demise of the union?

[master baits]

Reading today on the break away of our nation to separate entities

now its in the majoirity consensus , ie the public wants it , will it happen as some think in the next 5 years.?Are your for or against it?

I am worried that if it does happen it will create problems like the whole N.I issue all over again.Theres plenty at stake , theres the whole handout to scotland aspect believed by those in england thats happening , and of course the belief that the oil will fund scotlands wealth just as stupidly in scotland.

Just for interest I am for it , but it wont be easy or cheap.

If it does happen the last of the economic migrants will you please close the door when you leave.

[nicky munchkin]

I think scotland will be the only one to leave, Wales I think will remain united with england. Can't really say about NI.

Its a shame, the union flag looks much nicer than st georges red and white.

[Archaon]

I find it ironic that, at least in the last statistics I saw, a higher percentage of the English want Scotland to be independant than the Scots do.

Personally unless there's an issue brought up specifically about one of the countries I think of Britain/the UK as one country anyway. Despite nationality options on forms trying to make me think of myself as White English, I still think of myself as British.

[nicky munchkin]

I like scotland but they didnt want us to win the world cup so meh :D

[Archaon]

I like scotland but they didnt want us to win the world cup so meh :D
Neither does half of our own country mate... :rolleyes:

[BUFF]

or the cricket ... :p

[Archaon]

That I think we just accept that it isn't happening and don't even bother to turn the TV on, just moan when we see the headlines...

[jacobzcoool]

I am not sure about this, what else is scotland going to do? there is nowhere else to join.

I hate to say this again, but I agree with nicky :eek:

[Sampler]

there is nowhere else to join.Well, except that little, tiny, insignificant European Union like Eire did...

[jacobzcoool]

Nope, never heard of it.

[nicky munchkin]

I think Scotland is the only country powerful enough to be on its own. NI might join with SI which leaves Wales with us. Its a shame it didnt happen earlier- Tony Blair is Scottish and him not being part of our country would mean he would have to step down as PM :p

What do all the kustom lads in Ayr think?

[shifty.ricky]

I don't think it will happen. Not soon anyway.

Scotland isnt a big enough entity to support itself just yet if it were to go "seperate".

Lets face it London and the south east are the commercial capital of the UK, not scotland or wales.

If we did split up there would be so much unemployment that people wouldnt go for it.

DVLA would leave swansea, Coy House Cardiff.
Glasgow would lose the military payroll offices, Scotland - Faslane, RAF Kinloss etc.

That would be some serious job losses so I dont think that it would happen.

<prepares for the flames>

[Forthy]

I'll help them dig for a REAL separation, if it means Craig and his 'clan' are isolated further from the rest of us :D

[sf37]

Umm, I think Scotland will be powerful enough if it splits on its own terms; i.e. taking the lions share of the UK's oil reserves. Realistically though it would be the worst time possible to split with most of your wealth being in oil reserves; if they want it, good luck to them. I wasn't aware of northern Ireland or Wales wanting to separate either but, er, good luck to them too. Whatever they individually have to offer on their own, that would not be better as part of the UK, I have no idea.

I think it's sad, TBH, and I would prefer that it didn't happen. I think that us English people have less problems with the other countries than everyone else does with us though; if there is a great Scottish/ Welsh/ Irish athlete, I would support them as 'one of us'. In 1994 I supported Eire at the world cup! IMO Andy Murray made a huge mistake in bad-mouthing England during the last world cup - but I appreciate that there is some degree of resentment in the other direction.

[master baits]

realistically the oil is not essentally a petrol oil , its a plastics oil , but if oil gets that expensive then it is financially viable to process as petroleum.But I dont think scotland if it did go that route would survive purely on that as its gross income.

Theres other aspects to think of , higher taxation would be the norm with 21 percent vat and of course protecting itself with military would be its second highest financial output after benefits and health.It could end up a cut price base for america , perhaps even its 52nd state , woohoo or ohno.

Now I may be painting the picture dark , years ago separation was something i wished scotland had done but with the wrong people steering it it will run aground, im a lot more wiser to realise the hardships involved.

It chould harness its natural resources and ecofriendly energy making ability , then sell it.It shoudl renationalise 50 percent of its infrastructure again like gas electric , telephone etc and this is the sticky bit legalise "soft" drugs with high taxation like cigarrettes are now but reducing the cigarrette/booxe taxation to be competitve for booze croozers from engerland.

