Scotland YES or NO

My heart sank when we heard all intimidation was complete fiction, imagined here on Gransnet. It's good this is finally out in the open.

Yes, that was unpleasant to see penguinpaperback and I felt very sorry for those who had aired their experiences and concerns only to have them reduced to nothing more than flights of fancy.

papaoscar Wed 17-Sep-14 13:16:23

Good post

My heart sank when we heard all intimidation was complete fiction, imagined here on Gransnet.
It's good this is finally out in the open.

Scary stuff that we never thought would happen in the UK.

Not an example of physical intimidation such as that described by Brendawymms earlier, but just as scary. This comes from the Editor of the Scottish Review:

"The inexcusable failure of the first minister, and his henchman Jenkins, to control or condemn the excesses of their supporters has created an atmosphere in which hatred thrives out of sight.

I'll give one example which I know to be true. I have no doubt there are many others.

In a small town in central Scotland – for the protection of the people involved I do not intend to name it – a couple put a No sticker in the window of their house. A neighbour – a woman they 'knew' – came over and said: 'Oh, I didn't realise you were moving home'.

'We're not,' said the man, surprised. 'Well, you will be after we win,' she told him. 'You won't be welcome in this street.'

I hold the first minister personally responsible for such intolerance. Had he chosen to utter a few statesmanlike words months ago, the nastiness of the present mood could and probably would have been avoided. He chose not to utter them.Another example of intimidation"

I suspect life will be made just as difficult for this couple, whatever the result. This is the full article:

www.scottishreview.net/KennethRoy174.shtml?utm_source=Sign-Up.to&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=8427-326203-My+country+has+been+broken+by+the+hubris+of+Alex+Salmond+

It is illegal to interfere with polls in any way. I imagine there will be a heavy police presence at the polling stations tomorrow.

I totally echo that papaoscar. 'Westminster' has behaved lamentably over this whole affair, a complete pigs ear from start to finish, starting with breathtaking complacency and ending in panic and bribes. The SNP have been allowed to run rings round the three apologies for Leaders to the point of toe curling embarrassment. Chamberlain/Hitler comes to mind - PATHETIC! New politicians? I wish, but where we find them?!!!

Who the hell do the SNP leadership think they are, taking for granted that the UK is going to underwrite their follies while they decide which bits of the family silver they want? Who the hell does Gordon Brown think he is, promising sweeteners (bribes!) to the Scots, to be paid for by the rest of us in the UK. Who the hell do Ed Miiliband and David Cameron think they are, letting this constitutional mess take place in the first place. The lot of 'em couldn't organise a .... in a brewery! Shall we just advertise for some new politicians?

I wonder if all the YES voters would be willing to buy a 'contents and building' insurance policy which would not have any terms and conditions listed and would be for ever. If they would I think I would very much like to sell them one !

Oh dear! That man, if he can be honest must understand that he has much to answer for.

I hear that all Police leave has been cancelled

If that is true, it puts to bed the arguments that there has been no antisocial behaviour from one side to the other.

Even if the No vote wins, I don't think the UK will ever be the same again. Resentment from the Yes campaign will never die down and there will also be resentment from England and Wales every time Scotland stamps its feet for more concessions.

And what's the betting a referendum will resurface in years to come and we'll have to go through it all again?

No wonder the 'No's' are keeping their preferences close to their chests. There are some horrible anti 'No' things going on and it's about time Salmond told his minority of thuggish supporters to back off and act with a bit of decorum. Things are indeed becoming very nasty and I don't like it one bit. I hear that all Police leave has been cancelled . I think, after voting, I shall be keeping my head down for a bit!

As someone has said a complete hornets nest has been stirred up, old hostilities that we all (both sides of the border) thought were ancient history and, if not forgotten, were considered irrelevant long ago in a grown up world. I personally DO NOT want you to go, but if you feel you must then that's what it will have to be. I shall feel very sorry for the NO voters if YES wins the day. Can you not come south and live with us?!! we would more than welcome you!

I'm also concerned about the all the extras that are being promised to Scotland - I would imagine that the Welsh and English will be watching that space very closely.

As others have said, this debate has stirred up a hornets nest that may well have been better to leave alone. I had thought at the outset that Scotland had (has?) a right to be independent if that is what they want but that was before the bribery from Westminster began; that rather changes things and not for the better.

I hope for a No vote but I'm really concerned now as to the reaction (especially in Wales) to all the 'extras' being promised to Scotland by the three party leaders. There'll be revolting back benchers and Mr Farage will be delighted.

crow I agree with the sentiments expressed except that I couldn't wish the YES people well. I`m afraid of what would happen to the country under their "leadership". I wonder if they make outsize riot gear? Just joking!

Brendawymms, hope your example explains why the Better Together supporters have been scared of putting up stickers and posters. At least we still have a secret ballot.

May I say I am heartily sick of all this and the disturbances it has caused. People I know in my quiet backwater of middle Scotland are becoming frightened.
As I wrote at the beginning of this forum my view is that we are a small island and should stick together.
However, if the yes vote win, I wish them well. If the no vote win, I shall be pleased but it worries so many of us that there will be, I hesitate to say this, riots.
I don't blame any English person who says "for goodness sake just go". I tend to agree with them!
English Grans please note, I do not want to leave and it will not alter my affection for those south of the Scottish Border.
All this division of our great nation saddens me enormously.

Friend who lives in Scotland had a big No Thanks poster outside her house. She also has CCTV! Last night a man in his late 20's early 30's ripped down the poster and painted a large YES on their door. The video will be going to the police I hope.

Have just read an article about Alex Salmonds interview with Andrew Marr in which he claims to have been in talks with certain EU ministers with a view to joining. According to these ministers this is simply not true and these so called meetings didn't take place, and that Mr Salmond apparently used a substantial amount of tax payers money to hide this 'lie'! What with that and this business with St Andrews, it's difficult to know what to make of it all. Part of me is saying "In the name of God - GO and be done with it"! and part of me is saying " For Gods sake STAY, as heaven only knows what you are going into"! Undoubtedly going into the EU is the end game, which could take much longer than is being put about, but if Ireland is anything to go by it'll be exchanging one 'tyranny' for another with Berlin calling all the shots, except that for Ireland when financial trouble loomed the UK came riding over the horizon no doubt for political reasons. I don't think that we will be doing that again if the occasion arises.

Yes the marches sound sinister. If they take place it will be something I never thought I would see in the UK.

dodiegale1 I`m so annoyed myself that I`d almost like a good fight with any YES campaigners that try to cause trouble at our polling station. Luckily we`re such a quiet respectable lot round here that I don't think they`ll bother to try to influence us. Mind you it comes to something that they have led to such an aggressive response from someone like me.
Fancy organised "marches"! God help us on Friday morning. One way or the other there will be a lot of furious people around. Hope I`m not one of them!

I don't think the result will be as close as the polls suggest. I think the great majority of the undecided are in fact going to vote no.

Fear not, Jane10, I am sure that good people everywhere will not respond to the activities of the low-life on the fringes of society and it is to be hoped that the leadership of both sides will not be motivated to encourage such nasty elements to intimidate or hurl abuse. If they do I shall expect the police to deal very firmly with the culprits and for party leaders to disown them. We don't tolerate that sort of conduct in the UK.