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Can England just opt out of the Uk?

24

Comments

  • Posts: 5,518 [Deleted User]


    That's not quite true, it's simply that Wales has morphed into England due to traditionally English people buying homes there.

    Neither Scotland or Wales are English by conquest, but that’s a lot more accurate than your post.


  • Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Not once has he acknowledged these polls. They dont fit his world view so he just ignores them.

    Well, maybe there is a hint in the username and he is not following the argument?

    In reality there will be Scottish independence sooner rather than later. The SNP can call one, the English can object, but it's not clear that an advisory referendum can be stopped. Brexit was an advisory referendum after all -- while the last Scottish one was binding.

    The SNP promised one last year, but Covid and the slowness of Brexit interfered. It will happen sooner rather than later.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,710 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    It holds the same relevance.

    As the balance of power stands in the UK, the Prime Minister is the person who holds all the aces. A new referendum can only be legally initiated with that offices' approval. So definitely not until after the next UK election at least - circa 2024/25. Compound that with the actual silent majority in Scotland who are not arsed, as was proven at the last referendum.

    There is always going to be an attempt to radicalise separatists in working class Scotland. But the reality is that post Brexit Britain will see more money in the average pocket and their citizens should be actually benefiting economically from the changes. The working class of the UK will be better off.

    To properly radicalise support behind a movement you need to convince voters that they might be better off. But the reality is that they will be better off. Scottish Independence is a bit like a prick tease, it is a dream as opposed to a viable future for Scotland. Most Scots know this and so don't bother supporting it - they will down the pub, the Aul Enemy and all that - but they won't when the ballots open, their pockets' won't let them.

    None of this is in any way relevant tp your claim that "55% of Scottish people think Scottish independence is not their bag" is still an accurate statistic.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Aegir wrote: »
    Neither Scotland or Wales are English by conquest, but that’s a lot more accurate than your post.


    Lol. They only went and built castles in Wales like there was no tomorrow. They defeated the Welsh. Would love to hear the alternative history.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,017 ✭✭✭SharpshooterTom


    FWIW the 2014 Scottish Independence referendum was largely decided by age.

    Younger people overwhelmingly voted YES and older people, the WWII generation etc, largely voted NO.

    Although it is true people more conservative when they get older, the age differences were very lopsided, independence wasn't even on the cards 30 or 40 years ago so I do think there's a generational shift taking place and eventually its likely Scotland will leave as the demographics change.


  • Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I always find these conversations fascinating. Ireland has excelled within the EU, but when Scotland, Northern Ireland, or Wales are talked about, the consensus is that they could not survive on their own or qualify for EU membership.

    It is this big elephant in the room that Brexiteers ignore. They rail against the EU, which is clearly beneficial to small nations, whilst ignoring how bad their union is for their smaller nations.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    FWIW the 2014 Scottish Independence referendum was largely decided by age.

    Younger people overwhelmingly voted YES and older people, the WWII generation etc, largely voted NO.

    Although it is true people more conservative when they get older, the age differences were very lopsided, independence wasn't even on the cards 30 or 40 years ago so I do think there's a generational shift taking place and eventually its likely Scotland will leave as the demographics change.


    IAMMORON thinks it's just a few Rab C. Nesbitt types that want independence. :o


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,333 ✭✭✭Hamsterchops


    I always find these conversations fascinating. Ireland has excelled within the EU, but when Scotland, Northern Ireland, or Wales are talked about, the consensus is that they could not survive on their own or qualify for EU membership.

    It is this big elephant in the room that Brexiteers ignore. They rail against the EU, which is clearly beneficial to small nations, whilst ignoring how bad their union is for their smaller nations.

    I came across a great discussion on RT about the prospect of the UK breaking up, Scotland in particular was the main talking point, but what caught my ear was the prospect of Scotland going through all the stress and hard fought negotiations all over again, only this time on two fronts.

    If Scotland has another independence referendum (and the leave side wins), they'd then have to kick off divorce proceedings with the rest of the UK ... which would be messy enough, and even fisheries could be s right nightmare in a tussle with Westminster, specially after all the acramony and hard fought negotiations with the EU over fisheries.

    Disentangling Scotland from the rest of the UK, decoupling the NHS, negotiations on defence with the RAF pulling out of Scotland, the Royal Navy also shutting down its bases in Scotland, the BBC pulling out, with s new harder economic border coming into force between the North of England & Scotland :cool:

    Then Scotland has to reapply to join the EU as a new & very small independent country!
    Scotland might also have to adopt the Euro as it's currency? (Should it abandon GBP)?

    Ireland's decoupling from the rest of these islands happened during the trauma & in the wake of the Great War, Scotland doing it today would be a very different prospect in s very different world.

