Is it time for David Cameron to accept that if the Scots want independence we should grant it?
The English would be eleven billion better off and perhaps we could afford to provide the services that are currently reserved for the Scots and the Welsh. The Welsh nationalists are a minority and Wales needs the subsidy but boasting that Scotland is now wealthier that most of England while collecting this massive subsidy is immoral.
Scottish independence
At the very least we should stop the votes by Scottish MP's on English issues and surely there is no longer a case for having a Scottish PM given that he can not be unable to make any decisions without his regional influence on English issues.

The Conservatives have no seats north of the border, or very few I am not sure which, so stand to lose nothing.

I for one would be sad to see the Union Break up but do agree that the West Lothian question and the subsidies and things should be equitably sorted out..

Plus the beauty is that if Scots MPs were barred from Voting on English matters the PM, Chancellor, and Defense plus half the rest of the government would automatically be excluded.

The prospect fills me with Utter Joy!!!

I'm all in favour of a United Kingdom [my family are Scots] but for years the Scots, Welsh and NI have done well financially out of this, that was acceptable if we are united. I think the Scots and Welsh have now shot themselves in the foot by voting for independence. The parties pushing independence have had to promise advantages such as health care for the elderly, free perscriptions and paid students fees in order to attract support. This has made the English wise up to what has been happening. The Scots and Welsh have had a chip on their shoulders for years, a bit like Northerners, thinking the English look down on them. Most English and particularly southerners aren't anti the rest they just have never bothered about them. Now they are beginning to question the position, there will soon be a reaction and by and large England will come off best. Take note northerners you might be attracted to self rule but I would suggest that it might be a lot smarter not to rock the boat

They don't though.

It would be a giant and probably irreversible step if the Scots chose independence. To go from belonging to a major power of 60 million, to being a small country of five million, the same as little Denmark. There are times when I get sick and tired of hearing the likes of Salmond and just want rid off them, yet at the same time I'd be sorry to lose our old friends.

A Scotland without England is like bread without butter.

Scotland would miss England. Yes? No?

Excuse my titter, canvas.

Canvas You can bet your a*se they would miss England.

W/out England Scotland is not really viable as a 1st world state.. Even if they grabbed North Sea Oil that is a rapidly wasting asset.

How would they pay for all the things they now get free paid for by the English tax payer..

Furthermore they would lose the huge bonus that they now have of dominating English politics.

It won't happen.

But - in Scotland - there is always the deep-fried Mars Bar to fall back on. Yes? No?

Averagevoter said


I would just like to point out that my postal vote AGAINST the setting up of the hot air pit in cardiff bay and rhodri morgan's fiefdom therein about ten years ago now was interfered with on its way back in the post. From discussions and conversations with others since I am minded to believe I am far from alone. However my various written complaints about this were ignored.

At the last election my postal vote was also intercepted, this time before it was delivered to my house. It seems it was returned completed. Fortunately I smelled a large rat when the ballot paper failed to arrive and I was working near enough to home on this occasion to go to the electoral office in newport's "civic centre" in person and play hell, so THIS TIME I managed to foil the plotters.

The electoral office refused to tell me what candidate had been voted for on the intercepted ballot paper though. As I believe a fraudulent vote for the tories and the BNP in the region would almost certainly have been 'leaked' to the press, it's fairly safe to assume the forged papers were for labour and / or plaid cymru wouldn't you agree ?

Rover, as Votedave has pointed out to you the majority of Scots do not want independence. Your right to say as far as Conservative Westminster seats are concerned Scotland is a non event - however the Conservatives would gain hugely by Labour losing it's huge number of Scottish seats. Were it not for Scotland the Conservative party would have won the last general election!
It's a great pity we seem to be preoccupied with Scotland enjoying a higher tax spend per head of population. This is true of the northeast of England too as it is of Wales. Indeed I believe the only part of the UK that loses out in its share of tax compared to what it contributes to the exchequer is the south east itself. Perhaps you should be campaigning for an independent south east?
Scotland, Wales and the rest of England are a basket case in terms of being economically viable. No doubt I'll get a few Nationalists screaming at me but whatever measure you care to look at the "poorer" areas of the UK do not look good. Eg % population employed in the non productive public sector and benefit dependency as a % of working age population are two very expensive examples.

If the area is poorer I have nothing against them getting a bit of help especially if it is matched by some effort by the people in the area as it is in much of the south Yorkshire areas.

I do however object to the government spokesman admitting that they are pouring assistance into the second wealthiest area of the UK.

Perhaps it is another of my idiosyncracies.

http://www.oxfordeconomics.com/Free/pdfs/regcont.pdf

Rover, not quite sure what you mean by assisting the second wealthiest area of the UK. You may find the above link useful. It is a pdf file which examines tax take and spending for the UK's regions. If you look at page 21 you will see that per head of population tax spending is highest in Northern Ireland followed by Wales, NE England and fourth is Scotland. If you then look at tax contributions to the exchequer (perhaps this is what you meant by "wealthiest"?) The four wealthiest regions of the UK measured in this way are Greater London, SE England, NW England and Eastern Englnd.