[Magdalen] An Independent Scotland?

[Michael Bishop]

I agree with Roger's comments. One thing that I have to ask is why do 
only those resident in Scotland have a vote on this matter. A vote to 
have an independent Scotland would affect more than just peolpe there - 
it would change the whole of the UK. There is also the fact that people 
of deep Scots roots who happen to be living outside Scotland at present 
will have no vote whilst people who have very little connection with 
Scotland who happen to have moved there recently will have a vote.
Some might think that if the Scottish Nationalists had insisted on a 
whole UK referendum, they might have had a guaranteed majority for 
independence.
I hope that the vote is No

...
...
God bless

Michael Bishop
rev at michaelbishop.name

Rector of Boylestone, Church Broughton, Dalbury, Longford, Long Lane, Radbourne, Sutton-on-the-Hill & Trusley

Diocese of Derby, England

On 12/09/2014 19:18, Roger Stokes wrote:
> On 12/09/2014 17:45, Cantor03--- via Magdalen wrote:
>> Scotland will vote "yes" or "no" about staying in the UK on
>> September 18th.  It's hard for me to imagine how it has all
>> come down to this, but I guess I do not understand the factors
>> underlying desire for Scottish independence.
>
> After all Scotland has only been ruled from London for three centuries 
> ;-)  I can understand the desire to celebrate all things Scottish, but 
> they can do that anyway.  Part of the reason for the referendum is 
> that at the last General Election for the Scottish Parliament the 
> Scottish Nationalist Party got a majority of the seats at Holyrood and 
> having a referendum was part of their manifesto, so they had to push 
> for it.
>
> I fear that the Yes campaign has not thought things through and does 
> not have convincing (to me) answers to some important questions. One 
> of those is on the currency they will use.  They insist they will have 
> a currency union with what will be left of the UK.  The value of the 
> pound will then be driven by the English economy, which will seek a 
> situation which is the best for England, Wales and Northern Ireland - 
> but not necessarily for Scotland.  How independent are you if you 
> depend on another country for your currency?
>
> They would also need to have their own central bank as lender of last 
> resort, which would need to be backed by the Bank of England until it 
> had built up sufficient reserves by higher taxes and/or lower benefits 
> so life would not be a bed of roses for a few years at least.  
> Historically Scotland has been supported by England for most of its 
> history since it has been a net recipient of public funds - receiving 
> more from the public purse than it contributed to it.
>
> Despite what the Yes campaign says membership of the EU and of NATO 
> should not be assumed.  Countries with their own regions seeking 
> autonomy will not be quick to endorse a Scottish application to join 
> the EU, which could well mean they need to adopt the Euro and so put 
> financial control even further away in Brussels, and make trade with 
> England more expensive.
>
> Scotland and England would also tend to drift apart politically as 
> Scotland is essentially left of centre with Labour as the next biggest 
> party after the SNP while the Conservatives would have an inbuilt 
> majority at Westminster.  Currently there is precisely one 
> Conservative MP representing a Scottish constituency.  That is not 
> good for democracy.
>
>> I note that among other companies, my bank, a USA affiliate
>> of RBS = Royal Bank of Scotland (Citizens Bank) has stated
>> that its headquarters will exit Scotland if the vote is "yes".
>
> Financial institutions want to be where there is economic stability 
> and a new country, which will have no credit record and so will pay 
> higher interest on its borrowings, does not provide that.  These 
> companies also do most of their domestic business in England.  Now the 
> Yes campaign is complaining that some businesses are pointing out that 
> the cost of living could rise in Scotland if it becomes independent.  
> This is the sort of information the voters should hear if they are 
> going to cast an informed vote.
>
> Basically the Yes campaign wants people to vote with their hearts 
> rather than their heads.  That is not sensible and is liable to lead 
> to heartache later.  If (as is quite possible) the Scottish economy 
> falters more firms will move more than their headquarters South, 
> reducing the tax base further as more of their young people emigrate 
> to England just as a lot of the young Irish are emigrating now because 
> there are no jobs for them in their home country.
>
>>   I
>> personally hope for a "no" vote.
>
> as do I for all the reasons above.
>
> Roger