May 2015 UK General Election Campaign.

[Valmy]

The Scots are not a distinct ethnic group

Like most UK people they are not so much an ethnicity as a accent.

such a mindset is not going to keep the Union together.

Thinking the Scots are racists is the correct mindset?

[Syt]

Comparison of first past post vs. proportional representation after D'Hondt:

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/media/images/82873000/png/_82873519_prop_rep-01.png

(Explanation of the D'Hondt system: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-27187434)

Germany uses a mix, with two votes; one for a direct mandate (first past post), and a second vote for the party lists. The party list votes are the maximum seats a party can get. Let's say, a party gets 15 seats after list votes, and has 7 direct candidates elected, then 8 more are added from the list. It can happen that a party gets more direct candidates than their list votes would allow (say, 6 direct candidates, but only 4 seats); in that case the number of total seats is increased until they would have 6 seats per list votes ("Überhangmandate").

[Martinus]

Lots of places in many nations have divergent political opinions. That means nothing. In fact it is expected. A country should have divergent polities and local interests.

'Diverged from the UK' does not mean the usual differences between competing parties, it means that the kind of state the Scottish are voting for is markedly different from the kind of state the English are voting for. And "English" and "Scottish" is extremely important here; this is not a US-style culture war where there is a bitter contest between parties who want to control the same political centre. This is becoming a bitter contest where a large number of people in one distinct ethnic group want to leave the country entirely.

That it not like a lot of places - not in the Western world, at least.

I hesitate to say this, because I admit that I don't know enough about Scotland to be sure, but it seems to me that the differences between Scotland and England are far less significant than the differences between the slave and free states in the US in 1860.  And we certainly took exception to the idea that the south could just break away and form an new nation if they wanted.

ACW Hijack attempt detected. Drones dispatched.

[Monoriu]

I am dreaming but in the long run, it would be best if every country on Earth would join the EU.  The name doesn't matter.  Change it to Earth Union or something.  Still EU.  One market, one currency, one set of rules, free trade

[Zanza]

I am dreaming but in the long run, it would be best if every country on Earth would join the EU.  The name doesn't matter.  Change it to Earth Union or something.  Still EU.  One market, one currency, one set of rules, free trade

I don't think that's a good idea. Integrating on a continent scale is hard enough.

[Martinus]

I am dreaming but in the long run, it would be best if every country on Earth would join the EU.  The name doesn't matter.  Change it to Earth Union or something.  Still EU.  One market, one currency, one set of rules, free trade

One of the most important aspects of the EU are its principles and values concerning human and civic rights. I don't think these can be adopted by most of the globe in foreseeable future.

[Martinus]

I hope Cameron fights to keep the UK in one piece and in the EU.

UK leaving the EU would be a much greater tragedy than Scotland leaving the UK. I am glad, based on Tyr's response, that Cameron would be picking the right battle to fight.

[Monoriu]

I am dreaming but in the long run, it would be best if every country on Earth would join the EU.  The name doesn't matter.  Change it to Earth Union or something.  Still EU.  One market, one currency, one set of rules, free trade

I don't think that's a good idea. Integrating on a continent scale is hard enough.

All we need is to create a story that Earth is about to be invaded by aliens 

[Josquius]

I am dreaming but in the long run, it would be best if every country on Earth would join the EU.  The name doesn't matter.  Change it to Earth Union or something.  Still EU.  One market, one currency, one set of rules, free trade

[Zanza]

I hope Cameron fights to keep the UK in one piece and in the EU.

UK leaving the EU would be a much greater tragedy than Scotland leaving the UK. I am glad, based on Tyr's response, that Cameron would be picking the right battle to fight.

You are right. The UK leaving the EU would probably mean Scotland leaving the UK and staying in the EU...

[Zanza]

For Tyr:

[Monoriu]

The curse of coal.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

The Scots are not a distinct ethnic group

Like most UK people they are not so much an ethnicity as a accent.

such a mindset is not going to keep the Union together.

Thinking the Scots are racists is the correct mindset?

ah yes, the old unitarist trick: invoke "parfum de racisme" when there's talk of independence.

[Duque de Bragança]

I hope Cameron fights to keep the UK in one piece and in the EU.

UK leaving the EU would be a much greater tragedy than Scotland leaving the UK. I am glad, based on Tyr's response, that Cameron would be picking the right battle to fight.

The UK leaving the EU would be a positive development actually for the EU.    No more British duplicity or inside sabotaging (railing against the undemocratic character of the EU while preventing any more power to be given to the EU Parliament, advocating the entry of a non European country, islamist-governed to dilute the European character of the EU etc.). Of course, whether it would be positive for the UK is another matter.
Scotland leaving the UK is way more open.

[Agelastus]

I'm surprised that no-ones commented on how bad the local council elections have been for Labour as well; it's as if the entire accepted electoral cycle for such elections has broken down.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2015/results/councils