Alex Salmond

[Gary1000]

The top one has sterling written on it and the bottom one does'nt, now who's bank is dodgy?

Oh, i see oor Davie is also Lostage plot, amazing, when it gets down to it you can Actually see people South of the border for what they really think of Scots, also a few on this forum with xenophobic comments, it Actually disgusts me that some people would want to throw people out of a country within 24hts of a vote, pretty sad really.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/5899605/Camerons-F-word-appeal-to-keep-Scotland-in-UK.html?CMP=SOC-Sun-Facebook-11_20_2013-191-0-0-0

Stirling is just a name, and a city in Scotland. Hong Kong have $ on their notes but that doesn't mean it has any connection with the US dollar. As with any contract it's the small print that counts.

[azda]

Ozjohn, your Singapore story really touched My heart, you don't need to go to Singapore though to hear the same story, it also happens in England even though we are allegedly the same country (technically) and yet you tell me we are all the same, uttet pish, facts like this is why there is a vote, Engerrrrland could'nt give a toss about Scotland, they just want the Scots to pay theough the nose in tax for basically bugger all.

Engerrrrland don't have Scots imterests at heart, only the Scots do. As for jobs, here's a small extract from the ENGLISH paper the FT. The last paragraph is interesting

As the Financial Times reported on 27th October 2011, referring to Amazon's investment in Scotland:

"Anxiety is rising in the north of England that its attempts to attract investment and create jobs are increasingly vulnerable to Scotland's superior financial and political firepower.

[DaveG38]

Ozjohn, your Singapore story really touched My heart, you don't need to go to Singapore though to hear the same story, it also happens in England even though we are allegedly the same country (technically) and yet you tell me we are all the same, uttet pish, facts like this is why there is a vote, Engerrrrland could'nt give a toss about Scotland, they just want the Scots to pay theough the nose in tax for basically bugger all.

Engerrrrland don't have Scots imterests at heart, only the Scots do. As for jobs, here's a small extract from the ENGLISH paper the FT. The last paragraph is interesting

As the Financial Times reported on 27th October 2011, referring to Amazon's investment in Scotland:

"Anxiety is rising in the north of England that its attempts to attract investment and create jobs are increasingly vulnerable to Scotland's superior financial and political firepower.

Oh dear, you really need to step back a little - the idea that we English want 'the Scots to pay through the nose for bugger all' is just silly rhetoric, although if that is your genuine opinion then it seems to me that you regard the English with the same contempt that you think the English hold the Scots. That doesn't exactly give you any kind of moral high ground or if widespread a basis for an ongoing relationship between the two countries, does it?

As for your quote, well its 3 years old, and things have moved on. What is now a current fact is that a number of large banks around the world have started advising their clients to withdraw their capital from Scottish based institutions. If they act on this, then I've no doubt that the BOE will step in with support, up until independence day, after that well......... As I've posted on here already, I shall be one of them taking my cash elsewhere.

As for the way that the English regard Scotland, you need to start looking at things from the English perspective as well as the Scots one. If independence is achieved there will be knock on effects into rUK. If the money markets don't react well, then interest rates will no doubt rise affecting everyone in both rUK and Scotland. Arguments about oil and about currency union won't stop the markets making their judgments. So it could well be that everyone with a mortagage will see a hike in repayments. That has a big knock on effect on the economy, which could then slip back to recession or at best stagnate.

All, it has to be said, caused by the 'yes' vote. Whatever the rights and wrongs of it that will build a huge resentment on the part of the English against Scotland, who will have been seen to put their self-interest above everyone else's. Given that situation, there will be no case for the Scots to start bleating if the English don't want to act friendly, who won't buy their goods, who do put up customs borders etc., because that will be the English acting in their self-interest, as we should. This thing will work both ways. Unfortunately, i think most of those who support 'yes' think that everything will carry on as before, everybody will still love the Scots and at the same time they will get everything they want and more from London. In my books dream on. It won't happen. There will be major consequences, at present unforseen.

[Nick]

It seems to me that most of the vitriol being sprayed around here is coming from people who don't even live in the countries concerned. Most of us that do are fairly relaxed about the outcome, whichever it may be.

[Coinery]

I've always Iikened the Anglo/Scottish relationship to football. In the past I have always thought of Scotland 'as the next team to support' IF, sorry, when, England are out of the competition! I can honestly say, I have never found a like mind in Scotland! I have some extremely good Scottish friends but, and they would all agree with me, the animosity towards all things English are conditionings established at birth.

I do think, however, and this is the bit that disturbs me most, is, up until this point, all that I would call healthy balanced individuals (English citizens), have only ever thought of this antipathy as a novel cultural difference, and nothing more! I've a terrible feeling that the less balanced out there could very quickly conjour up a resentment to the historical war-like jibes, that equals the like of something we haven't seen for quite a few centuries!

If peace and good health could be found in division, then great, and long live the process! I just can't see it and, it seems to me, neither can anyone else, other than my hot-blooded friends, of course!

