RedStarFic
Experienced
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2015
- Posts
- 99
Feels like trying to pick the least worst option and that is a close run competition... I remember elections where I voted with hope and excitement - this time it's taken a long time to decide. In a fairly marginal seat that swung in the last election I (postal) voted to try to kick the Tories out - but with regret, because I swore never to vote Labour too. They are simply the only party close enough. Meh.
I agree and disagree. I agree that it feels like the UK is doomed - and good riddance. The only arguments for keeping it at the referendum were based on history and fear of change. God only knows how the people north of the border swallowed that one.
I disagree with the scale of the immediate consequences however. The imbalance of money/power in the UK would mean that very little would change in the 'remaining UK'. Say what you like about the value of north sea oil, but the costs and the value more or less break even in the wider scheme of things, so losing Scotland would have had very little difference on the lives of people in England and Wales, and very little difference on the spending power of the government or the armed forces etc. A reorg would have been forced, Faslane closed - or more likely moved, but nothing terrible. The population of Scotland represents less than 9% of the whole of the UK, so it wouldn't really be the dawn of anything significant in England other than some serious political and social meditation on 'what to do now'.
Imagine the promise and hope created by starting something new? England would hopefully benefit from seeing the Westminster system broken - and made more local. Also, having a (hopefully) successful, progressive, government and partner north of the border showing us that it's ok to be left of centre would be an example to us all.
I'm English, but a fair proportion of my family is Scottish (and Welsh - I reckon my great grandmother got around...) and I'm probably fairly typical of the social and cultural mash up we've all become, but I support Scottish independence because if I had the chance, I'd be all over it myself. It'd be good for everyone.
By staying in the UK, Scotland put itself at risk of leaving the EU (which few north of the border support - if the reports are correct) and at risk of another national government it didn't vote for deciding what wars to join in with and how much it has to cut welfare for those who need it.
Whatever the immediate electoral outcome, one thing is certain: May 7 2015 will be remembered in history as the date on which what used to be the world's leading imperialist power finally started to disintegrate internally. Within a decade or so - no longer - the
UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NOTHERN IRELAND
as it is properly known, will have disappeared from the map.
This will have immediate consequences in particular for the USA, the European Union, and NATO; but for some of the rest of the world too.
I agree and disagree. I agree that it feels like the UK is doomed - and good riddance. The only arguments for keeping it at the referendum were based on history and fear of change. God only knows how the people north of the border swallowed that one.
I disagree with the scale of the immediate consequences however. The imbalance of money/power in the UK would mean that very little would change in the 'remaining UK'. Say what you like about the value of north sea oil, but the costs and the value more or less break even in the wider scheme of things, so losing Scotland would have had very little difference on the lives of people in England and Wales, and very little difference on the spending power of the government or the armed forces etc. A reorg would have been forced, Faslane closed - or more likely moved, but nothing terrible. The population of Scotland represents less than 9% of the whole of the UK, so it wouldn't really be the dawn of anything significant in England other than some serious political and social meditation on 'what to do now'.
Imagine the promise and hope created by starting something new? England would hopefully benefit from seeing the Westminster system broken - and made more local. Also, having a (hopefully) successful, progressive, government and partner north of the border showing us that it's ok to be left of centre would be an example to us all.
I'm English, but a fair proportion of my family is Scottish (and Welsh - I reckon my great grandmother got around...) and I'm probably fairly typical of the social and cultural mash up we've all become, but I support Scottish independence because if I had the chance, I'd be all over it myself. It'd be good for everyone.
By staying in the UK, Scotland put itself at risk of leaving the EU (which few north of the border support - if the reports are correct) and at risk of another national government it didn't vote for deciding what wars to join in with and how much it has to cut welfare for those who need it.