I love Wales, and I like Scotland..... So IndyRefs?

I'm British.... If we want to delve further into that I was born in England and can trace an 8th of myself to very strong Irish Ancestry, the rest is a bit of Norfolk and a lot of Nottinghamshire.

As a kid I spent time holidaying in North Wales; and of late I've spent a bit of time holidaying on Anglesey.  I like Wales a lot.

I also like Scotland, I had a lovely friend who is Scottish, I've many acquaintances who are Scottish, and I toured Scotland once with notable stops in Dundee and Edinburgh.

Lately the wife and I have even contemplated moving to either country.

However, the thoughts of moving to Scotland were tempered with all this me-gudgeon about IndyRef2.  Now, I thought the matter was settled in the first, it was a close vote, I think every Scottish National voted; and they were out voted by everyone else; there were even a bunch of apathetic people who didn't even bother to vote and still the nationalists were out numbered.

And to be perfectly honest, I think recent times have taught us you're stronger together.  Doubly (or is that quadrupley?) so in terms of the UK.

So hearing all this hoo-haa about the possibility of another referendum and wanting to put things into perspective I took a look at the Scottish Governments own publications; they make for interesting reading.

And I of course focussed on the economy and how Scotland may fair as an independent unit, my question came down to one of Revenue versus expenditure, and to be perfectly honest if I were a Scot asking for independence I'd be scared stiff.

As an Englishman this is perhaps easy for me to say, and feel free to dismiss me; but I'm talking about the FOI-202200277763 publication of the Scottish Government; where it clearly states that "Around 40 per cent of the Scottish Budget 2020-2021 was funded from revenue raising powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament."

40%? Where does the rest of the 60% to keep the country afloat arrive in the coffers from?  "a block grant from the UK Government".

Right, so a lot of money goes into Scotland which it itself can't afford to provide, and I've taken a look, no-one; not one single party calling for IndyRef2 has an answer to this problem.  Indeed they don't ask it, and I find that so very worrying.

I'd even proffer my own opinion that is I, or anyone in Whitehall, asked the question they would have a decorative Shortbread tin stuffed down their gullet faster than you can say "Nicola Sturgeon".

So how do these politicians pulling on the strings of Nationalist Sympathy think the money will come from?  Honestly, I can only believe they think the UK would continue to stump up the cash; forgetting there would be no more UK.

The United Kingdom would cease to exist.

There would be Scotland and then the rest of the Kingdom; England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Assuming the latter did not continue to fund Scotland, which I believe they would in some way, but assuming that "we" didn't what would the Scottish Expenditure Portfolio become?

Well, I believe Health and Sport would take a hit, particularly Sport.   Quite what the split is between the two is not made clear in 202200277763.  But I think sport would go.

Communities and Local Government is the next big ticket item; well there would not be any "Local" in Government, there would just be the Scottish Government; but does that necessarily spell a saving?  I don't think so, for there would suddenly be a requirement for institutions to facilitate the functions of state.  For example, the Bank of Scotland would have to issue actual currency, Passports, Drivers licensing and control; so many things assumed to cost zero to Scotland today as they're provided services of the state would have to migrate and be picked up by Scotland.

Indeed in the current portfolio "Government Business and Constitutional Relations" shows as zero; because there is none, that cost would sky rocket; more so in a hostile departure from the Acts of Union.

Similarly the "Audit Scotland" would rise, Scottish Parliament too... So many things.

And I can only see the people of Scotland suffering, or the people remaining in the Union being forced to bail out the situation; so I don't get it.

Personally I do not get it, I do not see any need for England, or Wales, to depart the Union, and neither can I see this for Scotland.  It's almost an emotional reaction from some Scots, that they want to be independent, but asking them quite what that means, it means they want the status quo AND freedom; but looking at the books that can't happen.

Whatever your thoughts mine are quite sad, I'm personally strongly against moving to Scotland with this question poised as it is.  I would only move to Scotland if it were part of the Union anyway.

My References:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202200277763/

https://www.gov.scot/policies/government-finance/setting-the-scottish-budget/

https://yourviews.parliament.scot/finance/scotland-public-finances-23-24/

https://fraserofallander.org/scottish-budget-guide/

https://ifs.org.uk/articles/scotlands-underlying-public-finances-are-improving-oil-and-gas-revenues-rise-long-term

Scotland

I fucking said it, I posted this around here, I text this to BBC Radio Nottingham... And now the fat little corporal has admitted it...

He's just in it to make history, I fucking said so... Fuck Scotlands future, fuck the economy, fuck security, solidarity, industry, commerce and business... Fuck it, he wants his name in history.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29151322

Scottish Independence - A Sad Rant

Scotland, Scotland, Scotland... I don't know how to really express how I feel about even talking about the Independence Vote... I... I really can't believe its being even considered by a single Scot, not only do I feel its just a strange topic of conversation, but Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, it just is, its something lived with something that just is...

Now, I know there are many Scots with a beef about things like, regional autonomy, like they think they've got a hard deal... I've heard things like the closing of Scottish Industry being a major factor in the numbers of unemployed in Scotland, and that being all "London's" fault.