[bagerap]

In the words of P G Wodehouse:

"It has never been difficult to distinguish between a Scotsman with a grievance and a ray of sunshine"

[DaveG38]

I've always Iikened the Anglo/Scottish relationship to football. In the past I have always thought of Scotland 'as the next team to support' IF, sorry, when, England are out of the competition! I can honestly say, I have never found a like mind in Scotland! I have some extremely good Scottish friends but, and they would all agree with me, the animosity towards all things English are conditionings established at birth.

I do think, however, and this is the bit that disturbs me most, is, up until this point, all that I would call healthy balanced individuals (English citizens), have only ever thought of this antipathy as a novel cultural difference, and nothing more! I've a terrible feeling that the less balanced out there could very quickly conjour up a resentment to the historical war-like jibes, that equals the like of something we haven't seen for quite a few centuries!

If peace and good health could be found in division, then great, and long live the process! I just can't see it and, it seems to me, neither can anyone else, other than my hot-blooded friends, of course!

I think you are echoing my own views about the resentment that will build between the English and Scots, but also between Scots - those who vote 'no' and those who vote 'yes' are very evenly balanced and as such the country is very badly split down the middle. I don't see peace and harmony ahead, whatever happens.

[Rob]

Ozjohn, your Singapore story really touched My heart, you don't need to go to Singapore though to hear the same story, it also happens in England even though we are allegedly the same country (technically) and yet you tell me we are all the same, uttet pish, facts like this is why there is a vote, Engerrrrland could'nt give a toss about Scotland, they just want the Scots to pay theough the nose in tax for basically bugger all.

Engerrrrland don't have Scots imterests at heart, only the Scots do. As for jobs, here's a small extract from the ENGLISH paper the FT. The last paragraph is interesting

As the Financial Times reported on 27th October 2011, referring to Amazon's investment in Scotland:

"Anxiety is rising in the north of England that its attempts to attract investment and create jobs are increasingly vulnerable to Scotland's superior financial and political firepower.

I haven't seen the full article, so can't comment other than to say that this is likely to be the northern cities yet again complaining that all the English investment takes place down south, which happens because foreign companies want to be in the London area. Scotland has made an effort to secure inward investment since Holyrood opened for business and presumably this sentence reflects these concerns. Any regional development bodies are usually a waste of time, so it depends on what the above statement refers to. Scotland is definitely better served in this respect than the north of England.

For all the Scots' worry about Westminster, the north of England isn't even on the map for people in government, and the further north you go the more remote you are from Westminster, whose radar ceases to function north of the Watford Gap. How about the north going on its own too and forming a country broadly based on the ancient Mercia?. The M62 corridor and north accounts for about 20% of GDP.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Rob

[DaveG38]

Ozjohn, your Singapore story really touched My heart, you don't need to go to Singapore though to hear the same story, it also happens in England even though we are allegedly the same country (technically) and yet you tell me we are all the same, uttet pish, facts like this is why there is a vote, Engerrrrland could'nt give a toss about Scotland, they just want the Scots to pay theough the nose in tax for basically bugger all.

Engerrrrland don't have Scots imterests at heart, only the Scots do. As for jobs, here's a small extract from the ENGLISH paper the FT. The last paragraph is interesting

As the Financial Times reported on 27th October 2011, referring to Amazon's investment in Scotland:

"Anxiety is rising in the north of England that its attempts to attract investment and create jobs are increasingly vulnerable to Scotland's superior financial and political firepower.

I haven't seen the full article, so can't comment other than to say that this is likely to be the northern cities yet again complaining that all the English investment takes place down south, which happens because foreign companies want to be in the London area. Scotland has made an effort to secure inward investment since Holyrood opened for business and presumably this sentence reflects these concerns. Any regional development bodies are usually a waste of time, so it depends on what the above statement refers to. Scotland is definitely better served in this respect than the north of England.

For all the Scots' worry about Westminster, the north of England isn't even on the map for people in government, and the further north you go the more remote you are from Westminster, whose radar ceases to function north of the Watford Gap. How about the north going on its own too and forming a country broadly based on the ancient Mercia?. The M62 corridor and north accounts for about 20% of GDP.

No problem with a northern country, just so long as they don't want any tax revenue from London and the SE. I would point out that 25% of the total tax take of the UK comes from London, so one of the problems with federalisation would be very different tax and spend regimes in the different regions. In short you'd probably see the estblishment of some very poor areas, with high tax rates and people moving out to other areas where tax is lower. One of the advantages of the UK as a whole is standardisation of tax rates. Vary this at your peril.

[Peckris]

None of us has so far discussed THE most important thing. What will replace the Scottish lion in the coat of arms on British coins? My vote would be for the Welsh dragon, a creature every bit as mythical as PG Wodehouse's Scottish ray of sunshine.

[DaveG38]

None of us has so far discussed THE most important thing. What will replace the Scottish lion in the coat of arms on British coins? My vote would be for the Welsh dragon, a creature every bit as mythical as PG Wodehouse's Scottish ray of sunshine.

OK, so long as all existing coins don't have to be re-punched retrospectively!!

