Scottish Independence

[Martinus]

David Cameron To Scottish People: 'I'll Kill Myself If You Leave'
News in Brief • World • world leaders • united kingdom • News • ISSUE 50•37 • Sep 17, 2014
   
LONDON—In an emotional public address this morning ahead of Thursday's national referendum in Scotland, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron pleaded with the Scottish people to stay and vowed that he would take his own life if the territory votes in favor of independence. "Scotland, the second you leave I will kill myself—I swear I'll do it," said a visibly disheveled Cameron, who spoke with a shaking voice and appeared at several points during the speech as if he was on the verge of breaking down in tears. "How can I go on living if you're gone? If you vote yes to independence, that's it—you can say goodbye to me right now, because I'll be dead the next time you see me. Just look at what you're doing to me!" At press time, Cameron was seen sobbing softly and climbing up the stairs to the top of Parliament's Elizabeth Tower.

[Gups]

The relocation of Trident will be very difficult and expensive. But it's not really a negotaiting counter for Salmond since he has made an absolute commitment that the subs would have to leave by 2020.

I believe that Salmond has made a lot of commitments he's going to wind up backtracking from.

There's a school of thought that the last thing Salmond wants is independence.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/11/alex-salmond-scottish-independence-referendum-david-cameron


The Unionist side in Scotland's separatist referendum is noisily bouncing back today with big banks and oil companies being pushed off the fence to warn of the pitfalls of a decision to break up the UK. It prompted me to wonder if Alex Salmond hadn't woken up in a sweat from a dream in which the yes campaign had won and begged them to save him from the consequences.


All right, it's a joke and Salmond has duly denied scare stories. But, like all serious jokes, it conveys an underlying truth, namely that the first minister's sights were once set on what we now call Devo-Max – greater devolved powers for Edinburgh, rather than the SNP's formal goal of full independence from the rest of the UK (rUK).


All sorts of people, including the Guardian's intrepid Scotland correspondent, Severin Carrell, get a raspberry whenever they point this out. The veteran Scottish commentator, Magnus Linklater, did so again in the Times this week when he wrote that a yes win would be the result "neither side wants ... a crisis that both Cameron and Salmond would like to avoid" – not least because Salmond the economist knows the myriad risks an independent Scotland would face.


Linklater's argument reflects what I was told by a prominent public official and acknowledged expert on the detailed background to the drama – a pro-devolution, anti-independence Scot, incidentally. The way he tells it is: "Alex Salmond did not want to have this referendum in the first place. The promise was in his 2011 manifesto for the Holyrood elections, which he did not expect to win. He was saddled with it."

[viper37]

Once up on a time, nationalist movements demanded sacrifice. It is interesting that Salmondonian nationalism promises a unique blend of the comfort of the status quo and the sunlit uplands of independence.

You can't ask for sacrifice, nobody votes for sacrifice.

Had UK & US promoted the 2nd Irak war by saying it would be a long war filled with bloody sacrifices and no certainty of winning, not many people would have supported the war.

Same goes for economic policy.  Two party: one promises to balance the budget without making any sacrifice, the other one promises the cuts will be hard on people and nothing will be left intact.  Who wins?

I don't see independance referendum as being radically different than usual politics in a country.

But yea, independance is going to be hard for Scotland in the short-mid term.  It's hard for every country who has ever had to face it.
Over time, it will depend on Scottish policies.  I seriously doubt they'll be able to keep their socialist model intact, even with 100% of the oil revenues (if that's even the case).

[garbon]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/11/alex-salmond-scottish-independence-referendum-david-cameron

I found it interesting the one link cited in there that details on issues for negotiation and the weak position of an independent Scotland.

http://devolutionmatters.wordpress.com/2014/09/09/negotiations-after-a-scottish-referendum-yes-vote/

[Maximus]

That said, all resent London late meddling in the affair, and think it only made things worse, creating a divide in Scottish society that will take a long time to heal.

