Scottish Independence

[Harleyman]

Interesting. Why would Scotland want someone else when they had the First Minister and SNP leader heading up their campaign? No disrepect to other countries but no-one other than Alex Salmond would have done. I can't stand the man but being Scottish I can understand why he was the figurehead. Of course they were all Scottish because they were fighting for their independence.

 

Given the troubled history in Ireland - think that wouldn't have been a great idea. Wales perhaps.

 

This wasn't about Labour, Tory etc. It was about being a free country. Free from them. Wasn't to be - I'm not that sorry about that as I'd have voted no but only because the common sense head bit kicked in. If it was on patriotism - which let's face it doesn't feed people or pay the bills - it would have been a yes.

 

---------- Post added 23-09-2014 at 02:57 ----------

 

 

I agreed with you till you said Bannockburn was nonsense. It may be to you but it is a very important part of our history. Shall I tell you to forget 1066 or Agincourt. They don't matter to me one bit but as a Scot Bannockburn and Culloden very much do. Not in a dwelling on them forever perspective but both events shaped my country and for that reason they matter.

 

And the Orange Order rubbish isn't just in Ireland. Alive and well (sadly) in Scotland. Something I'd have preferred to grow up without quite frankly and this from someone brought up a Prod albeit one who can't be doing with any of it.

 

 

I don't see any sense in continuing a legacy of bitterness over events that happened hundreds of years ago. Is there any logic for a Scots person to hold some kind of dislike for Sassenachs because their very distant ancestors invaded and massacred some of your very distant ancestors.

 

From a purely historical perspective 1066 and Agincourt do interest me but I attach no emotional feeling to either event. I have Irish blood on my mother's side but the Irish potato famine causes no emotion in me either except to say that it was a tragedy which could have been avoided if the corn laws had been abolished. That's just history to me.. nothing else

[LeMaquis]

I don't see any sense in continuing a legacy of bitterness over events that happened hundreds of years ago. Is there any logic for a Scots person to hold some kind of dislike for Sassenachs because their very distant ancestors invaded and massacred some of your very distant ancestors.

 

I accept that you observed the Scottish referendum campaign from the close proximity of California but the Yes side did not base its arguments on what happened hundreds of years ago. It was a forward-looking campaign based on the argument that in the future Scotland would be better run by the Scots themselves.

 

http://www.yesscotland.net/

[Mecky]

I accept that you observed the Scottish referendum campaign from the close proximity of California but the Yes side did not base its arguments on what happened hundreds of years ago. It was a forward-looking campaign based on the argument that in the future Scotland would be better run by the Scots themselves.

 

http://www.yesscotland.net/

 

The Scotish Nationalists have a chip on their shoulder ... end of

[LeMaquis]

The Scotish Nationalists have a chip on their shoulder ... end of

 

And you don't. Scottish nationalists have a chip on their shoulder because of successive right-wing Tory and Labour governments who haven't been able to focus on anywhere outside London. Lots of people in northern England have a chip on their shoulder about Labour's failings as much as about those of the Tories. See Rotherham for evidence.

[swarfendor437]

I didn't get a vote as a Scot because I live here. Should I have had one ? No I don't think so because I don't live there so on that basis people who do should correctly have a vote. All countries have a transitory population. Business = money= economics therefore will impact any politcal decision. This had nothing to do with RBS changing its registered address to London.

 

It was always going to be close and roughly half the population wasn;t going to get what it wanted no matter which way it went. Scotland now has to make sure it gets the powers promised and they have done the rest of the UK a huge favour inforcing electoral reform here as well.

 

Yes you should have got a vote - Scots in Canada even got to vote! I also know you should have got a vote (maybe a proxy postal?) as colleague was born in Scotland, lives in Sheffield, and got to vote!

