Separation of the UK

[Hotman]

What are peoples viewpoints on this?

Personally, I quite like being part of a United Kingdom, however I feel that there should be parity in respect of government funding, independant parliaments etc. I still feel that there should be a strong union - perhaps not as tightly knit together as today - as we can all help each other, and our individual nations history is shared in a lot of respects.

Plus I couldn't be arsed to find my passport every time I go to Scotland.

Thoughts?

 

[steveo]

Firstly, dont go to Scotland and you wont need to find your passport.

Secondly, see my post on the ask Rusty thread re the English Democrats.
http://www.englishdemocrats.org.uk/

Why doesnt England have its own parliament when Scotland Wales and NI do?
Do you think the others want to be part of the UK?

How about this:

WHO IS FIGHTING FOR ENGLISH WORKERS?
Wednesday, 29 October 2008

Yesterday we saw the First Minister for Scotland, Alex Salmond personally lobby the Board of LloydsTSB to ensure Scottish jobs are secured during the impending merger with HBOS – The enclosed is a statement from the SNP’s website yesterday.

“First Minister Alex Salmond will meet Lloyds TSB chiefs today to lobby for Scottish jobs over the bank's proposed merger with HBOS.

Mr Salmond will use the meeting to press home the "strong case" for maintaining jobs in Scotland in the event of the merger going ahead, a spokesman said today.”

For English Democrats the question is not whether or not Mr Salmond should be lobbying the board of LloydsTSB, the question is who is fighting for the workers here in England?

Robin Tilbrook, the Chairman of the English Democrats responds:- “The simple answer is none of the British Establishment, not the trade unions, not the Labour Government, not the Conservatives, not the Liberals, in fact the only group that is fighting for our worker’s jobs is the English Democrats. Our Party spokesperson, Ed Abrams, has requested an urgent meeting with the board in order to put the case for keeping the jobs here in England.”

Ed Abrams said “ I am shocked, saddened but, alas, not surprised that the ONLY party fighting for jobs in England is the English Democrats. What a shameful indictment of our democratic process that we have the Scottish First Minister flying down to London to fight to retain Scottish jobs, whilst as per usual, people in England are left to fend for themselves. Just what is it going to take for someone, anyone in government to declare they will fight for jobs in England - even at the expense of jobs in Scotland?”

 

[Andyhsufc]

The UK should stay as the UK. The SNP lost all credibility when they said Scotland could follow the footsteps of Iceland. Scotland couldnt survive on their own.

 

[The Big Shrimp]

I bet the Sweaties & Sheep Worriers wouldn't have cheap University education & perscriptions etc if it was funded totally by their own taxes. If we were really a UNITED Kingdom then we would all have the same rules, benefits etc, but we don't. I despise the likes of A_S neighbour who campaign for his own country, Scotland. Sorry mate, but you are British until all 4 countries are separate. Fair enough campaigning as an MP for the people who voted you in, but for Scotland, is blatant racism!

:soapbox:

 

[OldBlueLady]

The UK should stay as the UK. The SNP lost all credibility when they said Scotland could follow the footsteps of Iceland. Scotland couldnt survive on their own.

That's really the crux of the matter though isn't it? Not one of the seperate entities that make up the Union could survive completely independently without us - except for us, I would guess. There has to be parity across the board, so if there's seperate Parliaments in each of the other three countries, then the English should have their own "Parliament" and all four should report to the elected body in Westminster - or at some other venue to be decided, if they can't cope with it being held there.

I'm completely fed up with England being the one that cops it all - prescription charges, University fees, SATs etc etc while the Scots, in particular, seem intent on making Scottish people have superior rights.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I bet the Sweaties & Sheep Worriers wouldn't have cheap University education & perscriptions etc if it was funded totally by their own taxes. If we were really a UNITED Kingdom then we would all have the same rules, benefits etc, but we don't. I despise the likes of A_S neighbour who campaign for his own country, Scotland. Sorry mate, but you are British until all 4 countries are separate. Fair enough campaigning as an MP for the people who voted you in, but for Scotland, is blatant racism!

:soapbox:

I have spoke to him on many occasions regards to this subject and he knows that the longer it takes to get a referendum the less chance he has of achieving his goal.

I along with the large majority of Scotland want to keep the union in oner piece.

 

[The Big Shrimp]

I have spoke to him on many occasions regards to this subject and he knows that the longer it takes to get a referendum the less chance he has of achieving his goal.