[Alan]

sf37: When you say "support them as one of us" someone usually refers to them as "English":p
It is simply the same problem you get anywhere where you have 2 neighbouring countries, one large, one small - e.g. New Zealand and Australia, Canada and the U.S.A.
The joke is that we all share very many common characteristics - truly British ones - and it is simply the stereotypes we all attack.
When it comes to sport - and let's concentrate on football for a moment, leaving aside our Scottish duty to play the anti-English role, a great many Scots would like to see England win the world cup - we know and admire the players, we watch the premiership - why not? Southern English commentators - that's why. They are so arrogantly English that it drives non English people up the wall. For example, we used to have a book running in Scotland at a World Cup for how soon in the first match of the tournament (not involving England), 1966 would get mentioned. No one ever bet for the second half and the bookies made loads in 1998 because it got mentioned BEFORE the kick-off.
Although English people won't see it, the never ending harking back to 1966 drives non-English people potty.
Look at the Rugby World cup. If Scotland or Wales had won the World Cup instead of England do you think there would have been open top busses through London, Dinner at No 10 and Buck House with gongs and knighthoods? Yet it is the British Queen and the British Prime Minister. The list goes on and on but you won't see it if you are English - and neither would I if I was English.

[sf37]

Oh, OK, I guess that actually makes a lot of sense. I do think that we'd go crazy if Wales ever won the world cup though - and bless the welsh, I wish them all the best for this! - because it is understandably a huge achievement. It's annoying when everyone harps on about 1996 for most english people, who were not even a twinkle in their parents' eyes at that point and have had to suffer one big disappointment after the next for their entire lifetime.....

I remember visiting a friend in Glasgow, which would have been a little over a year ago now, and reading an amusing poem that was posted on the walls at each underground station. As far as I recall it was a famous scottish poet (I might be wrong) talking about nature documentaries, but the last sentence ended with how he disliked voice-overs from David Attenborough. Until I watched sky or cable I never realised how much I EXPECTED to hear his voice during such documentaries. To me it felt normal but I never once questioned that he was english, or posh english at that (which the vast majority of english people would not personally associate with any more so than a welsh or scottish accent). I guess that is also the point you were trying to make, Alan....

[bootup05]

So ,,,whats Is His Thread About? Now:)

[master baits]

So ,,,whats Is His Thread About? Now:)

and whats your post about?

[Fat Jez]

and whats your post about?

It's a common thing with some of our younger members with high post counts - a sizeable percentage of their posts consists of either posting a single smiley character or posting non-relevant replies.

As far as Alan's post is concerned, he pretty much hits it on the head for me, although what also winds me up is the way the English teams are hyped by the media to the point that it almost seems like all they have to do is turn up for each match and they will win. I highly doubt any Scottish/Welsh/Northern Irish team would get invited to special bashes at No 10 or be given gongs for winning.

Don't even get me started on the average English person's tendancy to refer to England when they mean the UK. I'll never forget hearing a DJ on GWR in Bristol ask a question in a kid's quiz: "Who is the Prime Minister of England?" That more than anything is what gets my blood boiling.

Cheers,
Stephen

[sf37]

It may not have been so eloquently put, but I do appreciate that this thread has moved away from the original op's point somewhat. IMO this is quite an interesting deviation that is still related to the original subject. I can certainly appreciate why there might be some resentment regarding the English, and it now makes me wonder whether I have never experienced it myself (I certainly cannot think of any personal examples) or whether, being English myself, I was simply oblivious to it?

Ah, what the hell. I'm no more proud to say I am English than I would be if I was Scottish, Welsh or Irish. In fact as far as I recall I refer to myself as British rather than English. I admit that my personal experience of Wales and Ireland is very limited, but I always have a great time in Scotland and would jump at the chance of living there if only I could get a job there. IMO England culturally has a lot to lose if the UK separates, let alone the financial implications.

[shifty.ricky]

I refer to myself as British. The one thing that does annoy me is when people put nationality as English, Welsh or Scottish. No. Your British ffs...doesnt matter where you were born your a British Citizen.

[Archaon]

I refer to myself as British. The one thing that does annoy me is when people put nationality as English, Welsh or Scottish. No. Your British ffs...doesnt matter where you were born your a British Citizen.
Often you don't have a choice on forms and stuff anymore. I suppose it's yet another result of overkill political correctness. If I can be bothered (and it's nothing important that would result in me getting nailed for being a smartass) I sometimes use the Other option and put British.

[jacobzcoool]

I just put British if it has it as an option, English if it doesn't.

[Arc]

To be fair, a split in the union between Scotland and England aint going to happen. Its not manageable both economically or from a military standpoint. Everywhere else is coming together, e.g. the EU, yet we want to split.

Dont even get me started on the Scottish Parliament, we now have more levels of government than we know what to do with, nice job (and pension) if you can get it however ;).

Let me put it this way, would you like the SNP in charge of Scotland with President Alex Sammond? They can make bold claims whilst in opposition but when in power I bet they would be a disaster.

All we need is a dedicated Scottish commentary team for the world cup and we wouldnt have any problems :D.