Well it's decision time in Scotland. Within the next 24 hours they will decide an historic referendum and posibly change the face of Britain forever.
I've got pals on both sides of the fence from our days living in the Highlands and it really does seem like it will be a close run thing. In twelve hours the polls close and the decision will have been democratically made and the long road to independence, possibly 7 or 8 years, will begin.
But if I had to bet an English pound on it this morning I would wager it will be a yes vote. There seems to much uncertainity over what will happen in the event of a no (although i would imagine it would be a case of business as normal?). Conversely the Yes vote have tapped into something primal, the hearts and desires of a proud nation. Whether those hearts rule the minds and make an unwise decision only time can tell, but once and for all they would have decided together, and must face the future consequences together.
Good luck Scotland, I hope to have you as a constituent of the UK come the morning, but if not I hope your independence is all you wish for.
Well, as at hrs on the day, you can still bet "yes" at odds of up to 5/1, and Betfair's sportsbook, their fixed odds arm, (as opposed to the exchange), paid out on "No" earlier today.
Of course it's democratic. Just because they are of Scottish descet it doesn't mean they get to vote in Scotland. What a crazy idea! That logic would allow most Americans to vote in several different countries as they all descend from somewhere and usually more than one country.
I have no evidence whatsoever, but I do wonder, if the YES campaigners had the foresight to ship as many EU immigrants into Scotland over the last few years as they possibly could, in the knowledge that these migrants would probably vote YES because they get to stay in Scotland no matter what doors the rest of the UK close.
20 thousand Romanians for example could make a difference if you had made it easier for them to reside in Scotland with assistance finding accommodation and travel costs, multiply that by all EU member states where people desperately want to get to the UK but struggle, after all the YES party have made it clear they want an OPEN DOOR policy on immigration and want as many immigrants as possible to move to Scotland.
It would seem to me to be a good tactic and perfectly legal.
No matter what the result...after his ill advised comments....Andy Murray will get boo'ed not cheered next time he plays at Wimbledon !!
I hope they do vote for independence....and then we can charge them for NHS..Use of our currency..and for the use of our army...etc... In England we will be definatly be better off financially.
Well if they are now independent then they don't get our NHS or any of it's resources, salaries should be from tomorrow morning their own responsibility, supplies should be charged for accordingly, Our currency only has current exchange rate value in Scotland whatever that is decided to be and according to the Army most Scottish military personnel want to stay in the British Army and have been told they can, Scotland intends raising it's own "home guard" force who will not partake in anything not domestic, which is why most want to stay in the British Army, (Navy, Airforce, Marines) they want to travel to new places, learn about different cultures, meet new people then kill them, not sit at home. Of course if they voted no all that is immaterial.
I think it's great that the Union is still the Union and that the majority of Scottish People think they have a better future with us.
The margin was not massive though, albeit that almost all areas gave a NO vote, Glasgow being the major exception but Glasgow also had the lowest % turnout of voters by quite a high % compared with other areas/cities.
I can't help wonder how much it is going to cost us when the promises made to appease the undecided and not sure voters is actually counted up or how much independence they will actually be given whilst still being part of the UK.
The YES voters should not feel they have totally lost, they may not have total independence but they have acquired or will acquire an awful lot more "self rule" because of the referendum so they are also winners, perhaps even the biggest winners since an uncertain future of an independent Scotland is no longer a need for concern but they will have much of the independence and powers they wanted whilst still getting the benefits of being part of the Union.
The real losers could be the English, who will be footing the bill for many of the changes and now have to think about Northern Ireland and Wales who have been watching and will be watching Scotlands future with great interest.
The pledges are still on the table, some Politicians will be wary or against them and voicing opinions, especially within the Labour party who stand to lose a lot in Scotland if the SNP gains popularity following the referendum.
As you said, 24 hours after the result, nobody in their right minds could think that some of the pledges would be instant, many will require new legislation through meetings and votes within Parliament. I have not heard of a single pledge that said "if you vote NO, this will take place tomorrow.
The YES voters are simply trying to stir things up, make NO voters think they made a mistake, gain more support and swerve things away from their
Not much point the coalition changing anything instantly without further debate anyway with an election on the horizon.
Not saying there won't be betrayal, they are after all Politicians, but I think it is too early to say it has happened already.
And this surprises you ?
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.
An old saying perhaps, but it does not change, personally if a politician told me black was black I would do some research into it, anyone who voted NO because of what the Politicians told them has only themselves to blame, me, I would have assessed the pros and cons based on what I thought the future would bring, not on promises but on historya and experience since history started yesterday and experience is something we all have.
History has taught me that Politicians will say anything to retain or gain power, the British Politicians will lie to keep power over Scotland the Scottish Politicians will lie to gain power.
So Alex Salmond is today saying that Scotland could declare independence despite the NO referendum.
So why have the taxpayers of England and Scotland had to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds for a referendum, the results of which could be ignored ?
If I was a NO voter in Scotland I would be calling for him to resign just for that statement, to say he is willing to go against the people of the Nation he claims to support openly admitting that he doesn't reslly give a toss what the people of Scotland want it is about what he wants.
If he gets his way will his next decree be that he is leader for life somewhat like Idi Amin and Adolf Hitler did ?
Is he trying to take Scotland into civil war with England ? could England allow Scotland to be independent against the wishes of the majority of it's inhabitants ? would that not open the floodgates to the pro united Irish declaring themselves independent and part of Ireland refusing to abide by British Law and regulations and the current majority views in NI ?
Is he breaking the law inciting civil unrest perhaps even treason ?
or got them out of the UK for that matter.
for better or for worse.
