The people's republic of Scotland

[gerarddwatts]

Paul
Just my view but I would say that the pound would be looking to us to bolster it as it is predominantly oil that supports it at the moment
Long term who knows as the EU seem not to keen to let us in then it won't the euro for a while and that's the way I'd like it to stay
What's to stop us setting up our own currency based on the pound?
Whatever it is it needs to be decided within 4-6 months after the referendum as this would give time to get the notes printed. Even then we could still use the pound with a like for like exchange with the new currency.
This is where the bargaining chips will be used by those in power at the time
Just because the rest of the UK don't recognise it doesn't mean that it isn't achievable or viable.

And there are fairies at the bottom of my garden. And Loch Ness has a monster. And haggisses roam the hills. You really do not have a clue do you?

 

[bewsher500]

'I have a weird arrangement with my neighbour.
I give him all of my wages, he pays the bills for me and gives me back what's left.
He says we're both better off that way, economies of scale and all that, I've seen its cheaper to buy in bulk so he must be right.
Except recently I've started questioning the arrangement, it's hard to tell but I don't seem to be getting the best deal. (even harder to tell because he has all the receipts and doesn't share the info with me).
He's got the bigger house and car, fair enough as he earns a bit more than me, but people with the same wage as I have (who don't have this arrangement) all seem to be much better off. - thats a chip on my shoulder I can't bear and it is making me see things funny

From what I can gather, I'm getting a fair bit less back than what I'm giving out.. he says I'm wrong, and keeps telling me I'm a scrounger living off his handouts. - despite the fact that actual numbers using the Barnett formula that prove otherwise and Scottish people already get more per head

He's taken control of most of the official stuff, last year he "reassigned" a fair part of my back garden to become his back garden now, and tried to keep quiet about it. -
He's also decided that his gas boiler is a bit dangerous, so that gets kept outside my bedroom window, where it would destroy the majority of my house should there be an accident, but leave his intact. I did ask him to move it back since I don't even want gas heating, but he said it would be too dangerous keeping it next to his house. - but actually if it did go pop it wouldn't make any difference as we would both be glowing in the dark for decades

He's also putting in a new high speed driveway, and says I get to share in the cost, even though it doesn't actually touch my land at all and I won't use it, and it's bloody expensive! - although I control a whopping amount for infrastructure projects and decided to build a stupid Borders railway, a tram system no-one uses and THE MOST EXPENSIVE BRIDGE IN THE WORLD with what money I control....oh I forgot to save any to fill the potholes


We share a common budget, so any major works that are done are shared, fair enough, but all the major work gets done on his house, which ain't so fair. Even if improving his house devalues mine, I still get to contribute to improving his house. - there goes that chip again
So I've been thinking about scrapping this arrangement and going it alone. It's a little scary to be honest, exciting but scary. Going out and being my own man, doing my own thing with my own money, I'm a little worried I won't always get it right, but I'm hopeful things will improve. I'll be able to start spending my money on what I need, rather than asking him and hope that he needs it too, or won't mind giving me some of my money back for it. - but when I come to think of it, I am pretty useless at managing my own money and have displayed a singular lack of control or grasp of basic maths when it comes to any public spending, so maybe it would be better in his hands

But now he's started scaring me even more.. for example, he told me my shopping would get more expensive if i went to Asda myself, but I asked the manager there and she said he's talking nonsense again. - but as he was a 12year old in a green uniform I am not sure who to trust there either
He's being going round the other neighbours trying to get them to convince me it's a bad idea, even using some of my money to bribe some of them into saying so! (Boris across the road stuck him in). -

He also says I won't be allowed back on the neighbourhood committee either. I've been to every meeting since it started, albeit as a partnership, I was there before all the other neighbours, and they all like me and want me there, but he says they won't let me back.. they're not allowed to officially declare anything yet, the committee is kinda bureaucratic that way, since it's currently his name on my paperwork, he's the only one allowed to ask, but won't. - but secretly I know this crap as letter form the EU is on the internet for all to see, so I better start polishing my shoes and get my cap in hand! http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_EuropeanandExternalRelationsCommittee/Inquiries/Letter_from_Viviane_Reding_Vice_President_of_the_European_Commission_dated_20_March_2014__pdf.pdf

He never usually comes to visit me, but this last week I can't get rid of him, He's all over my house telling me it's gonna be too expensive to redecorate, that the plants in the garden will all wither and die, and the burglars will all suddenly flock to Rob me if I go it alone. It all sounds a bit ridiculous to be honest, and it's not the first time I've caught him lying to me.

On the bright side, after telling me for years it's just a stupid idea, this past week he's decided I might be onto something, and has offered offered a "mystery prize" if I decide to stay.. ooh a mystery prize! ...exciting! He won't hint how big a prize though...? - mind you I have done feck all with the last present he gave me (devolved powers across health, welfare, transport, etc etc)
So I've got just a couple of days left to decide.. what do you think?
Yes or No?'

fixed some of it for you!

