English GN's referendeum

John Redwood, now there's a wild-eyed Thatcherite loon from the past. I thought he'd been pushed up into the Lords years ago.

They just keep thinking up more and more ways of spending taxpayers' money with more and more jobs for the boys (and girls) and more and more layers of government.

Fed up with them all.

Granyy23

The only reference I see on here to the 'evil' English is your own Hollydaze

Yes, the word evil has only been used by me and it wasn't meant to be taken literally (hence the exclamation mark) although what the comment represented is, nonetheless, accurate.

^ Can we have specific examples please of where Scottish G'netters have denigrated the English?^

No, I'm not going to trawl through GN looking for individual posts that I have read where comments have been made. Sometimes the comments are not direct but are implied - as happens on many forums.

For as long as I can remember the Welsh, Irish and the Scots have all complained about the English - it isn't anything new

Well where to begin with regard to Salmond's CON

If we just look at the past few days at two of his announcements

Businesses who take their HQ out of Scotland - Salmond announced that the tax will be generated by where the business' activity takes place.

NOT TRUE - only with regard to VAT which is an EU tax. So presumably Scotland will have to sort that out either by using the existing rules, or making it's own form of income tax. However the EU has long been apposed to the 0% rate in the UK which covers life's necessities such as food, so 0% will almost certainly not be accepted by the EU.
Corporation tax is raised on the bottom line and that is due in the country the business resides - so if it's HQ is England then the tax will be due in England.

"Scotland will be a more equal society - more along the lines of a Scandinavian Country."

Well not if he also promises a lower tax country like the 18% corporation tax, he proudly announces.

If we look at the Scandinavian rates - or equivalent e.g.VAT. There are also some exclusions and exceptions but these make for a reasonable comparison

Denmark 24% corporation tax 46% - 61% income tax and 25%VAT across the board.

Norway 27% corporation tax 0% - 46.8% income tax 15 - 25% VAT no exceptions

Sweden 21% corporation tax 28.89% - 57% income tax 6% - 15% and 25% VAT -

UK 21% corporation tax 20% - 45% income tax 0% food, books. 5% fuel 20% standard rate.

I won't even start on comparing the cost of living in these countries with the UK.

So Mr Salmond how do you propose to raise the tax necessary to achieve such a land of milk and honey?

Don't get me wrong I would love to see a fairer society and for us to get back to a more principled morality with regard to the poor and equality of opportunity for all but I absolutely know that none of that can be achieved without higher taxation, and that is the sticking point for many people.

Maybe it will not be the sticking point for the Scottish people, whitewave. Maybe they will see that if they wish to keep their NHS and care as it is, they will have to pay more tax.
All parties promise lower taxes to get votes. It does not matter if you do not earn enough to pay tax. In order to reduce corporation tax this government raised VAT, even though it promised it would not before the election.

If Scotland is run from Edinburgh, at least many of the people who vote them in will be able to go and tell them what they think of them, instead of being ruled from hundreds of miles away.

"Scotland will be a more equal society - more along the lines of a Scandinavian Country."

I feel very worried for those who think they will certainly get a particular flavour of government if they decide to leave the UK. I believe a far right party currently holds the balance of power after the latest election in Sweden. In the future it would not be surprising to see some move to an at least slightly more right wing party without the balance coming from the "avoid the Tory's" feeling.

As it is, to echo Whitewave's stats, the SNP seem more like old Labour than Social Democrats to me. I think some people will be just as disappointed by a free Scotland as they are at the moment by the UK government, but by then the damage will be done.

(I would vote no but that may be obvious )

Exactly durham my point being that Salmond is not TRUTHFUL about these things not about whether the Scottish people would be prepared to pay more tax and have a higher cost of living.

If the Scottish people do get independence, who are they going to vote for with regard to higher tax, NHS and a more egalitarian society? Their problem will be that some of their economic activity will be governed from London if Salmond has his way re the £

Salmonds promises won't achieve that. He simply can't square that circle.

I think I've moved away from the original OP this should really be on the other Scotland thread Hey Ho!

papaoscar, mid Wales is glorious , green and with rather a lot of sheep but west Wales has the most beautiful coastline , beer in Rhyader when it has all those dams with all that water?

I think you are right whitewave, it has moved and I suspect it was intended to be quite light hearted and not quite so political, wasn't it? Hey ho!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29201660

Gracesgran, the far right won more seats than last time but the left won overall, and nobody will agree to working with the Sweden Democrats, which is the far right party.

I do not think Salmond is the only one who is not being truthful. Everyone just says what they think will get them elected.
When I was listening to the radio in the car today, someone was saying about Lloyds Bank saying it was going to move its headquarters. Its headquarters are already in London.

People in both Scotland and England have said they would be willing to pay extra tax to save the NHS. Are any politicians listening? Came across a postcard about the NHS today, with a picture of Cameron saying, "I love the NHS so much I want to cut it into little pieces and give them to my friends."

Their problem will be that some of their economic activity will be governed from London if Salmond has his way re the £

whitewave, not sure what Salmond's way is (can't keep up!) but my impression was that he can use the pound as a currency if they do gain independence, he can use anything he likes in fact or some entirely new form of currency, but their pound would not be backed up by the Bank of England, so would not be governed from London.

If he doesn't use the Bank of England as the last resort and has none of his own which he won't, he will not be able to borrow on the money markets and then be in s--t street. He will have no choice I am afraid.

Well that isn't true- he will have a choice to borrow at an alarming interest rate

If Scotland square-dances away into oblivion, what Scottish products and practices might no longer be available south of the border? Kilts and kippers. Whisky and Harris Tweed. Bagpipes and bannocks. Tunnocks tea cakes. Shortbread biscuits and Scotch eggs. Finnan haddock. Tartan everywhere. Haggis and Hogmanay. Dundee cake and marmalade. Jock straps and Mackintoshes. Sporrans and Irn'bru. Any more? Can we cope?

I've just heard a comment that made me think:

'... the reason the English were not given a voice on Scottish independence is because if the Scots voted no and the English voted yes, all hell would break loose'.

I hadn't thought of that angle when it came to everyone being allowed to vote.

I shop for Mum and every week she buys Tunnocks teacakes.

holly

Wot, no haggis?
I shall have to emigrate

Think I'll have one tomorrow. I've one in the freezer, and I've mashed swede to go with it. I'll make a whisky sauce as well.
Tomorrow's supper solved!
Thanks friends!

Think I can live without jockstraps though

Your could wear the jockstrap whilst eating your haggis - and drink the whisky don't bother to make a sauce.

I won't miss any Scottish products that I can think of but I do love Scotland. I am here at the moment (weather has been fabulous and I haven't had so much as a jumper on all day) I do hope in the event of a yes vote, brand Scotland will continue to offer us English a warm welcome.

I've one in the freezer too, Galen, perhaps we should start stockpiling it! And the whisky to go with it (I know, we can buy Welsh whisky but there isn't the variety - apparently!).

I can taste a Tunnock's teacake now, virtually, the only way.
A moment on the lips and all that ...

Not sure about the Harris tweed, don't they have to wee on it or something?

Friend who lived in lived in Scotland for years advised me to pour my whisky on to the haggis.
It is very nice.

that was probably to disguise the taste

I am not overly fond of sausages (except very good ones), pies, black pudding, hog's pudding et al but I do quite enjoy haggis. As long as I don't think about it too much!