditions in an independent Scotland. Hardly a peep from the media.

Boss of BA was on BBC Breakfast this morning, basically being positive about independence, if it happens

 

[Frankie Jack]

I listened to Robert Preston and I can't remember a single point ,if any he made, or even the bloody subject he was interviewed on ......was it about Scotland ? What's with the Joe 90's
Should stick to print

Pesto has that effect on me too. I see his mouth move yet nothing he says seems to make it to my mind as actual word.

 

[danny la rouge]

didn't Bannockburn happen sometime shortly after the events described in Braveheart: and doesn't that continue to hold some significance or meaning in Scotland?

The Scottish tourism agency, Visit Scotland, is coming under fire because the ticket sales for the Bannockburn anniversary event are poor, even after the event was scaled back.

Poor ticket sales and low level marketing could threaten the event organised to mark the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.

[...] concerns were raised that the event was being "diluted" after it was cut from three days to two and the number of available tickets was scaled back to 20,000 rather than the 45,000 originally planned.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-26405668

 

[danny la rouge]

From The Sun, to which I am not subscribed:

We’re not better off together
'No' camp's £7m shortfall
WORRIED anti-independence supporters last night admitted they’ve only raised a THIRD of their expected war chest — £7million less than the Yes camp.
Insiders say the Better Together campaign is losing the money battle.
http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sco...ishpolitics/referendum2014/article5481562.ece

 

[geminisnake]

I'll be avoiding Stirling that weekend then, won't be able to move for tourists!

 

[danny la rouge]

I'll be avoiding Stirling that weekend then, won't be able to move for tourists!

You avoid Stirling most weekends, though, don't you?

 

[geminisnake]

I avoid people most weekends tbh


The one weekend I did go to Stirling the rally is in Falkirk this year! Stirling Rugby club have priced themselves out of the market! I haven't been to Falkirk since before my son went to school, he's 25 this year

 

[pogofish]

I'll be avoiding Stirling that weekend then, won't be able to move for tourists!

Given the poor ticket sales and the way this thing is turning into Scotland's biggest non-event since "The Gathering", Stirling will probably be a fine quiet place to be when this goes down as no fucker's going!

 

[geminisnake]

But there's a help for heroes or summat on the same weekend. I'm best not near squaddies or people that think squaddies are heroes!!

 

[redsquirrel]

Some interesting analysis from YouGov

That is not all. Sometimes stable aggregate numbers conceal large two-way shifts of opinion that simply cancel each other out. This does not look like happening this time. Rather, the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ blocks look equally solid and utterly distinct. They differ completely in their party loyalties and their expectations of what an independent Scotland would look like.

 

[Sue]

Out of interest, does anyone know the story behind this in Aberdeen? Sounds like Labour/SNP relations aren't going too well.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-26422109

 

[Quartz]

I've not heard of this. I imagine pogofish has the details but is bound to silence by way of confidentiality. Labour are supposedly Unionist, though.

 

[8ball]

1. Scotland's currency was never "crowns and groats". It was the Pound Scots. (Crowns and Groats are both pre decimal Sterling coins. They were never the name of the currency north or south of the Border). A Scottish currency would be Pound Scots.

It wouldn't have to be Pound Scots, would it? You could have whatever you wanted.

 

[Sue]

I've not heard of this. I imagine pogofish has the details but is bound to silence by way of confidentiality. Labour are supposedly Unionist, though.

No shit.

 

[pogofish]

I've not heard of this. I imagine pogofish has the details but is bound to silence by way of confidentiality. Labour are supposedly Unionist, though.

Yes, Salmond stole the march on them during final campaigning for the Donside by-election by a "surprise" visit to Bramble Brae School in Northfield - Which was at the time under threat of closure by Labour:

http://news.stv.tv/north/230402-valerie-watts-has-condemned-alex-salmond-and-mike-russells-claims/

This, following the UTG debacle, kicked the feud between SNP and Labour that had been been simmering for some considerable time - since at least the end of the last SNP/Lib-Dem administration, right into the open and its been petulant childishness galore ever since.

 

[danny la rouge]

It wouldn't have to be Pound Scots, would it? You could have whatever you wanted.

You're right; it could be called anything: the Moolah, the Zingwingbing, Shirley. It's just that there's no reason to call it the Groat. (Unless you used to read 2000AD or your name is Tharg).

Groats were never the name of a terrestrial currency. They were a coin last minted in the UK in 1856, worth four pence. (Prior to Union there was also Scots coin called the Groat, and there were variations of the name throughout Europe - The Dutch Groot, the Tyrol Groschen etc. It was term for a thick coin c/f grosso. Not a currency name).

People pretend they think a Scots currency would be called the Groat to belittle and ridicule the idea, and make the notion of a Scottish economy seem antiquated and obsolete.

 

[pogofish]

Labour are supposedly Unionist, though.

The tensions in Aberdeen have little to do with the independence issue TBH - All this is the upshot of local politicking at its very worst and frankly neither party has come-up smelling of roses from it.

 

[Quartz]

People pretend they think a Scots currency would be called the Groat to belittle and ridicule the idea, and make the notion of a Scottish economy seem antiquated and obsolete.

Speak for yourself.