Cameron says to Scotland - "Fuck off ASAP".

[Audley Strange]

Personally I'd like to see all British Citizens being allowed to vote on the dissolution of the Union. However I always find it interesting that most politicians are shit scared of the break up of the union whereas the majority of the citizenry seem to think its a good idea.

Being Scottish, I'm uncertain that if we were given independence that it would be anything but a disaster, but I'd still rather that than being represented by a bunch of cunts who practically not a single soul voted for AND it would make the SNP's position utterly redundant in the long run.

[Rum]

except of course that recognizing PRC as the legitimate heir state to the Chinese Empire which had given the lease... well, Major was a major douche to the whole emmpire when he decided that.

Not to mention that a lease renewal should have been negotiated, or China's legitimacy to take back the place denied.

Not remotely realistic. I lived there for 19 years and on any day China could have said the word and five million people could have walked over the border.

[Pappa]

Independence talk again?

Your island is the size of a football field, for crying out loud. Can't you just live under one government? It's like east Pennsylvanians and west Pennsylvanians demanding independence from each other.

Scotland has been practically independent for as long as they've been part of the union. They've always had their own system of law and London has only a limited say in what goes on there.

Anyway, why should you care if a tiny country you dont live in or border wants autonomy and independence?

[Coito ergo sum]

The English must be a lot of fun to be around. Empire ran away from them....first the US, then India, Australia and Canada, and a bunch of other stuff. Hong Kong wanted nothing to do with Blighty. The Irish would move their whole island into the mid-Atlantic, if they could. The Scots are giving you the finger. I'm sure the Hebrides, Shetlands, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands are champing at the bit too....

What is it with you blokes? Nobody seems to like you...

..unlike America?

Yes.

Incidentally Hong Kong was returned to China as it was on a 99 year lease.

I notice they didn't want to renew their lease...

[TonyBelch]

There a 5 permanent members of the UN security council. One is the UK. If we are no longer the UK can we legitimately retain our permanent seat? Would England have to retain the nuclear ballistic missile subs, which are based in Scotland and retain the seat. Then one has the issue of why a country has a permanent seat anyway. If it's down to having nuclear weapons then Israel, Pakistan, India and North Korea could make a case. Except Israel would have to admit it has nuclear weapons, which it has never done.

[Coito ergo sum]

Well, I can tell you why some countries have permanent seats - because a big chunk of the world is fucking bat shit crazy. It's not down to nuclear weapons.

[TonyBelch]

Well, I can tell you why some countries have permanent seats - because a big chunk of the world is fucking bat shit crazy. It's not down to nuclear weapons.

Well the original 5 were the key world powers when WWII ended. Except the French, but I think they whined as much then as they do now so they let them on to shut them up. If the UK can't keep their seat then I would think there would be a reappraisal of the number of permanent seat and who holds them. Can you imagine how happy Alex Salmond would be if he could not only get independence for Scotland but get the power mongers in Westminster kicked out of their permanent UN security council seat.

[Coito ergo sum]

Fuck it - maybe they ought to just count Europe as one - give the EU a seat.

Ultimately, maybe I've happened on a fair way to go. The following permanent seats;

South America
North America
Europe
Africa
Asia
And, no - fuck you Australia or "Oceana" - you don't get you're own seat. You have to pick either Europe or North America. That's it.

[Rum]

To return to the OP there is a subtle (unless one follows this stuff) issue here. The SNP know they will probably lose as yes/no vote r.e. being in the Union. So they are playing games with the rules. The rules as they stand only allow as yes/no vote and as the SNP know the likely outcome they are trying to get some secondary issues to do with greater devolvement added to develop the case and the momentum for the cause.

[klr]

It sounds as if the Scots need to first vote on what they want to vote on - seriously. But even amongst the Scottish electorate, I suspect there is significant disagreement about the preferred substance and wording of the referendum, and these differences are ultimately grounded in whether people want independence or not, or on what terms.

To return to the OP there is a subtle (unless one follows this stuff) issue here. The SNP know they will probably lose as yes/no vote r.e. being in the Union. So they are playing games with the rules. The rules as they stand only allow as yes/no vote and as the SNP know the likely outcome they are trying to get some secondary issues to do with greater devolvement added to develop the case and the momentum for the cause.

A Scottish workmate of mine has the same view, and even though he is a nationalistic Scot, he is also quite realistic on the question of whether independence would really be a good idea for Scotland anyway at this point.

[Santa_Claus]

Well, I can tell you why some countries have permanent seats - because a big chunk of the world is fucking bat shit crazy. It's not down to nuclear weapons.

Well the original 5 were the key world powers when WWII ended. Except the French, but I think they whined as much then as they do now so they let them on to shut them up. If the UK can't keep their seat then I would think there would be a reappraisal of the number of permanent seat and who holds them. Can you imagine how happy Alex Salmond would be if he could not only get independence for Scotland but get the power mongers in Westminster kicked out of their permanent UN security council seat.

No one will ever lose there seat on the UN Security Council - might expand to include India and Brazil......but ultimately will be replaced by something else (whilst still existing - kinda like the G7 became the G8 and then irrelevant when the G20 got organised.

World Peace Council - I would go for:

USA
EU
Russia
China
India
Brazil
AU (if they can find a coon who can write own name )

and maybe needing 2 to veto.....


If I was Scottish I would vote for independence, not because I think it would be better economically (it won't be - but won't have to be a disaster either)........but simply because London does not give a sh#t about Scotland, it stopped having any importance when France stopped being a military threat. United Kingdom of blah blah is just a polite way of saying England and colonies.

The oil issue is easy enough to sort out - with both sides a winner.

NI should go on E-bay

[Coito ergo sum]

Independence talk again?

Your island is the size of a football field, for crying out loud. Can't you just live under one government? It's like east Pennsylvanians and west Pennsylvanians demanding independence from each other.

Scotland has been practically independent for as long as they've been part of the union. They've always had their own system of law and London has only a limited say in what goes on there.

Then what's the problem?

Anyway, why should you care if a tiny country you dont live in or border wants autonomy and independence?

I find humor in it.

[Animavore]

I'm all up for any country that wants to be free from the English menace

[Clinton Huxley]

A pox on all these posturing pygmy nationalists.

[Svartalf]

Are there any nuke launching subs based in Scottish harbours? If somebody sane got their hands on nukes, maybe something could be done about the darn saxons.