I along with the large majority of Scotland want to keep the union in oner piece.

I have no problem with the UK being all one country, but we must all have the same benefits & laws, e.g. University, free or cheap perscriptions etc

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I have no problem with the UK being all one country, but we must all have the same benefits & laws, e.g. University, free or cheap perscriptions etc

Completely agree Rich

 

[Reg Martin]

What are peoples viewpoints on this?

Personally, I quite like being part of a United Kingdom, however I feel that there should be parity in respect of government funding, independant parliaments etc. I still feel that there should be a strong union - perhaps not as tightly knit together as today - as we can all help each other, and our individual nations history is shared in a lot of respects.

Plus I couldn't be arsed to find my passport every time I go to Scotland.

Thoughts?

I think this will never happen - Scotland and Wales are so heavily subsidised by England now that no UK government would dare do more than tinker with the funding arrangements
There is also the problem that both Labour and LibDems are heavily dependent on Scottish and Welsh votes to consider breaking up UK
The Conservatives would benefit from independent England but ideologically they are opposed to it.
An English Nationalist party would appeal to me if they could steer clear of the usual traps of being "right-wing", anti-immigration, anti-EU etc.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

I've just started a sociology text book I found about the English being the most important migrant group to hit Scotland, especially over the past 50 years.

I'll report back in a bit more detail when I've finished it!!! ;)

 

[Medway Blue]

Once Scotland starts paying the same University Fees and prescription charges as the English, starts letting English MPs vote on Scottish matters like Scottish MPs vote on English matters, and stops having ill-feeling towards the English when our taxes support them, maybe I'll agree with the UK because it'd be fair and balanced. Until then, I disagree with it.

 

[Hotman]

I think this will never happen - Scotland and Wales are so heavily subsidised by England now that no UK government would dare do more than tinker with the funding arrangements
There is also the problem that both Labour and LibDems are heavily dependent on Scottish and Welsh votes to consider breaking up UK
The Conservatives would benefit from independent England but ideologically they are opposed to it.
An English Nationalist party would appeal to me if they could steer clear of the usual traps of being "right-wing", anti-immigration, anti-EU etc.

I believe that the strength of the UK stops England becoming the nth state of the United States of Europe., hence it does appeal to my "right-wing" anti-EU stance. :)

 

[Firestorm]

Could we cope as well as we have been without the other members of the UK ?

Certainly , historically we have relied on Welsh Coal and Scottish Oil. And I believe that The North of England gets a lot of its water from Reservoirs in Wales and Scotland.
Presumably the fishing rights off the coasts would also be affected ?

 

[fatshrimp]

Cut them off, if they want to go! Let's see how the provinces survive without our tax subsidies.

 

[Firestorm]

Cut them off, if they want to go! Let's see how the provinces survive without our tax subsidies.

Could it be that they are being subsidised to reduce the wish for them to breakaway, a sort of sweetener to remain in the Union ? Perhaps the powers that be feel that England could not survive on its own and are using subsidies to supprt the union ?

 

[fatshrimp]

Don't necessarily see what sweeteners we would need to give to get the majority of the people to want to remain in.

As to the rights over coal / oil / water etc, forgive me but we as English citizens aren't gifted these resources, are we? Don't companies mine / drill / pipe them to us at a cost?

 

[graysblue]

as i understand matters this country gives scotland 13 billion every year in subsudies? reckon this cash could easily be spent improving services in england.

 

[Firestorm]

Don't necessarily see what sweeteners we would need to give to get the majority of the people to want to remain in.

As to the rights over coal / oil / water etc, forgive me but we as English citizens aren't gifted these resources, are we? Don't companies mine / drill / pipe them to us at a cost?

True.....
We as English certainly benefited form Noth Sea Oil revenues as the companies paid for the drilling rights etc.
however there is currently no import duty on anything coming from Scotland or Wales .

 

[fatshrimp]

True.....
We as English certainly benefited form Noth Sea Oil revenues as the companies paid for the drilling rights etc.
however there is currently no import duty on anything coming from Scotland or Wales .

I think on balance we'd still be quids in.

 

[ldnfatso]

I don't particularly want to be associated with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in any way, just like they don't with England. The Scots and Welsh wanted devolution, let em have it in every sense. Let em be self sufficient without poncing off of Westminster. As for Northern Ireland, hand it over to Republic of Ireland or if they don't want it just nuke it!