Scottish Indepedence and Sir Sean

135

Comments

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    a wunderful example of honest transparent democracy.

    This is sarcasm, correct?
  • Somebody crafty on here should edit the flags billowing in the wind at the end of Skyfall to the ones above!

    LOL hehe. I also think Scotland will stay in the UK. But I was looking at the Quebec referendum from 1995. Striking in that referendum was, that the "Yes" vote always was slightly bigger in the polls leading towards the actual voting day:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_referendum,_1995

    Mostly around 45% to 48% for "Yes" and 40% to 45% for "No" on the question if Quebec should become independent from Canada.

    The final result of the referendum was:
    --> 49.42% voting "Yes"
    --> 50.58% voting "No"
    With almost all "undecideds" in the poll swaying to the "No"-camp.

    So could it be the other way around for the Scotland referendum on independence? Personally, I don't think so. But let's see, I'm really excited about this. Wunderful example of honest and transparent democracy.

    But also a difficult situation IF Scotland votes "Yes" in a majority in a few hours. It means that until May 2016 tough negotiations have to be made about following issues:
    --> Keeping, closing or handing over the NATO nuclear submarine base in Scotland
    --> Negotiations on the territorial waters of Scotland and its oil reserves, which by now are going in one large "UK-pot"
    --> A bridging period of the currency that Scotland wants. Slow introduction of the Euro without being part of the EU? Keeping the GBP for at least a longer period? Or creating a new "Scottish Pound"
    --> Negotiations about taxes


  • Posts: 11,425
    why does Bond say 'England' in SF, when the film seems to be making such a point about Britishness and his Scottish roots?
  • Getafix wrote: »
    why does Bond say 'England' in SF, when the film seems to be making such a point about Britishness and his Scottish roots?

    Well, he did say: "I always hated this place". Isn't it fairly obvious he is a stiff-arse Brit ;-)?

  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Getafix wrote: »
    why does Bond say 'England' in SF, when the film seems to be making such a point about Britishness and his Scottish roots?

    I suppose it is assumed he means Skyfall Lodge when he says 'I always hated this place' but perhaps he actually means Scotland in general?

    I for one wouldn't be too devastated if Bond skis off a cliff and pops open a cross of St George parachute in Bond 24.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Plenty of Scots leave and are keen never to return, i guess. plus he asociates it with the death of his parents. i just thought in the context of SF, his saying England just seemed a bit odd.
  • edited September 2014 Posts: 6,396
    The final results are in.

    55% No. 45% Yes.
  • Posts: 479
    Now the nationalists are showing their true colours. Sorer losers at an election I have never seen.
  • edited September 2014 Posts: 4,622
    Congatulations to the No side.
    The UK is a wonderful thing. That's just my long distance, from-the-colonies opinion.
    Mind you I wouldn't be crushed if Quebec had another vote and this time actually pulled out of Confederation. Just my jaded, tired of the whining, opinion.
  • Posts: 11,425
    timmer wrote: »
    Congatulations to the No side.
    The UK is a wonderful thing. That's just my long distance, from-the-colonies opinion.
    Mind you I wouldn't be crushed if Quebec had another vote and this time actually pulled out of Confederation. Just my jaded, tired of the whining, opinion.

    I think the Scots should have voted yes. Worried they will become like Quebec now - just waiting to leave and in a sort of limbo. Bad for business confidence and just not a positive way to move forward.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    edited September 2014 Posts: 9,117
    Just wondering at what point the English ever get to vote?

    Or should we be expected to just be content paying for it all?

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,280
    I'm very glad indeed that Scotland voted decisively to remain within the 307 year old Union. No doubt Gordon Brown MP's barnstorming speech a few days ago helped to switch wavering Labour voters from the SNP's dream of independence for Scotland. For that the citizens of the UK should be very grateful indeed. Devolution Max is also a good thing and all of the constituent parts of the UK should expect more powers to be devolved at a regional and local level and this can only be good for our centuries old democracy.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Well, I think its debateable who has paid more into the UK over the past few decades. The Scots get a good deal in theory, but when you take into account all the oil money that's come in and for which UK Plc has nothing to show, I think they have every reason to feel hard done by. Any way, they've bottled it now. By the time they vote again on independence all the oil will almost certainly be gone.

