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Scottish Independence

(316 Posts)
Urmstongran Fri 15-Mar-19 19:33:08

In 2014, a national referendum was held in Scotland. Voters were asked: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

45% of voters answered yes and 55% answered no, with a turnout of 85%.

I am genuinely interested in the views now. How popular would independence be? After Brexit, is even the idea of a referendum flawed?

Jabberwok Sun 31-Mar-19 16:15:27

God help us too Paddyann! The sooner you pop on to the EU and use Scotland's resources on propping up their near bankrupt countries , while watching them take your fish, oil and anything else they can lay their hands on until they be bleed you dry, the better!

jura2 Sun 31-Mar-19 16:41:31

Talking to people in EU all the time, they all say they would be prepared to invest heavily in Scotland- and tourism would boom and boom. Same for unitversities, research, inovation, etc, etc.

Jane10 Sun 31-Mar-19 16:49:26

Pie in the sky!

Chewbacca Sun 31-Mar-19 16:56:24

Talking to people in EU all the time, they all say they would be prepared to invest heavily in Scotland- and tourism would boom and boom. Same for unitversities, research, inovation,
etc, etc.

Do you know a lot of very influential people in the EU jura or is it just the man on the no 49 omnibus that tells you this? hmm

GabriellaG54 Sun 31-Mar-19 17:01:46

Chewbacca
My thoughts entirely. ???

Jalima1108 Sun 31-Mar-19 17:09:50

^Do you know a lot of very influential people in the EU jura or is it just the man on the no 49 omnibus that tells you this?
Presumably Swiss bankers, who, last time I looked, were not part of the EU.

Chewbacca Sun 31-Mar-19 17:17:11

It really undermines a serious discussion when someone just quotes b*****cks presented as facts. If indeed jura really is talking to people in EU all the time, I think we need to know who they are so that credence can be given to this statement.

Overthehills Sun 31-Mar-19 17:17:47

Your hyperbole is breathtaking Jura - all the time, they all say, invest heavily, boom and boom!! Your influence is immense! I’m surprised you have any time to post on GN!

GabriellaG54 Sun 31-Mar-19 17:27:34

Not to mention the border guards who 'know' the family...including 'our jura' to quote that person's own words.

Jalima1108 Sun 31-Mar-19 17:36:31

Talking to people in EU all the time, they all say they would be prepared to invest heavily in Scotland- and tourism would boom and boom. Same for unitversities, research, inovation, etc, etc.
How long has the UK been in the EU?
We have paid well over £500b into the EU coffers so far - has the EU not invested any of that in Scotland yet?
If not, why not?

Chewbacca Sun 31-Mar-19 17:43:17

Hang on in there Jalima; those who "talk to people in the EU all the time" will be along shortly to answer that for you.

Jalima1108 Sun 31-Mar-19 17:55:05

Thank you
The other question is
How much are Swiss bankers hiding on behalf of tax evaders?

Grammaretto Sun 31-Mar-19 18:07:20

But we are the EU. It's not them and us.
We helped produce the laws. We benefited hugely.
Scotland has had massive subsidies. We have benefited from EU workers in our hospitals, care homes, B&Bs, fisheries and farms.
I loathe all this catty, spiteful, snarling at eachother whether on this forum or on others.
Sorry this is on the independence thread but I can't see that will help.

Chewbacca Sun 31-Mar-19 19:22:58

You're quite right Grammaretto, scotland has benefitted hugely from the EU coffers.

Jalima1108 Sun 31-Mar-19 19:27:42

But we are the EU. It's not them and us.
We helped produce the laws. We benefited hugely.
Scotland has had massive subsidies. We have benefited from EU workers in our hospitals, care homes, B&Bs, fisheries and farms.
Well, I thought so!

Jane10 Sun 31-Mar-19 19:41:22

Me too!

jura2 Sun 31-Mar-19 20:15:16

Jalima- those days are over. And it is possibly the whole reason for Brexit right from the start- the EU directives on tax avoidance.

Chewbacca Sun 31-Mar-19 20:32:56

Is that your opinion; the "people in the EU that you talk to all the time", or the man on the 49 omnibus?

lemongrove Sun 31-Mar-19 21:10:20

jura seems to be everywhere and know everyone.wink
MI5 I shouldn’t wonder ( their best operative!)

I prefer the sensible offerings of Jane10 who actually lives in Scotland.

Jane10 Mon 01-Apr-19 08:09:48

Actually I'm a bit surprised that jura2 isn't putting her energies into ensuring that Switzerland, where she lives, joins the EU!

Caledonai14 Mon 01-Apr-19 08:25:21

I've heard about this but have not seen it til now. The ganging up. I see why people stop posting. And why people stop reading these threads.

I thought Urmstongran's original question was a fair and reasonable one. There have been many well-thought-out replies and points made on both sides in this thread.

We cannot possibly know who is posting here, or what their sphere of influence is or where they might be talking, reading, listening or discussing elsewhere.

Collective browbeating someone for a claim made here is very unattractive and adds a playground element I haven't experienced personally in 50 years or seen since my DGDs grew up.

Attempts to shut someone up or make them nervous about posting alternative views are counterproductive in the end. It's better to argue the case for and against the topic - as many people do here - without querying sources more than once.

If correcting another GNer's spelling is "not the done thing", then it should also apply to multiple querying of sources.

Jane10 Mon 01-Apr-19 09:22:43

This isn't collective browbeating or ganging up. It's just people disagreeing with another poster. That happens. We're not a 'gang' we don't know each other in real life we're just independently posting what we think.

gillybob Mon 01-Apr-19 10:28:28

and tourism would boom and boom

I thought Scotland had (or are about to) start a tourist tax?

Jalima1108 Mon 01-Apr-19 10:39:01

there's always the whisky
liquid gold

Jane10 Mon 01-Apr-19 11:20:31

I typed a huge post about the tourist tax then previewed it and didn't press 'post'! Och. Bottom line re tourist tax is that it wont come in for several years, will be up to individual local authorities whether to impose it, mostly Edinburgh seems to be being ruined by overtourism, the tax will be £2 per night for a limited number of nights. It wont add anything to the economy but will only help to mop up some of the damage caused by the tourists.
People talk about tourism being wonderful for the economy but in Edinburgh the industry employs mostly hourly paid staff (often from EU) and the large chains of hotels and businesses are owned by multi nationals so the profits leave the country. Meanwhile Edinburgh is groaning under the weight of tourists. They pack out the buses making others late for work, Air BnB flats make life a misery for other residents and these short term lets mean that they are not available as long term homes for people who have to live and work here. The streets are packed and filthy especially in the old town and Princes Street.
Its a very sore point with me!!