MattW

Interesting article.

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Breaking up is hard to do

Does anyone know the advantages and disdvantages from both a Scottish and English viewpoint if Scotland became independent? Scotland has oil but surely that will run out eventually?

GC8

An outcome, would be that England never had a Labour government again. Scotland was given a disproportionately high number of MPs (mostly Labour in the 20th/21st century) for the population, when the two nations were united. If Scotland gains independance then the MPs wont sit in an English parliament and the Conservative party will have a huge majority. Theyll be broke too.....

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Ha! What makes you think they won't be allowed to be in two parliaments then?

Labour will have thought of that, and ALSO thought of a way round it, trust me, (further than you can trust Lying Labour)

Alcazar

Geezer

In Scotland, taxes will rise. In England taxes should lower, but will rise .

The majority in Scotland want to be part of the UK. It would be bad for the UK to lose Scotland (although it would be nice to get rid of their whinging ), and it would be bad for Scotland.

You only have to look at what has happened to Russia to see what breaking up a large nation does, or the former Yugoslavia.

Oh, and theres no chance they would be allowed to keep the (dwindling) oil!

Geezer

maxxielives

And don't forget they'd have Gordon Brown as president - terrific - he could tax the Scots to hell instead. They'd need North Sea oil if they get him.

PeteBrant

The North Sea oil argument is a bit of a red herring. The total Government revenue from Scotland including oil is around £28 Billion per year, but government expenditure in Scotland is £31.8 Billion. A deficit of over £3 Billion.

North Sea oil actually brings in a small percentage - in 1996 it was £3.56 Billion.

Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland
Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland

David Lock

And don't forget Tony Blair was born in Edinburgh....... hmmmm so he could be repatriated

andythejock01wrx

Thanks, but no thanks !

From an economic standpoint, bad for Scotland and bad for England (and Wales & NI !).

We'd have more control over our own affairs, but (even !) less influence in the world. You could argue that using Switzerland and Sweden as a model, we could do just fine. A bit risky I reckon, as the oil reserves are depleting
and Scotland has lost much it's heavy industry over the past few decades.

We were an independent country from 848 AD to 1707 AD. But another way of looking at that is that we have been a part of the UK for almost 300 years.
Why separate the country that fought the ***** ?

Andy Mc

Still very proud to be both a Scot and a Brit.

jasey

The next change of UK Government should be a very interesting time for the Scots. I said that the SNP would get in 10 years after the Scottish Parliament came about - may take another 5 years.

Will it be Good for Scotland - Probably not.

Will it be Good for Engerland - Probably not.

Is it gonna happen - almost certainly !

Geezer

I still doubt it. The majority don't want it, it would have to go to referendum. The best chance the Scots have of going independant, is not if they do, but if the English vote to dump them!

Geezer

Hol

iTrader: (1)

In no economist, but I do analyse things in my work.

I must admin the point about the £3Bn deficit is quite interesting, but the price of oil WILL go up in time (as will revenue) and Scotland does have a lot more spare acreage (This IS an Island) for expansion.

At the moment we compete economically with foreign countries, can you imagine the damage that would be suffered by both economies in 10-20 years time, if relations got bad and we started competing with Scotland as well.

Id like to see all the facts and forecasts, before I put my rubber stamp on it.

andythejock01wrx

You cheeky Geezer !

jasey

Any road - once we're part of the US of Europe - Independence wont matter to anybody - We'll all be one big happy family - aye right

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

And this just might be the reason that Labour are allowing unfairness like scottish MPs voting to stop English kids getting grants for university educatiuon, yet those SAME MPs vote to GIVE grants to Scottish youngsters

Now is there any surprise that that sort of thing doesn't sit well with the majority of English?

So WHY are Labour allowing it to happen????

Alcazar

borat52

Or you could be a little more optimistic and take a look at what happened to the USA when Britain was finally ousted from there. Became the richest nation on earth without us as a dead weight around their necks.

I like the idea of Britain being united but it doesn't work. The scots (and also to a large extent Welsh) want socialism while the English want capitalism. Why not make everybody happy and give the English a Capitalist government and the other nations a socialist regime.

sociophobe

Who cares. We're all fecked in UK PLC anyway

sociophobe

Shut up you silly old tart!

andythejock01wrx

We can and do have that, and without complete separation. It's called Devolution.

Luan Pra bang

Look at Ireland though the country is boomingamd scotland can count on some of that EU cash to keep itself ticking. I think it will be good for England and Scotland

andythejock01wrx

Ireland is doing well and I'm glad to see it.

But Ireland was granted large amounts of EU cash (ie British & German cash !) because it's economy was in bad shape 20 yrs ago.

Nowadays, that money would go to Romania !!

Anyway, you tryin' to get rid of us ?!

sociophobe

It's still gonna be wet and miserable though

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

What's up sociophobe? Didn't understand my post? Aw diddums, back to flipping burgers for you then

Alcazar

scoobynutta555

Ireland is doing well now, and it's economy is what's called a celtic tiger. No small part in this turnaround in economic fortunes is the country's low corporate tax rate,12.5% compared to ours 30%(?)

It is also true that previously Ireland received EU funding as it was a very poor country. I've noticed massive changes in the country in the decades I've been frequenting the place.

I see no reason why Scotland couldn't follow suit if it was independent. The only glitch I see is perhaps a too left wing a government.

Luan Pra bang

If they became idependant I think they would get their fair share of cash so at least the whole of Europe would pay for them instead of just he UK. If they want to be British ditch the Scottish Parliment and be British and contribute their quality players to the British football team the current system is just a **** take for the UK tax payer.

andythejock01wrx

True. But at least we like it !

jasey

Well "We" should stop ******* whinging about it then

andythejock01wrx

We aren't !!


............ "Oh, yes you are !" etc

jasey

You will when the Next Conservative Government get in - mind you there's a reasonable chance we'll all be pensioners by then

Leslie

I think it would be a terrible mistake for Scotland to separate from the rest of the Union. It would not help the economies of either and they would both be weakened in influence with the rest of the world.

The setup of the Scottish Parliament and the privileged voting powers in the English Parliament of Scottish MP's is wrong and unfair and seems a pretty suspicious arrangement to me.

Les

scoobynutta555

Yes, the West Lothian question. This has to be addressed. IMHO England would not be greatly affected by a separation from Scotland, those with potentially the greatest loss are the Scots themselves.