Scotland YES or NO

With all this frantic scrabbling about to create a package to appease those north of the border who might be persuadable to vote No, I do hope that the package remains fair to the UK as a whole. It will not be good for happy relations if Scotland gets a disproportionate share of the money available for things like the NHS.

There was a chap interviewed (very briefly) on the street and he was a breath of fresh air from all the political posturing - he said basically that if the Scots don't like being part of the UK then let them float off (that was not exactly what he said!) because he was tired of hearing their whingeing. I am not saying that I agree with that, but it made me smile, after all the boring debate.

Getting a bit nasty now

www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/16/ed-miliband-branded-serial-murderer-scottish-independence-edinburgh-walkabout

I think for me the point is that I agree with much of what the Scots are whingeing about, but to b---r off and leave the rest of us in the lurch is a bit thick I think, so don't expect too much from the rest of the UK like monetary union and stuff. Where is your loyalty to the rest of the folk in the UK who find it just as hard under the Tories?

The future of the NHS in the event of a YES vote doesn't look so rosy according to this report.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-29213416

But the BBC are SO BIASED, Ana! (Apparently)

Much of the extra stuff now on offer to the Scots is divisive, has no statutory authority, and will need a mandate from the voters, all the voters, which could prove very difficult no matter what the result in two days time. Confidence in Cameron has already taken a very big hit for getting the UK into this mess and it may well be terminal for him (I suspect there will be few tears for him anywhere). In the meantime it remains to be seen what the financial markets will do. Not only has truth flown out of the window, but common sense appears to have gone as well.

Yes of course. All the organisations on the consultation panel are probably biased as well...

Be careful what you wish for.

It will probably be terminal for Cameron and eventually for Salmond, whatever happens. Thanks, guys!

I think I heard somewhere that the result of the referendum is not legally binding on the uk.

I'm presuming that if it's yes, there will be no scots representation in OUR parliament?

This government has been in power for over four years. It keeps promising the Scots lots of things if they will vote No.
Why has it not done them already if it thinks it's fair?

'This government' has had other things to deal with during its term in power - as governments do.

This government knew that there would be a referendum on Scotland in its term of power.
Your response just shows why the Scottish people should vote Yes. You are saying that Scotland was not important enough.

I see that the latest three opinion polls, published this evening, each give the "No" campaign a narrow lead. Still too close for comfort.

Three things worry me about these polls:

1 Are they taking account of all the new voters who have never voted before but have recently been signed up to the Electoral Register? I suspect the majority of these will be "Yes" voters.
2 As a lot of these polls are conducted online, are they getting accurate views from older people, many of whom don't use the internet at all? I suspect the majority of these will be "No" voters. So perhaps 1 and 2 cancel each other out...
3 Can the panels used for these opinion polls be infiltrated by "Yes" or "No" supporters in an orchestrated fashion? This has bothered me for some time and I have come across two articles which seem to give credence to this

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-independence-ban-opinion-polls-in-the-runup-to-elections-says-baroness-boothroyd-9734315.html

www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/panelbase-bans-new-members-from-independence-polls-1-3080830

I heard on the news a couple of nights ago that the polls won't really reflect much as those who are undecided (and have said, apparently, they probably won't know for sure until they walk into the booth) cast their vote - then that will swing it one way or the other.

All the polls are conducted on the internet and yougov is selfselecting, so they cannot be truly representative.

So it turns out that the future of the UK is being influenced by massive donations of cash to the SNP by lottery winners Chris and Colin Weir. Their donations are reported to be over £5m and said to represent about 80% of the SNP budget. That accounts for Salmond's smirk, no doubt, but like donations to the other political parties, is it healthy for democracy to take such vast amounts of cash from such limited sources?

Pollsters try hard to poll a representative sample. But if they are on line they cannot be - as not everyone is online.

Just listened to Mr Darling and then Mr Salmond being interviewed on Radio Four. Mr Darling came over well, but Mr Salmond sounded rattled, talking over the interviewer and saying the same thing over and over. This is worrying. I'm just coming round to the idea that the Uk would be better off without Scotland!

I`ve said it before on this forum-PLEASE don't think all Scots think the same or whinge or demand extra consideration. I`m so exasperated at what Salmond has done to the public image and popularity level of the Scots. Its been so divisive and nasty. Its now public knowledge how unpleasant the YES campaigners have been and Salmond has not "called off his dogs" as I`ve heard it said.
In other news a colleague has been told that funding of her PhD will be pulled if its a YES vote. Instant loss of valuable medical research, a job and a good person who would have to leave Scotland. She would be the first of many to go. Who`d be there to pay the taxes to fund all Salmond`s empty promises?

Roll on Friday when whatever the result the s**t will hit the fan. Feel very sorry for the police!

Well said, Jane10. Like you, I'm horrified at the damage that has been done by this campaign. I'm hoping that we will be allowed to vote in peace tomorrow without being subjected to chanting from the "Yes" supporters. However, I have read that they are planning to organise "marches" to get their new supporters, who have never voted before, down to the polling stations. Apparently, there are plans to have police on duty all day at some polling stations so that voters don't feel intimidated. (Although that might have the opposite effect at some polling stations...)

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.

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.