[Magdalen] An Independent Scotland?

[Marion Thompson]

A huge YES from me. :-)

Marion, a pilgrim   ... today my sail I lift ....

On 9/12/2014 2:55 PM, Michael Bishop wrote:
> 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
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