Scotland To Vote On Independence In Late 2014

[Gups]

Indicates a sense of separate identity behind the county which makes it more than just an administrative convenience.

Less than 1% of the Cornish population are able to have a conversation in the language. Precisely 0% speak it as a 1st language. .  How can that possibly indicate a sense of separate identity.

It's a dead language, with the corpse kept twitching by a few enthusiasts

[Sheilbh]

You don't need to speak a language to know it's there and distinctive.  The same applies for Manx.  No-one knows it, but lots of people on the Island know a phrase or two and it's part of what makes them feel different the mainland.

[Ideologue]

If Scotland goes then England may as well quit as well, Wales and NI are insignificant and a bit of a nuisance, better off with a unitary England.

I agree.  Independent England with home rule for Cornwall

Fuck, let's go all the way.  INDEPENDENT RICHLAND COUNTY WITH HOME RULE FOR MY APARTMENT!

[Habbaku]

Ide would probably hate Sandy Springs, Georgia...

[Valmy]

You don't need to speak a language to know it's there and distinctive.  The same applies for Manx.  No-one knows it, but lots of people on the Island know a phrase or two and it's part of what makes them feel different the mainland.

Does the Danelaw still feel different?

[Richard Hakluyt]

Another curious intervention by a minister in the independence "debate" :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2090020/We-wont-whisky-break-away-Hague-tells-Scotland.html

Are the Tories just idiots or are they trying to provoke a breakaway vote?

Salmond will be chortling over his neeps and tatties as he contemplates the shortcomings of his opponents 

[Josquius]

Ugh I absolutely detest Cornish nationalists. Just look at their stuff on wikipedia and the fanatacism with which they twist facts and fight off all comers to present their strange version of fact.

[Admiral Yi]

No blood for tin.

[Warspite]

Another curious intervention by a minister in the independence "debate" :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2090020/We-wont-whisky-break-away-Hague-tells-Scotland.html

Are the Tories just idiots or are they trying to provoke a breakaway vote?

Salmond will be chortling over his neeps and tatties as he contemplates the shortcomings of his opponents 

Reading the article, this was remark was said in a private meeting. I presume Hague made a point about what will become England's extensive network of embassies and consulates not promoting Scottish goods, of which whisky is a significant export. He probably mentioned a basket of goods but the Mail on Sunday journalist was not going to get his name on the byline by warning that knitted goods won't be promoted by England after independence.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Yes, it goes without saying that England can not be expected to promote Scottish products should the split take place. So I am surprised that he said it.

I suppose the real problem is that there is no longer such a thing as a "private meeting".

[Sheilbh]

It does seem like everything the government's said so far is basically a threat towards Scotland if they leave the union.  Someone needs to make the argument for the union.  It needs to be about more than money too.  There needs to be an emotional, romantic unionism, because nationalism's above all an appeal to the heart.  You'll never beat it with patronising threats (Osborne) or a spreadsheet.

I hope there's someone in the cabinet able to explain Scotland rather than Osborne leading the way

[Richard Hakluyt]

Absolutely, it must be utterly infuriating to people in Scotland to keep on hearing that they couldn't make a go of it. Of course they could. They might be better off or worse off, who knows; but being Scottish, English or British is far more than mere beancounting.


I think that Alistair Darling should head up the Unionist case. For a number of reasons. He is a Scot himself of course, he also emerged from the debacle of the last government with great credit, he also has fantastic eyebrows.

If the Union is dissolved I would like it to be for substantive reasons, not because a bunch of southern English politicians annoy the people living in Scotland with their utter incomprehension of why people living outside the home counties may see things slightly differently to Westminster.

[Sheilbh]

I agree.  I'd get Gordon Brown involved too.  He's still popular in Scotland, not least because there's a perception that he was done in by the Westminster, English journalists.  Charles Kennedy would be very helpful too.

I have a horrifying thought that the Tories may send up Malcolm Rifkind as their representative.  He was Scotland's Portillo in 1997.  He was symbolic of the nation purging themselves of Tories, like Ireland of snakes. 

[Razgovory]

The more I think about it, the more I think it would be a shame if the UK broke up.  The Union of Scotland and England have been one of the happiest marriages in Europe.  Admittedly, the other national unions have been pretty sad.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Yes, after all, the Tories, Labour and the Lib-Dems are all Unionist parties. It makes sense for them to campaign together on this issue. If the Tories do all the pro-Union campaigning there is a risk (certainty really) that they will taint it.