Who in England supports Alex Salmond's bid for Scottish independence?

Question

I think it's a great idea, and would welcome an equitable share of taxation revenue, the Scots keep their oil, and we keep our cash!

Answer 1

Well when Nu Labour get hammered in both England and Scotland and the SNP are the biggest party north of the border, who will have the authority to deny the Scottish people the right to a referendum on whether they want to remain British, or go it alone and be Independent.

And if that is what they want, then so be it.

Here's one for you though, while all the busy bodies in London had their tongues firmly wedged up the IOC ****'s wanting to spend billions of £s of our money securing the 2012 Olympics, many people in Scotland were quietly campaigning for Scottish independence.

There's nothing like taking your eye off the ball,,,,, is there.

Answer 2

aye laddie . let Scotland go, you english keep hanging on to us for our oil and tax revenue. get your own independence and see if you can make it with out us. WE CAN make it with out you

why is labour so afraid of our referendum if they think we wull no win it. labour are lieing to you about what scotland pays the uk and gets back. we pay only london pays more tax and revenue to the govt than Scotland does.

WE WANT OUT break the union forever.. half my family is english and they want independence as well

Answer 3

If, by Scottish Independence, we in England get the same benefits  they're entitiled to- free NHS car parking and prescriptions, no tuition fees- etc then h**l yeah!

But the Scots want to stay British. In the escalating violence in the world could we be heading to a Yugoslavia break up scenario? Its not as silly as you think.

Answer 4

I can tell you right now the majority of Scots want to keep the Union.  You only seem to hear about the ones that don't.  I would like it to happen, but it won't.  If we held a referendum on it the majority would vote to keep the union.  There is a lot of natuionalists, but there is a lot more unionists.

Answer 5

I do!I support Scotlands bid for independence!The sooner the better.Why?Scotland has been a drain on the English and Welsh taxpayer for generations.

I notice various contributors on this website say that they could survive on the 'handouts' from the European Union!But that is the main point!Would the French,German,Italian and finally Spanish taxpayer be so generous as the Welsh and English.

What the Scots are really saying is!We could never be a net contributor to the EU!But we can keep scrounging away  in the same old way.Living off the backs of others!

Yes!I have always believed in Scottish independence!They have been a financial burden on the English and Welsh taxpayer far too long!

Finally,repatriate all Scottish people who are drawing benefits in England back to Scotland!

Remember,Scottish oil will run out in 25years time!Give them their independence as soon as possible

Answer 6

Salmond has promised the Scots a referendum in 2010 on this question.  But remember, another Scotsman also promised a referendum, albeit in a manifesto and we all know what happened.  To answer the question, yes I would support a referendum, and I think Beastie pointed out that rules were changed the last time this was put to a vote.  In my opinion these rules should be reversed and all SCOTS of voting age, wherever they are in the world should be given the opportunity to vote.  A simple 51% majority would work for me.

Jock in Chile - thanks for the website, makes very interesting reading!

Answer 7

I am English, but would rather be Scottish and I would gladly support Scotland's independence.

Answer 8

Most in Scotland consider Salmond little more than an opportunist. The SNP are in the position they are not because the public favour in independence, but because they were sick of Labour.

In my own opinion!

Answer 9

Ah, the taxation myth claims another willing mug.

Ask yourself this.

If Scotland is SO costly to keep, why did the Westminster government change the rules around referenda in the Seventies when more than two thirds of votes cast in a devolution referendum were for it? The rules previously had been two thirds of votes cast would carry a motion. Just before the results were announced it changed to two thirds of all voters eligible to vote... which gave a total of around fifty percent to each.

Surely if we were so expensive and not paying our own way, we'd have been told to sling it years ago?

Oh, and as a point of interest, the amount of oil coming out of the North Sea would keep Scotland won't last forever. That's why another round of hydro electric development is about to start, and why Scotland leads worldwide research into wave energy generation. We won't go wrong when the oil runs out. Can't say the same for you lot. Enjoy paying for those lovely new nuclear plants, will you?

The highest payment of government subsidies per head of population doesn't go to Scotland. It goes to London and the South East. You think we're expensive? Work out the figures without them.

You haven't really got a clue what would happen to England if Scotland left. You've been lied to for years by Conservative and Labour governments alike. Successive governments have massaged the figures, one example being that North Sea production, wherever it comes ashore, is taxed as London income and not added to what Scotland's input to the Westminster government actually is. You won't find that mentioned anywhere on a Treasury website, but my mate's an accountant for BP in Aberdeen. He knows.

An independent Scotland might struggle; but if you think it would make England better off, you're gravely mistaken.

Answer 10

I don't, because I don't think in such narrow-minded concepts.  The Anglo-Scottish Union goes beyond mere fiscal matters and is a historical Union which extremists on both sides of the Border are undermining, but the majority of noncommitted don't even worry about.

There are problems exacerbated by devolution but I feel they can be ironed out - but separation is not one of them.  Nor is an English Parliament.

Answer 11

If that is what the majority of Scots want then yes why not?

Answer 12

here we go again, the scots thinking they could go it alone without the English cash cow.Exactly how they would manage this i dont know because nobody has come up with a viable scheme.They have no heavy industry,no mining,no manufacturing to speak of and in real terms a very small workforce.The fact of the matter is they cant go it alone,and it really is just a case of political posturing by the nationalists.I am English, and while i enjoy the rivalry between the nations,i firmly believe in the union.This country became Great Britain because we all worked and fought together.Lets do the same again.

Answer 13

Balls to Scottish Independence.It's English Independence we should be

calling for.