London's actions in this last couple days created a divided Scotland that will take a long time to heal?  What the hell did they do?

Probably strangled them

[Martim Silva]

I don't see how you get from this to "creating a divided Scotland."

*I* don't get it from anywhere, it's what they said, not my opinion.

If you don't like it, I listed their names and jobs; their contacts can be found on the net. Phone them and ask them yourself why they think that.

Geez.

[Admiral Yi]

*I* don't get it from anywhere, it's what they said, not my opinion.

If you don't like it, I listed their names and jobs; their contacts can be found on the net. Phone them and ask them yourself why they think that.

Geez.

Fair enough. 

Do you agree that your friends are a little silly?

[Gups]

The Westminster politicians were always in a bind. Campaign and you're an interfering English bastard who thinks that the Scots are unable to make up their own minds. Don't campaign and it just proves you don't care about Scotland at all.

So staying out was a a perfectly rational and appropriate response when "No" was 20 points ahead in the poll and Darling was crushing Salmond in the first debate. When the polls got close and Salmond thrashed Darling in the second debate, it became too much of a risk.

The criticism is justified as far as the offer of further devolution is concerned. A huge mistake not to include it on the ballot paper and to focus on it so late in the campaign. It really does look desperate.

[garbon]

I only just saw this.

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Is_cloud_photo_an_omen_for_Scotland

A Scottish woman says her picture of a peculiar shaped cloud might be an omen for the Scottish independence result.

Gillian Degnan captured a photo of a cloud that looks like the United Kingdom - minus Scotland.

Ms Degnan, 44, who comes from North Ayrshire but now lives in Nottingham, took the picture on holiday in Sardinia.

"I was on my sun lounger when I spotted it in the sky. I thought it was a bit weird," she said.

"The referendum is the talking point between everyone at the moment and I started to wonder whether it was an omen about how the vote is going to go."

With the referendum vote just days away, her photograph has attracted a lot of attention, even making the front page of the Scottish Sun.

Some called the ominous-shaped cloud a heavenly intervention, while others dismissed it as merely a cloud.

Ms Degnan said that she was actually a supporter of the 'No' campaign, explaining: "I think Scotland would be too small on its own."

[Jacob]

I think that just clouds the issue.

[garbon]

I think that just clouds the issue.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/scottish-independence-man-finds-piece-4270767

Scottish independence: Man finds piece of KFC chicken that could be shape of new UK

With the referendum on Scottish independence just days away, it could be an omen of political change that will forever reshape the face of Britain... or it could just be a piece of fried chicken.

Either way, when fast food fan Terry O'Neil ordered a KFC fillet feast he was stunned to see one of the pieces looked just like the UK - minus Scotland.

The 55-year-old ended up with the geographical after ordering a family bucket while on holiday with wife Jo, 39, and their three children.

He plucked out a fresh fillet piece and said: "This looks like Britain - but where's Scotland gone?"

He said: "I picked this one piece out and I thought it looked like the map of Britain, but then I realised Scotland was missing ."

Terry, who lives on the Isle of Wight, was on holiday in Eastbourne, East Sussex, with Jo and sons Ryan, 13, Jamie, eight, and 20-month-old Tyler when they popped into KFC.

The pub entertainer said: "I didn't notice it at first, but the closer I looked the more it just looked like the UK - well, England and Wales - but with no Scotland.

"I don't know whether it's an omen for the outcome of the Scottish referendum, but I wouldn't be surprised if Scotland vote Yes.

"I'll be very sad if they do because it will mean we will probably never have another Labour government again.

"I think people in general are very disillusioned with politics and with Westminster in particular.

"I'll understand if Scotland vote for independence."

[Jacob]

I think they're chickening out.

[garbon]

I think they're chickening out.

[Jacob]

No need to get worked into a lather over that kind of cheese.

[Admiral Yi]

Get a room you two.