Free Scotland

[Bosch]

I'd imagine a border between Scotland and England would be similar to the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, impossible to police effectively.
If Scotland did break from the UK there would probably be a free movement of people treaty similar to the one that exists between the UK and the Republic of Ireland

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Anybody who thinks they know what would happen if Scotland left the UK, good or bad, is kidding themself. We have no evidence, just opinion and conjecture, nothing that we could accurately model. There’s no baseline to refer to with similar data from modern times based on other examples of a region seceding from a developed nation. Most longterm economic predictions are just guesswork and are little more accurate than a flip of a coun. If Scotland were to become independent tomorrow, we wouldn’t be able to begin to judge the success or failure for decades. Even then, you are comparing something that has happened with a hypothetical, an alternative history. You may have more data on how other countries have fared over the period but you’ll not be comparing like for like.
It’s the same with Brexit, we won’t begin to really know the long term macro impact for years when economic historians unpick the various strands, even then there will be a healthy amount of philosophising. People on either side will of course point to “evidence” that they were right but the whole thing is one big exercise in confirmation bias.
It’s better to come to terms with the fact that we don’t know what will happen, we can’t know, anything else is just opinion and rhetoric.
My opinion is that I would prefer to stay part of the UK. I am from England, albeit with Scottish, Welsh and Irish ancestry, but have a nice life up here with my Scottish wife and mongrel kids, I certainly don’t feel oppressed or disenfranchised (or living in a colony), even though my elective representatives in holyrood and London are not who I personally voted for. I’ve always felt British rather than England. My desire to remain is based on “better the devil you know” thinking. It could improve things, it could worsen things, things could bump along the same, I’d rather just not roll the dice.

That's the nail hit firmly on the head, well said.

 

[Polcho]

Something like this I should imagine.

Would be a bit draughty in a kilt.

 

[Stan's Brew]

Fascinating commentary into the Highland clearances, destruction of nations, GIRFEC monitoring, worst drugs problem in Europe in Scotland, loss of National identity, SNP.

https://player.fm/series/cutting-th...ble-overlords-make-you-completely-predictable

 

[MickDundee]

However, I think it’s far from the right time. Ignoring all the other arguments in the thread, there’s the fact nobody has any money yet the SG have held back £20M to fund the referendum. It could be much better used to help people by boosting things like the FuelWell scheme - that could be an average of £675k per local authority area to help people struggling with the cost of living crisis.

John Swinney obviously reads the forums - he’s using the £20M referendum reserve to support fuel poverty!

 

[Polcho]

This is frought with issues.
One would be, what would happen if Scotland did become independent. Then it just didn’t work out financially.

What is the plan?

If Scotland couldn’t pay for health, public services etc, because the math didn’t add up. What would become of the Scottish people?

I’m pretty sure the people that didn’t want to leave would just say, well, I was born British, help me.

I just wonder if people are actually thinking all this through.

 

[Polcho]

So are there discussions around provision for this sort of eventuality then?

 

[Bosch]

So are there discussions around provision for this sort of eventuality then?

Probably loads between the pro and anti independence sides of the debate.

 

[crescent city Mike]

First of all, I have no dog in this fight. It strikes me like over-protective parents trying to keep the grown child at home with the excuse of the cruelness and dangers "out there in the real world".