 

[Ieazo]

Appalling...and depressing... levels of ignorance about economics and politics on display throughout this thread.

It is clear that some of the yes voters on here haven't got a scooby what they are voting for!! Shame really.

A shame and very very worrying to say the least!

 

[LuckyEddie]

Really? I'd like to see any figures you might have that would back up that assertion.

From PWC report in 2012

"The oil and gas sector is the UK’s largest corporation tax payer, contributing 16.4% of total Government corporation tax receipts - more than many other significant industries combined. Our report shows that the industry’s contribution to UK tax revenues extends far beyond the taxes North Sea firms pay themselves. Including taxes they collect – such as employee taxes and for those with a downstream business, fuel duties, the Total Tax Contribution (TTC) is estimated at £30.1bn, which is 5.5% of total UK government tax revenues. If the taxes paid by companies in the supply chain were included, the figure would be even higher."

I'm willing to look at any newer figures if you have them.

 

[RED-DOT]

As someone said to me today they (asda etc) are here for business and profit if they change the currency to the Sheckel or the Euro it won't matter as she is broke anyway. I'm voting YES as we have been governed by Hooray Henrys for too long and if Asda, RBS and others are not happy then goodbye. Oil won't run out as quick as they say as new extraction methods are being used and unviable wells can now be worked-over. The West coast and Clyde estuary havn't been tapped due to the dangers of submarine errors which have occured recently.
45 food banks in Glasgow and £4billion a year being spent 15 miles away on Trident is obscene and over 150,000 children living in poverty.
Things must change here and the tiny carrot offered by the 3 stoogies is too little too late i'm afraid. i will be sorry to lose the English, Welsh and Irish but not the wasters in Wasteminster.

 

[private fraser]

fixed some of it for you!

Brilliant

 

[gubrath]

So you think that x will make us independant.

You really haven't been keeping up.

Oh no, I never thought that for moment, after all in every nation all of humanity is dependant on outside factors (England's no exception either) but I do think that enough X's in enough Yes boxes will make us Independent in Scotland. In fact, I know that is the case. Now, whether or not it will happen remains to be seen and in about 40 hours, or so, from now we will see too. As for your guff, insisting that we'll be losing our guns and stalking if it's a Yes vote, that's just silly.

 

[private fraser]

Oh no, I never thought that for moment, after all in every nation all of humanity is dependant on outside factors (England's no exception either) but I do think that enough X's in enough Yes boxes will make us Independent in Scotland. In fact, I know that is the case. Now, whether or not it will happen remains to be seen and in about 40 hours, or so, from now we will see too. As for your guff, insisting that we'll be losing our guns and stalking if it's a Yes vote, that's just silly.

Well, you take that up with Mungo....gubrath.

 

[urx]

What utter rot. We will lose neither our guns nor our stalking through a Yes vote. You are just making stuff up. Is this all the "Better Together" camp can do? Cause it's doing my head in, having to listen to such bilge coming from you guys at every turn. If Scotland is such a dependent basket-case why are you even here? If you're so much wiser than the rest of us why aren't you somewhere wonderful?

sorry but SNP and specifically McAskill have made it quite clear that they see no future for guns in private ownership in their vision of Eckland.
There are plenty of quotable sources should you choose to look citing leading SNP figures saying this. Total disregard for their own consultation on airgun licensing and the proposal to license firearms with a limit to numbers etc etc...of course this doesnt fit your rose tinted freedumb view so you wont accept that it could have any validity.
This isnt about 'dependent' its about not letting a pile of idiots loose with more power than they currently have anda mandate to make a mess

jeez

this place is wonderful..we dont need some wee fat numpty making his name in history by wrecking our economy

 

[gubrath]

sorry but SNP and specifically McAskill have made it quite clear that they see no future for guns in private ownership in their vision of Eckland.
There are plenty of quotable sources should you choose to look citing leading SNP figures saying this. Total disregard for their own consultation on airgun licensing and the proposal to license firearms with a limit to numbers etc etc...of course this doesnt fit your rose tinted freedumb view so you wont accept that it could have any validity.
This isnt about 'dependent' its about not letting a pile of idiots loose with more power than they currently have anda mandate to make a mess

jeez

this place is wonderful..we dont need some wee fat numpty making his name in history by wrecking our economy

I agree "this place" is wonderful and who runs it right now? Why do we have so many English greymigrants? Is it because our health and care facilities are worse than England's?

 

[gerarddwatts]

I agree "this place" is wonderful and who runs it right now? Why do we have so many English greymigrants? Is it because our health and care facilities are worse than England's?

Explain what an 'English greymigrant' is please.