[Harleyman]

I accept that you observed the Scottish referendum campaign from the close proximity of California but the Yes side did not base its arguments on what happened hundreds of years ago. It was a forward-looking campaign based on the argument that in the future Scotland would be better run by the Scots themselves.

http://www.yesscotland.net/

 

Well duh I didn't say that independence was based on what happened hundreds of years ago but it's a fact that in Scotland and Ireland there is still a tendency to regard long ago battles and other historical events as happening yesterday. Maybe the Gaelic mind/personality has an inclination for long racial memory just as I found while living in Quebec, Canada and talking with Quebecois separatists, many of whom listed in detail the injustices perpetrated by the Anglo rulers since 1759 when France lost that part of Canada.

 

The latent Scots dislike of the English plus nationalistic feelings were evident without a doubt but were not the driving fact quite obviously.

 

I accept the fact that you observe American society from the close proximity of Sheffield but we have more than just Fox News which may come as a surprise and a bit of a shock, Nevertheless regard it as a bit of an education courtesy of yours truly

 

---------- Post added 23-09-2014 at 16:43 ----------

 

And you don't. Scottish nationalists have a chip on their shoulder because of successive right-wing Tory and Labour governments who haven't been able to focus on anywhere outside London. Lots of people in northern England have a chip on their shoulder about Labour's failings as much as about those of the Tories. See Rotherham for evidence.

 

So there is no such thing as a city council in Rotherham? If there is what the blanket blank has the council been doing all these years. Maybe they should get off their back sides and get the wheels in motion to attract business, investments and jobs to the city. That's part of what councils are supposed to do isn't it or do they just pat babies on the head at election times and open garden fetes ?

[annbaker]

I don't see any sense in continuing a legacy of bitterness over events that happened hundreds of years ago. Is there any logic for a Scots person to hold some kind of dislike for Sassenachs because their very distant ancestors invaded and massacred some of your very distant ancestors.

 

From a purely historical perspective 1066 and Agincourt do interest me but I attach no emotional feeling to either event. I have Irish blood on my mother's side but the Irish potato famine causes no emotion in me either except to say that it was a tragedy which could have been avoided if the corn laws had been abolished. That's just history to me.. nothing else

 

Who said we're bitter? I'm not. These things happened and none of us can change that. However this is basically something like religious sectariasnism so long as either side perpetuate the need to insult each other. Til that stops the situation will not change.

 

However you're not a Scot and not being patronising but you should try living there. There is more than a grain of truth in the fact we get trod on by Westminster. This is why I have a lot of sympathy with the yes voters tho I wouldn;t have voted so. I was brought up to beleive we were in some way inferior to English people. Not by my parents but by things like newspapers and TV. Also having family in England we did visit quite a bit and we were always made to feel like something off a haycart - oooh don;t you speak funny - No we don't! Insulting to say the least. Welcome to england!

 

---------- Post added 23-09-2014 at 23:10 ----------

 

The Scotish Nationalists have a chip on their shoulder ... end of

 

No they don't! That's nonsense. I am a Scot - NOT an SNP supporter - but one positive thing I can say about them is there is no chip on their shoulder.

Edited September 23, 2014 by annbaker

[blake]

what has happened, Harley is that the northern cities, including the Scottish ones, no longer enjoy the economic advantage that they did a century to a century and a half ago, that they used to enjoy.

 

London and the south east now dominates the UK economy in a way it didn't before, in the old days.

 

that is what they miss, and what they are really upset about. It is not about political representation at all. It is all about money and isn't it bothersome that all of a sudden, this small corner of the archipelago, London and the south and south east, produces the most.

[annbaker]

Yes you should have got a vote - Scots in Canada even got to vote! I also know you should have got a vote (maybe a proxy postal?) as colleague was born in Scotland, lives in Sheffield, and got to vote!

 

No they didn;t. You only got a vote if your were registered to vote there in just the same way you get one here if regsitered. trust me if I could have got one I would have!

Edited September 24, 2014 by annbaker

[blake]

only Scottish residents who could show that they actually lived in Scotland were able to vote in the referendum.

 

Scots in Brazil, or Canada could not - although I believe that Scots in Brazil and Canada CAN vote in UK General Elections if they register.

 

now there is a thought. Maybe the Brazilian and Canadian Scots can vote in the Scottish parliamentary election too. Not just the UK General Election.