Break-up of UK

[Workingman]

That said, there doesn't seem to be an appetite for a second referendum amongst those folk "north of the border", though, so I surmise that the massive victory the SNP are going to win tomorrow comes more from a "let's kick Westminster" rather than a "let's ditch the English".

Is that fair comment, Suff?

I'm not Suff, but "No".

There is an element in Scotland that wants to "kick Westminster" and "let's ditch the English". If that is what they want let them go for it.

Give them a second referendum. Let them break up the Union. But before they vote let them know what they will get. Spell it out, plain and clear, what the outcome will be.

Don't mess about with these people. Give the answers to them straight and simple - you will be a lot worse off.
Then let them decide... and go with their decision.

[Suff]

Actually the referendum is not the key issue at this election. Those voting SNP are absolutely furious at labour. Now that the referendum is over they can vote SNP and kick the crap out of Labour. This does not so much have to do with England or independence, it has to do with the way Labour behaved during the independence election.

Basically Labour showed themselves to be slaves to the English parliament (as the Scots see it). Whether they want independence or not, more than 50% of the people want to kick Labour and that is what is happening now.

In fact the No vote on Independence gives them way more leeway to vote Labour out than a Yes vote would have done.

Also this "worse off" situation is always subjective. The English press like to go on about how the drop in value of Oil just goes to show how badly Scotland would be off if they left the UK. They never, ever, report the fact that Scotland, in the UK, only lost 10% of that revenue. England and the rest were hit by 90% of the loss because they get 90% of the revenue.

So, in Scots terms, they would still be better off. It might take a decade to get it all sorted out, but it would benefit them in the end. It's hard to understand from an English point of view, but the New Zealanders would understand it perfectly, after all who would say that NZ MUST be part of Australia just because they're not big enough or could not support themselves. If NZ was joined to Australia, the same arguments would be trotted out over and over again as to why they should not leave.

In fact it's exactly the same argument used to tell the Empire that they would be better off "in" than out. Look how that worked out.

So today this is message day. The message is this. "If you want to get votes in Scotland, don't EVER stand on a podium with the Tories and promise things you have no intention of delivering".....

That is what this is all about.

[Workingman]

The English press like to go on about how the drop in value of Oil just goes to show how badly Scotland would be off if they left the UK. They never, ever, report the fact that Scotland, in the UK, only lost 10% of that revenue. England and the rest were hit by 90% of the loss because they get 90% of the revenue.

True, but the UK, inc Scotland, with many income streams, can mitigate and cope with fluctuations in the oil market. An independent Scotland getting 90% of oil revenues as its major income stream would struggle desperately to cope with such fluctuations. Maybe the Scottish press and the "No" voters should have made that widely known during their current election campaigns.

[KateLMead]

Just awaiting the results of the election. Sleepless night tonight expecting the total destruction of the UK if any of the parties show support for the SNP and that revolting woman, who has the appeal of a Nazi along with Salmon her two IC.

[Suff]

True, but the UK, inc Scotland, with many income streams, can mitigate and cope with fluctuations in the oil market. An independent Scotland getting 90% of oil revenues as its major income stream would struggle desperately to cope with such fluctuations. Maybe the Scottish press and the "No" voters should have made that widely known during their current election campaigns.

The NO campaign tried to avoid the whole Oil situation like the plague. They comprehensively lied to the Scots about available reserves and just "want it to go away". In short they lied their asses off and had "experts" lie for them too.

It is the absolute last thing they wanted to talk about. They didn't so much shoot themselves in the foot as right in the heart.

Tories doing better than expected but on par with the exit poll. I was despondent earlier in the day but am mildly more optimistic right now.