 

[urx]

I agree "this place" is wonderful and who runs it right now? Why do we have so many English greymigrants? Is it because out health and care facilities are worse than England's?

so what? you want border controls to keep UK citizens you dont like out of your backyard...for that you are willing to sacrifice jobs, economy, standard of living, healthcare access to facilities in rest of UK, NHSS and its £400m gap in funding, defence reduced to that of a banana republic, loss of world influence in an increasingly globalied economy>

what a limited view you have

take a knife to your nose if offends thee but keep yer hands of my damn Scotland and stop trying to break it

 

[gubrath]

Explain what an 'English greymigrant' is please.

The aged influx of grey haired ones from the South who like our care and health system better than the one where they came from.

 

[palmer_mike]

From PWC report in 2012

"The oil and gas sector is the UK’s largest corporation tax payer, contributing 16.4% of total Government corporation tax receipts - more than many other significant industries combined. Our report shows that the industry’s contribution to UK tax revenues extends far beyond the taxes North Sea firms pay themselves. Including taxes they collect – such as employee taxes and for those with a downstream business, fuel duties, the Total Tax Contribution (TTC) is estimated at £30.1bn, which is 5.5% of total UK government tax revenues. If the taxes paid by companies in the supply chain were included, the figure would be even higher."

I'm willing to look at any newer figures if you have them.

More up to date (2013-14) government figures (I'll attach a link) show a rapidly decreasing trend in revenues from North Sea oil and gas, you might want to think of a plan B.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...d_gas_tables_for_publication_in_June_2014.pdf

 

[Wapinschaw]

"Originally Posted by bogtrotter Well its not him I'm worried about either, but he is very experienced in the financial sector, and seems to have no doubt of Scotland's ability to make a go of things, unlike some other financial experts preaching doom and gloom"

Most Yes devotees see "gloom and doom" through their rose tinted specs, others see valid economic questions that have yet to answered.

....The thing is the sheer number of experts and financial institutions who have no interest, other than academic, who say voting yes is a very bad idea.
Put them on a see-saw and the rest (those that Can be found) on the other end and see who's left sitting up in the air.
Faith is a wonderful thing,it defeats all logical argument...

This summarises the situation for me. We have the bosses of BP, Shell, Sir Ian Wood, every supermarket chain, most commercial banks, senior EU managers and many more besides warning Yes is a BAD idea and will lead to tears. Alex, however, knows better than them all put together and only he and his team can provide deliverance. I have to hope reason prevails, blind faith won't sustain our economy for long.

 

[NeilG]

Appalling...and depressing... levels of ignorance about economics and politics on display throughout this thread.

It is clear that some of the yes voters on here haven't got a scooby what they are voting for!! Shame really.

Hi Gerard.

But that is the beauty of democracy, and what the power grabbing politico`s ( of all colours and policies ) rely on to get in to government..... The grandstanding of the "Right Honorable" this, that and the other, is so hypocritical these days it is a joke. They will sell their soul`s, and yours, if they think it can win them the top job....

Sadly, for many reasons, lots of people don`t ( can`t ) think for themselves these days, because they rely on pictures, and soundbites. Many cannot be bovvered to read up, and seek info / facts from different sources, and these are easy pickings for the campaigners.... This campaign has almost turned in to reality TV, and the actual facts of the process are immaterial now.... it is about how much misinformation, shouted the loudest, can be spread to cause doubt, or rally the troops...

The irony will be that it just won`t end on Friday morning...... mores the pity....

All the best.

Neil.

 

[urx]

Y'know the more of the Yes-ter diatribe I read..... the more it becomes apparent the small-mindedness and limited ....almost non existant... world view they generally have
There are a few smart ones and there are some arguments to their case that make sense.....yep its true the argument isnt entirely binary...its a balance of factors..but they only see the factors they like.


......but the weight of the evidence sways me ....not the anti-English /Tory bash comments or the 'believe what we believe or you cant be a Patriot' pish. A yes vote for me would trigger an IT systems bonanza here...I'd expect to do ver ver nicely out of that thanks.

...but I believe its wrong for Scotland and UK it gains not enough for the massive risk and obvious losses so its just NOt now....

come back when you have thought it through costed it properly mitigated the risks properly and worked through monster questions like currency, EU, defence, health, education, research, jobs. come back when you have an answer that balances things the other way not just offering wishes ..'hope'..ffs who here can pay bills with 'hope'. all we will get are more foodbanks and end up as a cheapo dormitory nation for nearshore labour for rUK. dumb dumb dumb

 

[Wapinschaw]

The aged influx of grey haired ones from the South who like our care and health system better than the one where they came from.

This is a new one to me and I suspect to many others on this forum. At 62 years with more than a few grey hairs, 32 years residence in Scotland working continuously in oil related industries and retired this year, do I now qualify as such?

 

[urx]

gubbed obviously isnt up on inheritance tax or such which they end up paying when their time runs out....

 

[bewsher500]

The West coast and Clyde estuary havn't been tapped due to the dangers of submarine errors which have occured recently.

Really?
Oil industry doesn't have a great track record of putting safety before profits (Deepwater Horizon for example)
you sure its only down to a couple of subs hitting stuff?