Just realised Nicola sturgeon is a woman........never seen her until today
Hey Hugh do you want your own currency?
Patrick Harvie ripping into George Galloway, great tv!
I wonder whether Osborne knows that Gibraltar, Jersey, Bermuda etc haven't been called "colonies" for ages? But "British Overseas Territories", which is the correct term, isn't so emotive and doesn't convey the same air of subjugation and dependency.I do agree on one point that George Osborne (who I despise) made.....if you get independence and want to maintain the pound etc.....you will not be an independent country.....you will be like Gibraltar.....a colony
So Galloway, who in my opinion was a complete embarrassment wasn't briefed properly, but Harvie was an infantile embarrassment?You are joking aren't you? I've now seen it and it was a televised embarrassment from start to finish.
Of course Galloway was dreadful; he had not been adequatelly briefed so he wandered around somewhere near but not on message and, anyway his ranting demagogy doesn't work with an audience who don't already subscribe toi his views.
However, you should go back and tell your handler that Patrick Harvie is an infantile embarrassment to the Yes Campaign. An MSP with a sub-CeeBeeBees maturity of political nous, he even let a great big cat out of the bag. I'm surprised Ruth Davidson didn't pick up on it!
Explaining how only independence would protect the Scottish NHS from [largely imaginary] privatisation, Harvie was dim enough to tell the student audience about the need to protect it from the EU's reciprocal trade agreement with the USA, including big American Health Companies.
So the Yes Campaign obviously knows that an independent Scotland would not be part of the EU in spite of their dissembling bluster to the contrary.
I wonder whether Osborne knows that Gibraltar, Jersey, Bermuda etc haven't been called "colonies" for ages? But "British Overseas Territories"
but I do agree on one point that George Osborne (who I despise) made.....if you get independence and want to maintain the pound etc.....you will not be an independent country.....you will be like Gibraltar.....a colony
is rare I agree with Mike, but on this point I do. I have to admit I'm a bit lost by the psychology of the yes campaign. I realise there are pragmatic issues to overcome but it seems to me like proposing a CU and I've seen dual nationality mentioned here to isn't really voting for independence. Surely if thats what you're voting for you wish to be free of the UK. Not hold on to bits of it because your heart isn't quite in it
Someone who agrees with me! whoop! Will you be my friend? Lol
don't push it - you'll be wanting all sorts next
Is that an offer? : nudge: nudge: wink: wink:
What was Galloway's part in all this?
He's the best advert for Scottish Independence there is, simply so we can deport him.
However, you should go back and tell your handler
North Sea oil simply vanished.
I want to say something, particularly to those of you South of the border regards CU and why I think it's a good idea and this is not posturing or bluster believe me, I'm serious.
If there is a yes next week and the ensuing negotiations go badly, no CU, Scotgov holds out on their promise to help with the debt etc. the hit to rUK economy will be massive, the pound will fall sharply if it doesn't crash and that will have a very real and very bad effect on the new Scots economy as well. As our biggest trading partner if for no other reason, what's bad for rUK economy is going to be bad for us.
The UK right now is relying far too much on North Sea oil to prop up its balance of payments (not my words, economics experts) and if the split goes ahead rUK is going to lose a large part of that prop. You'll have to fill the gap in payments somehow and if you add the above scenario into the mix I see a very hard time coming for you. Petty arguments aside, step back and think what would the UK economy look like tomorrow if Scotland and the North Sea oil simply vanished.
If as I hope CU and a fair agreement on debt share is reached the hit to both economies will be minimised, there will still be a hole to fill but it won't be as bad.
So Galloway, who in my opinion was a complete embarrassment wasn't briefed properly, but Harvie was an infantile embarrassment?
Already did, thanks.Hugh, don't forget to get out there and vote …….. don't get stuck behind your computer
I've snipped your quote to the bit I'm interested in. Sorry for being a bit (well very) dense here. But how would this work in reality? Aren't the oil fields a UK asset, to be divided up like the rest of the assets, similar to the line there already is between Norway and the UK (not Scotland)
The North Sea is already pretty well exploited, by companies with bases in Scotland and England. I don't see someone like BP (for example) simply giving up the rights to those fields it already holds, nor wishing to renogatiate the terms of those agreements. So presumably that agreement they already have with the UK (and whatever they pay for those fields) would be split as an asset too?
Incidentally, they're already headquartered in London so presumably the majority of tax would also land back in London?. Same to with refining capacity. Scotland only has the one, owned by a Chinese/French company. My point being that the North Sea may well have £xbn worth of oil, but that doesn't mean it will all be revenue for Scotland
There may be some wrangling about it but the internationally recognised dividing line puts about 90% of the oilfields in Scottish waters. It's true that the UK as a whole has paid into building up the fields but it's also benefitted from the profits.
The tax revenue is what we're talking about when we say profits from it and taxes are paid to the country the oil is landed in, again mostly Scotland.
Oil wasn't the point of my post, the UKs over dependence on it is the point.
Although a barrel of oil may well be worth $100 or so, that doesn't mean any government will see all of that. Assuming Scotland keeps 90% of government revenue from the North Sea it seems that'd be a lot less then you talk about. And the UK as a whole has been less reliant on it over the years
I got your point I'm just a bit confused by the whole thing. I still don't see your tax point though. I'm going to use BP as an example cause there is a bit of a BP mafia in this part of London, and I have a lot of friends work for them in various capacities. But exploration is decided and run from Sunbury, where the stuff that comes out of the ground is refined is decided in Canary Wharf. Buying and selling that is also done at Canary Wharf, (which is also the most profitable part of the business) and they're headquartered at St. James'. Tax revenue from those operations isn't going to move out of London. Same with Shell.
Although a barrel of oil may well be worth $100 or so, that doesn't mean any government will see all of that. Assuming Scotland keeps 90% of government revenue from the North Sea it seems that'd be a lot less then you talk about. And the UK as a whole has been less reliant on it over the years
Hugh
You're back to experts again. Some say loss of Oil will be a big issue, some not.
But back to CU. Is it good for us, the UK as well as Scotland? Answer, no.
Firstly, you will no doubt want some form of control, why should the UK have our economic policy dictated by a Government we not only didn't vote for, but can't?
Secondly, your economic policy is dictated by your social policies, which are unaffordable, so you will be mounting debt and expecting the UK to guarantee it? Are you really being serious?
I doubt any UK Government would back the idea, it's a huge vote looser, because of the attitude of the "Yes" camp in Scotland. Sorry Hugh, but the attitude you, the SNP and many of the Yes camp display is annoying a lot of the rest of the UK.
You said the Union is broken, thats fine, leave it, but don't then expect to cherry pick bits to keep. Independence means cutting links. If you vote yes, it should be that, bye thanks for coming.
Tax is raised in the country the oil is landed in not where the business base ofvthe companynis, otherwise the UK would never see a penny from BP, they'd set up hq in some south sea island they bought.
I'm starting to think perhaps the rest of the Uk need a yes vote to move forward and so do Scotland, we can not have the same currency - well eventually. A gradual process is what's needed and when the Oil runs out in 40 or so years time Scotland might realise the grass isn't quite so green after all.
Can't see Labour getting back into power for ages if it's the case though!