I heard Alex Salmond on R4 earlier, god he's a dick, I think we should give the Scottish independence and be even more patronising to them.

(PsychoChomp, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:41, 3 replies, latest was 12 years ago)

Like first law passed after independence should be an export ban on shortbread and alcohol.

(PsychoChomp, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:42, Reply)

haha!
I rather like this
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:43, Reply)

we should give them independence then invade and take over again

( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:43, Reply)

Give them proper independence.
They'll be bankrupt and surviving on EU handouts within a month, no matter how much they bleat on about financial sectors and North Sea oil.
( Kroney, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:45, Reply)

and then we invade?

( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:47, Reply)

Nah fuck 'em. Leave them drowning.
They'll be begging for reunion with the next change in government. They cannot survive on their own. They don't have the economy. Most of the money that the Scottish use comes from Westminster out of taxes drawn from the substantially larger English population.
( Kroney, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:49, Reply)

Plenty of smaller countries do fine, they'll be ok, they just won't be as good.

(PsychoChomp, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:50, Reply)

If you look at their economies, they're usually all oil producers, tourist traps or tax havens.
Scotland's none of these. The North Sea's only got a small amount of oil in it and Scotland won't get it all, tourism's their best bet and they'll have to overcome the rainy, frigid nature of their climate for that. Unless they become a tax haven, but there's a crackdown about to happen on that front.
( Kroney, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:51, Reply)

Denmark is pretty much the same population.
They've got competitive taxes but I wouldn't call them a haven. Scotland aren't any way near as productive overall as denmark, but they do have some world class universities, biotech, electronics manufacturing and obviously whisky to export.
(PsychoChomp, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:00, Reply)

And Irn Bru.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:05, Reply)

Er, isn't whisky the second biggest UK export after the arms trade, or is my memory playing tricks again?

(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:53, Reply)

maybe he meant "leave them drowning in whisky"
i guess whisky can be made anywhere though. ok so it won't be traditional scottish whisky, but it's not like a building or other site that can't be moved
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:54, Reply)

perhaps it is, but most of the UK's income comes from financial services, not whisky or arms.

( Kroney, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:56, Reply)

or, 'wharms' as we experts call it

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:58, Reply)

NO WHARMS CHAT

(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:07, Reply)

and refuse to let them be part of the pound.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 9:55, Reply)

Salmond really hasn't thought that through.

( Kroney, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:00, Reply)

He just assumed it would be fine and looked like an uberprick when our lot pointed out that we might not allow it.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:03, Reply)

And that guy in the EU pointed out that actually, no, they wouldn't be automatically an EU member country
and therefore wouldn't qualify for EU aid or the single currency. Certainly the EU doesn't need yet another economically shafted country asking them for handouts. Their entry wouldn't be a foregone conclusion at all.

I honestly think that they're better off as part of the Union.
( Kroney, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:05, Reply)

I also think this.
As do most Scots I should imagine.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:08, Reply)

nor has he thought through how the money from england is going to be replaced
even in the short term, that's going to be like taking a rather large salary cut, and at the same time, having more outgoings and responsibilities.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:07, Reply)

He's a fucking short-sighted goon.

( Kroney, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:07, Reply)

Seriously though, is there actually the tiniest chance it might happen
Because I really really want Scottish independence.
( Peej, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:09, Reply)

Why on Earth would the Bank of England be willing to back a foreign country's currency
when that foreign country doesn't represent a sound investment? He's such a moron that it makes me quite cross.

Not to mention Scottish secession would fuck our flag right the fuck up.
( Kroney, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:10, Reply)

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 8 Jul 2013, 10:12, Reply)