But, the companies which closed were pretty much private companies, just like the companies in Sheffield, Birmingham, Southampton, Bristol and elsewhere throughout the UK.

Industry has reduced, closed and moved, that's a fact of the whole British Isles, not specific to Scotland, yet I hear Scots bemoaning their being specially put down...

The likes of Billy Connelly, whom makes me laugh, but when he appears waxing lyrical about the ship yards on the Clyde and then declaring his support for an Independent Scotland, he's linking the two, the closed industry with the Union, where as the two have no real connection.

And Connelly himself, he has no vote, he lives overseas; in Australia mainly I believe, but he's been wheeled out twice... Notably getting air time during the Glasgow Games opening.

Other Scots who live outside of Scotland also don't get a vote, many of whom as I've spoken to a few, would vote NO to an independent Scotland.  And they'd vote no for similar reasons as I feel, that we're stronger together, safer together, that we're more than a United Kingdom, we're a united people.

And my deep personal suspicion is that Alex Salmond is pushing this agenda because he really seems to want to get himself noticed, to get himself into the History books.  There are no real long term benefits to Scotland leaving the Union, there is only long term costs and burden to her people.

I can't speak for everyone, but this is very much like a family fued and one member is about to storm out... The difference is, instead of a dinner going cold, or a few snide remarks next Christmas, this is going to end up costing BILLIONS.

People, companies, livlihoods and services are going to be ruined.

I personally as a UK Tax payer don't want to support a struggling independent Scotland, and the figured given for the Independent lobby don't stack up.

With all the firms already saying they would relocate if the country left the Union, its going to leave much of Western Scotland barren of employment.  Glasgow is going to suffer most I believe.

Aberdeen would see a marginal increase in lucrative Oil money as everyone cashes out for the next 20 years, but come 2034 I strongly believe there will be massive defecits, services would start to crumble and I have to say there may even be an exodus of the able and qualified to English and Welsh locations, followed as the quaffers run sterile to a gaping problem in Scottish communities.

Alex Salmond if not buried by then would be a very old man, he'll be happily tucked up in his adult nappy with a glass of Scotch each night and happy his mark was made.

The people of Scotland will be bereft however, and I have to admit as an Englishman I feel snubbed and insulted that there is this faction of Scottish society whom want to be an independent nation without any thought of who they are where they come from.

Many of the kids of my generation will have had grandparents who fought in the second world war, indeed my own grandfather was in Scotland serving when Rudolf Hess landed there.  My grandfather was the segergant whom guarded him; and was the only guard Hess thanked before he was transferred south.

These links to history, this structure of who Scotland, who WE are is simply being ignored by the "Yes" campaign.

I've hard people in the Yes camp making reference to Bannock Burn... something which would make any Scot's blood swell... But no-one has mentioned the proud traditions since...

The Scottish Highlanders at Waterloo... The Black Watch leading the crossing of the Rhine in 1944... The Scots who fought across Europe to free the people of the tyranny of the Nazi jack boot...

That recent history is being ignored...

Or how about the many Scots who faught, as well as those who died, in World War 1?... Should their legacy be ignored?

It seems one camp thinks "Yes"... And that's got to be thought about seriously as derailed...

Other topics I've seen are the Nuclear Sub's... An Independent Scotland campaign has declared they don't want the base, nor the Subs... I'm pretty sure that Scottish tax payers like that deal, billions spent and they "don't want them"... With a wild acting Russia still flying just off sure of Scotland too...

But hey ho, they don't want the subs... They're playing on Nuclear "fears" to get votes... Not thinking about the communities supported by the sub base, the thousands of jobs in Scotland which depend on those subs being there... Oh no, they just want to be seen as "PC" and get rid of Nuclear!...

What about services which are nationally funded?... I've mentioned the need for RAF cover, Russia does try to overfly Scotland regularly.

How about the Royal Navy's other bases?... How about the Army itself... Does an Independent Scotland want to be a neutral state, like Ireland or Switzerland?... If so, how will it sit with Denmark, Holland, Belgium, France and the remains of the UK in having an unalighed state suddenly appear in the vulnerable Nato North West... The flank through which Cold War Submarine operations so dominated planning and which may come to dominate again, but now without Scottish bases or SOSUS listening stations?

None of this is being thought about, the thinking I've seen from the Yes campaign has been almost a kin to a drunken argument in a bar!  "Bannock Burn, aye Jim laddy the bassads, Independence!"

The "No" campaign, well they've been attacked in the street by numpties with eggs, great way to stop someone speaking to you I must admit...

I have friends who are Scottish, I have friends who are English married to Scots... So far I've not met anyone who has fully furned the "yes" campaign with a vote, nor have I heard how beyond the immediate short term Scotland could support itself!

Simply put, Scotland is part of this Union of the Great Kingdoms on the British Isles, talking of her anything other makes me very sad.

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Addendum : 10/Sept/2014

I reckon I'm onto something, i reckoned Scotland would be wrecked by economic disaster (if independent) by 2034... Turns out 2035 the Oil runs out... Lovely... Can't wait to see the results of that one...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29149106