What's the score with Scotland then?

[Puddy_Tat]

HE sounds delightful...

I also never quite brought myself to ask if his friends in those circles knew he was gay / bi...

 

[Poi E]

Only the most rabid, isolationist xenophobes would consider voting for the Scottish Nationalists.

I think you will find this applies rather to the Conservative and DUP coalition in terms of isolationism and xenophobia, as well as rabid nationalism (as well as appalling economic judgement, with the national debt absolutely fucking ballooning under their mismanagement.)

 

[danny la rouge]

It's worth remembering that whatever Sas says is completely wrong.

 

[Sue]

It's worth remembering that whatever Sas says is completely wrong.

I'm sure he's great fun at parties though.

 

[Sasaferrato]

It's worth remembering that whatever Sas says is completely wrong.

I take it that you are a. Not fiscally illiterate, and b. you have looked at the figures in detail.

Only the fantasist Brigadoon Bullshitters believe that Scotland has the financial ability to go it alone. Remember Swinney's forecast of circa £1.5 Bn from oil revenues, in a year where the actual figure was £40m? That is the sort of competence that you get from the SNP. Little wonder Swinney was demoted, and the next clown in line was promoted to the treasury position.

You cannot run an economy where your finances are dependent on a product whose price fluctuates wildly. They have also been told in no uncertain terms that EU membership will not happen quickly, if in deed at all. They continue to perpetrate the lie though.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Yep, looks like the SNPs continued demands for Scotexit have lost them a lot of votes, That has resulted in a Tory government. If I was scottish, I would have voted SNP, I think Nicola's politics are fucking excellent, But the SNP sunk us.

You can probably get treatment for that.

 

[Sasaferrato]

You don't take it personally? Really? Probably best not to use phrases like 'the SNP fucked us over again' then.

The SNP have been found out as totally useless at Westminster, and people voted for parties that actually have a chance of forming a government. Next election the separatists will be back to their usual handful. Fucked for at least another generation, and hooray for that.

 

[equationgirl]

I take it that you are a. Not fiscally illiterate, and b. you have looked at the figures in detail.

Only the fantasist Brigadoon Bullshitters believe that Scotland has the financial ability to go it alone. Remember Swinney's forecast of circa £1.5 Bn from oil revenues, in a year where the actual figure was £40m? That is the sort of competence that you get from the SNP. Little wonder Swinney was demoted, and the next clown in line was promoted to the treasury position.

You cannot run an economy where your finances are dependent on a product whose price fluctuates wildly. They have also been told in no uncertain terms that EU membership will not happen quickly, if in deed at all. They continue to perpetrate the lie though.

I Don't think anyone thinks it would happen overnight, if at all.

 

[danny la rouge]

I take it that you are a. Not fiscally illiterate, and b. you have looked at the figures in detail.

Only the fantasist Brigadoon Bullshitters believe that Scotland has the financial ability to go it alone. Remember Swinney's forecast of circa £1.5 Bn from oil revenues, in a year where the actual figure was £40m? That is the sort of competence that you get from the SNP. Little wonder Swinney was demoted, and the next clown in line was promoted to the treasury position.

You cannot run an economy where your finances are dependent on a product whose price fluctuates wildly. They have also been told in no uncertain terms that EU membership will not happen quickly, if in deed at all. They continue to perpetrate the lie though.

Several points to make here, Sas.

Firstly, the policies in the SNP's white paper prepared for the 2014 referendum are not the only way to run an independent Scotland. I am neither a member nor a supporter of the SNP, and I disagree with a great deal in their economic policy. If you want to discuss the SNP's economic policy, I suggest you have the discussion with someone who supports it. I have no intention of defending the White Paper. I think it badly hampered the Yes case in the referendum.

Second, the economy of Scotland at the moment is part of the Union. You can't compare Scotland as part of the Union with an independent country. At the moment it is not one. That's kind of the point.

Third, the figures we have at the moment for Scotland's economy are not accurate. They're estimated by taking a percentage of the UK economy. This is neither reliable nor satisfactory. So, whatever you think you know, you don't. (And the SNP relies too heavily on GERS when they shouldn't. They need to commission an accurate annual review themselves).

Fourth, you are suggesting that Scotland is uniquely incapable of making a success of its finances. A country of 5 million people. Just can't be done. This is mince. What you mean is you don't want it to be done. That's a completely different point: it's an absolutely reasonable point of view and one you're entitled to hold. So why not make that case? I'd respect you more for it.

Fifth, I don't want Scotland to join the EU. You'd need to have that discussion with someone else. I think Scotland needs its own relationship with Europe which is neither David Davis' vision nor EU membership.

Sixth, your comment about "rabid, isolationist xenophobes" is complete nonsense. It does not describe the SNP or its policies.

 

[LiamO]

How sectarian is the whole thing in Scotland? The lines in N Ireland politics are fairly clear on that front. Is there something in Scottish politics as well?

Surralex Ferguson writes in his autobiography of how he, a Protestant, and his Catholic wife made a conscious decision to a) Christen their kids in a protestant church and b) to give them obviously 'protestant' first names so they would not have their future career prospects held back if employers suspected they might be Catholics.

I remember Militant back in the 80's. In Loyalist estates their reps would play up their loyalist credentials, whilst in Catholic ones they would play up their Irish roots/republicanism. Did much the same in Liverpool so I am reliably told.

 

[geminisnake]

Sectarianism in the NE, apart from a bit in Dundee, mostly football related, I'd say it's not a thing. There may well be some but daughter went to catholic primary school and never faced any that I'm aware of. I've had many Glaswegians say that they think the NE is great because we don't have it here. Parents actually shocked that they weren't asked what type of school they wanted their children to go to.
Dunno what it's like in Fife or further north(there are some weird religious nutjobs up there, like you can't read these books/watch that tv etc) but north of Dundee to Aberdeen not a problem ime, or hubby's experience(both lived in the NE most of 50+yrs)