[Rob]

None of us has so far discussed THE most important thing. What will replace the Scottish lion in the coat of arms on British coins? My vote would be for the Welsh dragon, a creature every bit as mythical as PG Wodehouse's Scottish ray of sunshine.

OK, so long as all existing coins don't have to be re-punched retrospectively!!

Could be worse. Could be Deep Fried Mars Bar over Rampant Lion - I'll add it to my list.

[davidrj]

None of us has so far discussed THE most important thing. What will replace the Scottish lion in the coat of arms on British coins? My vote would be for the Welsh dragon, a creature every bit as mythical as PG Wodehouse's Scottish ray of sunshine.

They are the Sovereign's arms, England's is the three lions. so if we assume Lizzie stays queen of Scotland, they wont change

[ozjohn]

Someone likened this to a divorce, an acrimonious one at that with England feeling like the aggrieved partner. Expect them to play hard ball in the event of a separation. And when it's said and done I think they seem to hold most of the aces in the deck.

[Gary1000]

According to the news this morning the Royal Bank of Scotland is considdering moving to Engand if there is a yes vote.

[DaveG38]

According to the news this morning the Royal Bank of Scotland is considdering moving to Engand if there is a yes vote.

As I understand it they would have no choice under EU regulations. These basically require any bank to have its headquarters based in the country where it does most of its business. Since Scotland would be a separate country that would mean that RBS would look at its operation and conclude that it has to move south because the majority of its customers are in the UK. I would expect this to apply to all other financial institutions, unless their customer base is largely in Scotland, in which case it will be able to legally rmain there.

[Peckris]

None of us has so far discussed THE most important thing. What will replace the Scottish lion in the coat of arms on British coins? My vote would be for the Welsh dragon, a creature every bit as mythical as PG Wodehouse's Scottish ray of sunshine.

They are the Sovereign's arms, England's is the three lions. so if we assume Lizzie stays queen of Scotland, they wont change

Interesting situation that. The Scottish lion predates the Union, in fact goes back to James I (who was also James VI of Scotland and united the two crowns). Before that, in Elizabeth's time, there was no trace of Scotland in the Royal Arms. If Scotland votes Yes, what will the Queen decide to do about the Royal Arms? After all, there's no Maple Leaf or Emu or any other colony or Commonwealth member represented, so there's no reason for the Scottish lion to stay.

And going on from that - who is responsible for the Union Flag, the Royal Family or Parliament? If the latter, then the blue will vanish from the flag, leaving it boringly red and white (though satisfyingly the Chelsea and Everton colours will have been eliminated ). Will that then mean the Australians have to change their flag too?

Endless complications.

[TomGoodheart]

The College of Arms has responsibility for matters heraldic so any changes to flag and coat of arms will be down to them.

Interestingly Scotland has it's own Court of the Lord Lyon So in theory they could drop the blue saltire and use the lion rampant ... or deep fried mars bar ..

[azda]

According to the news this morning the Royal Bank of Scotland is considdering moving to Engand if there is a yes vote.

There is a plus side then.

[DaveG38]

According to the news this morning the Royal Bank of Scotland is considdering moving to Engand if there is a yes vote.

There is a plus side then.

Depends on your point of view. As I understand it, when a company moves its HQ, it also moves the jurisdiction where it pays its taxes. At the moment it doesn't matter as the revenues go the treasury anyway, but post-independence the move of RBS, HBOS etc. may mean that the tax revenue will go to the UK exchequer not to the Scottish government. If too many financial institutions take this action, then Scotland will have to find ways of bridging the tax take gap. And when it comes to financial businesses, that's a huge tax take.

[bagerap]

Do these *&%£$%s even pay tax?

[Gary1000]

Do these *&%£$%s even pay tax?

Probably not as much as they should but I doubt if they get off scot free.

Anyway Salmon will just up the oil output to make up any shortfall...wait a minute he doesn't own any oil it's owner by the comanies that extract it. All that he gets, and the UK government for that matter, is the tax on the oil companies. And the production level is set by international agreement anyway. Also if production was increased the price would go down, set by the spot market, and the gross tax would likely not change.

[DaveG38]

Do these *&%£$%s even pay tax?

I think you'll find that London accounts for around 25% of the total UK tax take, so my bet is that they certainly will pay tax.

[azda]

Royal Bank of Scotland has confirmed it will relocate its registered headquarters to London if Scotland votes for independence next week.

The bank said in a statement that it believed it would be "necessary to re-domicile the bank's holding company".

In a letter to staff, the bank's chief executive said there was no intention to move operations or jobs.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has accused the Treasury of leaking sensitive market data about RBS.

Meanwhile, Scotland's largest fund manager's boss said an independent Scotland would be a huge success.

Martin Gilbert, chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management said: "I think an independent Scotland would be a big success, but it is a secret ballot and I will abide by that.

"Most sensible people now accept that Scotland would be prosperous with either outcome in the current constitutional debate."

[azda]

Seems to be some conflicting news on the RBS moving story

http://www.snp.org/media-centre/news/2014/sep/rbs-no-intention-move-operations-or-jobs

Edited September 11, 2014 by azda