Nicola Sturgeon vows to start process of second independence referendum

I don’t think they should be allowed a referendum every 5 or 10 years. Very few people completely change their minds in 5 years.
Every 25 years yes. A new generation thing.
Plus they must cost a fortune!

We had to wait over 50 years for another referendum on EU membership.

Grannygravt13 If you look at more recent Billy Connelly statements I think you'll find he changed his mind when the day after Scotland voted no we were hit with EVEL ....which meant our meagre 57 MP's couldn't vote on English matters . Of course
the the 500 ish English MP's CAN and do vote on matters that only concern Scotland ....and we were dragged out of the EU which is NOT the same "union" as the UK .The UK gives us a budget from our own revenue and we have to stick to it..the EU has control over just 5% of rules and laws all of which we already comply with . .When will England have to live by the same rules?

Smaller countries who are far poorer than Scotland have gained their Independence and manage just fine.Scotland is the 14 th wealthiest country in the world ,above France and yes ENGLAND on the charts .Why do you think we cant do it too?

The border has shifted at times and I'm sure there would be some who would rather be on the Scots side.

Indeed, trisher. Preferably to the south of Co. Durham...

Oopsadaisy1

Will Scotland become Independent and then endeavour to be ruled by Brussels?

As I recall most Scots weren't stupid enough to be sucked in by the 'ruled by Brussels' myth.

I expect they'd like to get their fishing industry back into a thriving condition, too.

Having said this, I have always been in favour of the Union remaining whole- but in last two years things have changed so much, that can understand why they want to vote again.

Exactly trisher- and this even more so as they did not vote for Brexit, and even their own Conservatives have been treated so badly by Johnson and co.

I feel there would be massive support for an Independent Scotland from Europe, and the USA, OZ, NZ, etc.

If Scotland wants independence of course they should get it. And I see no reason on earth why the same question shouldn't be asked every 5 or 10 years if there is a need for it. After all we vote in a general election every 5 years. What a fuss there would be if someone said "actually you were asked to vote 5 years ago, so we'll just stick with the people you elected then for the forseeable future".

If there was an independent Scotland I do wonder about the border lands and the very North of England. The border has shifted at times and I'm sure there would be some who would rather be on the Scots side.

You're welcome LilacChaser. I never mind answering sensible questions. The yah boo sucks you're too wee and stupid ones, they get me a bit riled

New Zealand is a good comparison. I'm not clear on the financing issue, so thanks for the clarification.

LilacChaser

I wonder whether Scotland would have been able to afford their stricter covid restrictions had they already been independent when the pandemic occurred?

If independent, will they be able to afford to carry on in the same manner should we get worse occurrences in the future?

Not a criticism, just a thought.

I think what has to be borne in mind is that Scotland would be a whole new country, a country of 5.4 million people which would have its own priorities. NZ had 5 million people, so does Denmark. Now each of these countries set their own rules for Covid. Other, smaller countries were equally able to set their own rules and finance them. None of these countries were sitting there saying that they wished they were still part of their historic, larger empires so that they could have more money. (Although maybe the European ones got EU help?)

So in the future, Scotland would be a proper country, financing its own decisions. That's why the comments about English subsidies and running out of oil are so inflammatory. Are we the only country in the world that can't run its own affairs? Are we the only people who are too stupid to do it? (I know some people think that we are, but best not dwell on that...)

Perhaps if we had been independent we could have closed our own borders more quickly; you know, the thing that so many people all over the UK have been calling for?

I would be sad to see Scotland leave the union, but if that is what the majority vote for I hope it is successful for Scotland.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-974517-c231bad1-31e2-433c-888b-ba53017f0f3a.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-266346-8d69acd6-b4af-4092-b46b-1586ea13c21a.png

There is as much anti SNP propaganda on the internet as there is for all other U.K. parties. These were up this morning.

EngTech

Can England have a vote please ?

I think England should be given a vote and I think most SNP voters would be pleased with it. Who wants to be joined to a country that doesn't want to. Let Scotland go they can sort themselves out especially with Putin getting ever closer to Ukraine.
Let Ms Sturgeon add to yet more problems for her country to sort out alongside all those that already exist for the U.K.

Kandinsky

So it’s not really independence you want, you just want rid of England & the English.
Who knew?
As I say, best of luck to you.

No it's not getting rid of the English, we want rid of Gove too.

It's the right to make our own decisons, including those on forging and leaving partnerships.

At the moment Johnson has clearly said that he would deny us the right to even ask the question. Can you imagine the uproar if the EU had had the ablity to deny the UK the right to hold a referendum on leaving?

I wonder whether Scotland would have been able to afford their stricter covid restrictions had they already been independent when the pandemic occurred?

If independent, will they be able to afford to carry on in the same manner should we get worse occurrences in the future?

Not a criticism, just a thought.

Kandinsky

So it’s not really independence you want, you just want rid of England & the English.
Who knew?
As I say, best of luck to you.

Oops, cross posts.

Paranoid, moi? said the English person.

I'll ask my English-born husband what he thinks. His mother seriously thought that she'd be sent back to England after having lived here for 60 years.

Gain independence from England

UK. Gain independence from the UK.

So it’s not really independence you want, you just want rid of England & the English.
Who knew?
As I say, best of luck to you.

Its like I woke up and its 2014 again. ? But you're too wee, too poor, too stupid!!!

Marydoll - you got the "subsidised by England" comment, but in a roundabout way! 9:09.

Lincslass

Lucca

Esspee

I feel proud every time I hear Nicola Sturgeon interviewed. She answers the questions and is well informed. The contrast with Boris is dramatic. He is an embarrassment to the country.

I totally agree with that

I’m not commenting on her independence policy as I feel unqualified to do so

You have every right to comment on Scottish Independance. If it occurs it will have a massive impact on the whole of the British Isles, and Northern Ireland. Or are we sassanachs not allowed to utter a word about it.

I did not say I had no right to comment, I said I do not feel qualified to do so, I do not have enough political knowledge.

Kandinsky

Never understood the whole ‘Scottish independence’ thing when most of Scotland want to rejoin the EU?
Gain independence from England on Thursday - ask Brussels on Friday if they can live by their rules.
Crazy.
But best of luck to them.

I know, get a divorce from an unhappy marriage and then later forge a successful partnership with someone else. Who has ever heard of that?

As long as independence means just that - full fiscal and all that goes with it.

Alegrias1

Oopsadaisy1

Will Scotland become Independent and then endeavour to be ruled by Brussels?

So we've had:

Can the English have a vote?
You can't rely on oil you know.
And
Do you want to be ruled by Brussels then?

Any more fatuous red herrings to get out of the way before we move on?

Putting sense and reason aside, it would probably be good for independence if England (and why does no-one ever say 'and Wales and NI'?) had a vote...

But of course many of the English people who want a say are exactly the same ones who said, in the EU referendum, 'but Lithuania should be able to vote on the UK leaving'.

Aren't they?

Never understood the whole ‘Scottish independence’ thing when most of Scotland want to rejoin the EU?
Gain independence from England on Thursday - ask Brussels on Friday if they can live by their rules.
Crazy.
But best of luck to them.

Oopsadaisy1

Alegrias1

Oopsadaisy1

Will Scotland become Independent and then endeavour to be ruled by Brussels?

So we've had:

Can the English have a vote?
You can't rely on oil you know.
And
Do you want to be ruled by Brussels then?

Any more fatuous red herrings to get out of the way before we move on?

That was actually a serious question, will Independence mean a request to return to the EU and if it does, will Scottish voters still vote for Independence?

If it was a serious question then ask it in a serious way.