Got to love Glasgow.

[Cody]

A personal request amidst all this: can we keep things civil, please?

Seconded!

[Diziet Sma]

There's also the issue as to what might happen to the value of Sterling, should it suddenly find itself without the support of 95% of North Sea oil and 100% of the whisky exports (the two top earners for the UK Treasury). I'm guessing it might drop, sharply: that might be an incentive for Holyrood and Westminster to, you know, negotiate.

You forgot to mention what the loss of those shipyards would mean to both England and its' Navy..

I much suspect that if England lost those 'big 3' items, it would suffer more than Scotland, hence their opposition.

[Cody]

I think that sensible people (I count myself among them) know it would be a bad thing for the UK in many ways.
It would however alter the balance at Westminster - some might see that as worth the price.

Politics though - it's best left out of most conversations.

[Disembodied]

It would however alter the balance at Westminster

Not by as much as some people think. From the Financial Times:

John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, tells me that while it would be harder for Labour to win [without Scottish votes] it would not be impossible. According to Professor Curtice, Labour would still have won in 1945, 1950, 1997, 2001 and 2005.

In February 1974 there would still have been no majority but the Tories would have nudged ahead of Labour. Eight months later, Harold Wilson’s majority of three would have been obliterated.

In 2005 Labour’s majority of 66, already down steeply from 167 at the previous election, would have been halved – but Tony Blair would have still edged it.

[Cody]

Not by as much as some people think.

Aye... but enough to deliver a clear Tory majority in the 2015 general election? Possibly - but I ain't any sort of expert!

[CommRLock78]

Live in exile? You choose to be in America and it seems you are turning out to be just another loud American that likes to tell everybody else in the world how to live without having any real grasp of the issues involved.

Let me explain something to you: I didn't choose to live in America - sorry dude, that was not my choice. And how am I telling anyone how to live? That's a bold statement, seeing as the Scottish people themselves seem to be largely in favor of it - I'm just showing solidarity with them in my support of the decision. So somehow my being in support of it is telling people how to live?

Security: As a separate country they will have to build an armed force for the air, sea and land. With all the coastline Scotland has the Navy would most likely be the priority which would have to include at least one submarine. Scotland would also not qualify to be a member of NATO so that will bring a whole raft of difficulties.

Now with just those two things - Currency and Security - the cost will run into the billions. Scotland has a small population. So what kind of county will it be in comparison to how it is now. Scotland would end up like Greece..

I can maybe see the currency as being an issue, but why on earth would Scotland, as Cim pointed out, need a huge military?

[Ranthe]

There's also the issue as to what might happen to the value of Sterling, should it suddenly find itself without the support of 95% of North Sea oil and 100% of the whisky exports (the two top earners for the UK Treasury). I'm guessing it might drop, sharply: that might be an incentive for Holyrood and Westminster to, you know, negotiate.

You forgot to mention what the loss of those shipyards would mean to both England and its' Navy..

Especially as Scotland is where the Royal Navy base of the UK's nuclear deterrence (the Vanguard-class missile subs) is located - if Scotland does go independent, the subs will have to move someplace else...

[Diziet Sma]

There's also the issue as to what might happen to the value of Sterling, should it suddenly find itself without the support of 95% of North Sea oil and 100% of the whisky exports (the two top earners for the UK Treasury). I'm guessing it might drop, sharply: that might be an incentive for Holyrood and Westminster to, you know, negotiate.

You forgot to mention what the loss of those shipyards would mean to both England and its' Navy..

Especially as Scotland is where the Royal Navy base of the UK's nuclear deterrence (the Vanguard-class missile subs) is located - if Scotland does go independent, the subs will have to move someplace else...

To say nothing of how BAE Systems recently announced the closing of its' Portsmouth shipyard in mid-2014, with a loss of 1,775 jobs, and that the second Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier will be relocated to its' Glasgow yards for completion..

<flash on mental image of drunken Glaswegians traffic-coning the new carrier>

[Ranthe]

<flash on mental image of drunken Glaswegians traffic-coning the new carrier>

"Hey! It's not a good night unless you get a traffic cone!" - The Cat, Red Dwarf, "The Last Day"

[Fatleaf]

A personal request amidst all this: can we keep things civil, please?

Seconded!

<nods>

[Geraldine]

How on Earth did you guys go from talking about Glasgow drunks to politics? The cone is back and all is right with the world!

[Dawn Trader]

"How on Earth did you guys go from talking about Glasgow drunks to politics? "

Easy answer to that.. it is in our Genes to discuss what we feel to be unimportant but important to loudly discuss ... now let's get back to the wheat beer...The stuff that I have tried here is one that you must acquire a taste for and then you gotta be slightly drunk to appreciate what you just had.

[Cody]

... you gotta be slightly drunk to appreciate what you just had.

<smirks> I know that feeling all too well.