    It's a good point though. I really don't see how they're going to fix this whole mess. Cameron should have convened a consitutional Royal commission two years ago, so that a clear alternative plan was in place for what would happen if Scotland voted no. Instead, we've got the usual last minute panicky promises and money being thrown at the Scots to keep them sweet.

    Aside from the money, when are we going to stop letting 40 Scottish MPs vote on and dictate policies that only effect England. The whole UK constitution is in a total mess and currently I don't hear any convinving ideas on how to fix it. In my view Westminster should become the English Parliament. Any residual UK-wide responsibilities, such as Foreign Policy and Defence, could be overseen by a small UK assembly. We're basically in a half-baked federal system already, so they might as well go the whole hog now and finish the job.
  • edited September 2014 Posts: 6,396
    It's all kicking off in Glasgow tonight following the referendum.

    Scotland. Keeping it classy since 1396.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Getafix wrote: »
    why does Bond say 'England' in SF, when the film seems to be making such a point about Britishness and his Scottish roots?

    To be fair, it's a word association assessment; he has spent most of his life in a England and it's where he lives and works not to mention the only reason why he returned was because there was because there was an attack in the capital. England
    Being a British country made Bond's answer acceptable.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    It's all kicking off in Glasgow tonight following the referendum.

    Scotland. Keeping it classy since 1396.

    Uh oh. I guess I need to go read the news a bit. Sigh ...
  • It's sectarian violence. Pretty much sums up the ill feeling in Glasgow between Catholics and Protestants.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    It's sectarian violence. Pretty much sums up the ill feeling in Glasgow between Catholics and Protestants.

    How tedious.

  • Posts: 12,526
    I wonder what Sean's reaction to the news was?
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited September 2014 Posts: 4,520
    There whas joke i think about to make...if Scotland vote YES.

    Ireland ?
    Brosnan

    Wales ?
    Dalton

    England ?
    Draw!

    Australia ?
    George

    Scotland ?
    ...

    Scotland ?
    rs_634x1024-140121163203-634.DAniel-Craig-Middle-Finger-Suspenders.ms.012114.jpg
    Done!

  • Posts: 12,526
    M_Balje wrote: »
    There whas joke i think about to make...if Scotland vote YES.

    Ireland ?
    Brosnan

    Wales ?
    Dalton

    England ?
    Draw!

    Australia ?
    George

    Scotland ?
    ...

    Scotland ?
    rs_634x1024-140121163203-634.DAniel-Craig-Middle-Finger-Suspenders.ms.012114.jpg
    Done!

    =)) Great punchline!
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Can Texas vote now?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,280
    It's sectarian violence. Pretty much sums up the ill feeling in Glasgow between Catholics and Protestants.

    How tedious.

    Just like Northern Ireland...how tedious indeed. It's the democratic will of the people to remain in the Union but the Nationalists can't accept that it seems, though I'm sure that both sides are to blame for this.
  • Posts: 1,548
    Next step let's get out of Europe!
  • Posts: 7,653
    LeChiffre wrote: »
    Next step let's get out of Europe!

    And become the next state of the US?

  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    You don't want that... trust me
  • LeChiffre wrote: »
    Next step let's get out of Europe!

    That would be utterly catastrophic for the UK.
  • Posts: 11,425
    LeChiffre wrote: »
    Next step let's get out of Europe!

    That would be utterly catastrophic for the UK.

    i think the catastophe thing is overdone, just as it was with the idea of Scotland leaving the UK. on balance i personally hope we don't leave the EU, but life would go on and doubtless it would be made to work.
  • Posts: 12,526
    If the Conservatives get in again after the General Election in May 2015? We will get a vote to decide the whole Europe debate? Then it can be put to bed either way for a generation atleast.
  • SuperintendentSuperintendent A separate pool. For sharks, no less.
    Posts: 871
    I'm not British so this is none of my business, but I think this outcome, 55% - 45%, is very fragile. Almost half of Scottish people want out, and further decentralization will lead to more problems, IMO.

    If there is an EU referendum in the future, what will happen if UK opts out, and the vast majority in Scotland votes for staying?

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