Scotland's Future - Where does it lie?

[Scottish Business Owner]

With the independence vote pretty much confirmed for October 2013 I thought i would create a poll and discussion around this topic. What's your current position with regards to how you see things?

 

[stugster]

A few things worry me about this, in particular:

• Abolishing prescription charges. Why do this? Why not use that income for something worthwhile? This is just a publicity stunt.
• Abolishing forth road bridge toll. Why? Why not just charge people who use it regularly £150 a year and the rest of us that cross twice a year £1 a go?
• The fact we're still quite happily allowing one of our Scottish Councils (Edinburgh by the way) to get away with stealing our money to use towards a failed pet project (the trams). Why the *&$^£ has nobody from Government stepped in yet to say enough's enough?

On the other hand:

• Scottish education rocks.
• Our NHS would quite happily run on its own, it practically does anyway
• We'd probably be better off, not having to pay all those taxes to Westminster

 

[RedEvo]

I hope if Scottish people vote for independence it turns out the way they hope it will.

d

 

[Streetskins Scotland]

Where's the option to go back to pre-devolution?

Unfortunately it seems we're going to break from one union only to sign up to a wider one at some point. I don't think it will be this time but the constant drip drip will take it's toll eventually.

 

[amestaper]

It neednt be a messy divorce, draw imaginary lines at Berwick and Gretna and we keep all the oil north of that. I hate negative scare tactics in election campaigns and it makes a lot of voters uninterested in politics, we are a great wee country with a lot of potential and I refuse to believe folks 400 miles south of here can do a better job than we can.

I reckon Scottish Independence could cause the Labour party a massive drop in seats at future UK general elections and I wonder if David Cameron is really that concerned?

 

[Streetskins Scotland]

Labour would lose out most, that's for sure.

I don't know if we'd be better off or better run than we are now. All I know is that the side advocating change should be the one to set out positive reasons for it. And (possibly because I don't trust Salmond one inch) I haven't heard anything compelling so far.

 

[stugster]

Latest GERS has been released: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/03/9525

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

I tell you something the GERS stuff is pretty hard reading

What I've gathered from it is we put in £53 billion and got back £63 billion so in essence we don't cover our costs.

But another way to look at it Scotland generated 9.6% of UK revenuebut only 9.3% of UK expenditure was in Scotland.

From what I hear this report is being discussed on Newsnight Scotland tonight so if anyone catches it it would be great to have your thoughts.

Given the above though I think the politicians will take great joy in spinning this report whatever way they want

 

[stugster]

These figures include the corporation tax and VAT raised in Scotland (page 24)

 

[Alan @ Sole]

All economic debate aside I think it's a bit disingenuous to suggest Scotland would be independent at all. We'd be in the EU (either by right or application depending on who you believe) and we've all seen what happens there when wee countries don't toe the line.

Personally I'd rather be run by London (and Edinburgh) than Brussels/Strasbourg.

 

[SugarWayRooms]

While surfing the internet, I accidentally read a forum regarding Scotland, in the forum says that Scotland is a nice place for vacation. What's wrong with Scotland? I have no idea..

 

[visagephoto]

Watching 'Question Time' last night, it was stated that a recent poll had suggested that if by gaining independence we would each be £500 richer, then 65% of Scots would vote for it, but if it meant being £500 poorer 65% would vote against it.

And I thought the fight for independence it was all about self determination and national pride.

 

[SugarWayRooms]

I wish they fight for their independence for the sake of each and everyone.

 

[Wills]

I have always been a follower of integrated communities like the UK and EU, I saw that as the way forward for businesses to expand their territories.