    Depending on how you debate it, it can either sound daunting and crazy or just madness (in the current climate) all this according to the RT chaps opinion, but it did make my think that another Scottish independence vote to leave may not be a forgon conclusion. Brexit might have cemented Scotland's place within the UK for the long haul.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,554 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    In reality England (and Wales) come as one unit. This, even though they have two separate identies within the UK. They share a soft border between them, but Wales is a Principality (not a country), so if (and when) Scotland and NI leave the Union, England & Wales will keep the lights on :)

    England accounts for approx 84% of the UK in population terms, so it can't really leave the UK.

    Are being a principality and a country exclusive? Andorra, Liechtenstein and Monaco are principalities and countries. Luxembourg is a Grand Duchy and a country.

    I'm not sure Wales is actually a principality any more


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,078 ✭✭✭IAMAMORON


    IAMMORON thinks it's just a few Rab C. Nesbitt types that want independence. :o

    And Guardian Readers. Throw in a few Dundee United fans.

    Most Scots aren't arsed. Most Scots don't drink Irn Bru and Vodka either, they live in nice houses and drive nice cars and have British Passports - they like that.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Are being a principality and a country exclusive? Andorra, Liechtenstein and Monaco are principalities and countries. Luxembourg is a Grand Duchy and a country.

    I'm not sure Wales is actually a principality any more


    Semantics really. By the time Wales had its first region wide leader it was within the orbit of England and rather risk drawing them on him he agreed a Prince designation rather than King. It didn't last long anyway and the English king named his first born son the Prince of Wales. And so it goes today.


    It (as is Northern Ireland) is considered one of the 4 nations making up the UK. By the British at least. It was a forerunner to federalisation from which the likes of Germany rose. It too had loads of princes.


  • Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    And Guardian Readers. Throw in a few Dundee United fans.

    Most Scots aren't arsed. Most Scots don't drink Irn Bru and Vodka either, they live in nice houses and drive nice cars and have British Passports - they like that.

    You think most of the population aren't arsed about being part of a union it can't leave, and a union that means it is actually ruled from outside.. But most of the English population were arsed about a supranational organisation they could leave at any time and weren't ruled by.

    Why were the English not happy with their nice houses and nice cars?


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    And Guardian Readers. Throw in a few Dundee United fans.

    Most Scots aren't arsed. Most Scots don't drink Irn Bru and Vodka either, they live in nice houses and drive nice cars and have British Passports - they like that.

    No, the majority don't like that, as the last 18 polls have demonstrated. But you are choosing to continue to ignore that and are instead choosing to assume that things like Brexit have not changed many people's mindset for whatever reason.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,910 ✭✭✭begbysback




  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,554 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Semantics really. By the time Wales had its first region wide leader it was within the orbit of England and rather risk drawing them on him he agreed a Prince designation rather than King. It didn't last long anyway and the English king named his first born son the Prince of Wales. And so it goes today.


    It (as is Northern Ireland) is considered one of the 4 nations making up the UK. By the British at least. It was a forerunner to federalisation from which the likes of Germany rose. It too had loads of princes.

    Maybe it's more pedantry but is NI seen as a nation by anyone?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,536 ✭✭✭con___manx1


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    That won't happen either, sure they only voted against independence a few years ago.

    Most people in Scotland are very happy to remain the UK.

    Another vote can only come about with the proposal of the British Prime Minister, so go figure.
    The result of the Scottish referendum was only 55 percent that wanted to stay part or the UK. If that referendum had taken place after the brexit vote I think the result could have been alot closer.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    And Guardian Readers. Throw in a few Dundee United fans.

    Most Scots aren't arsed. Most Scots don't drink Irn Bru and Vodka either, they live in nice houses and drive nice cars and have British Passports - they like that.


    So, 45% of Scots (at least) are scroungers and/or Dundee United supporters? Phew, you pulled that out of the fire. For a second there I was worried about your credibility.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,333 ✭✭✭Hamsterchops


    Maybe it's more pedantry but is NI seen as a nation by anyone?

    No, of course it's not a nation, it's part of the island of Ireland, but it also a region within the UK.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,910 ✭✭✭begbysback


    No, of course it's not a nation, it's part of the island of Ireland, but it also a region within the UK.

    Fifa would disagree


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,333 ✭✭✭Hamsterchops


    Fifa are on drugs ;)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,824 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay




    You'd think the brexiteers would be fully behind a nation breaking away from a union and being independent.............

    Yeah, I've never really got why Trump likes Brexit so much. It's exactly the same as, say, California deciding to leave the US. Trump would have a massive fit if that was being floated.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    begbysback wrote: »
    Fifa would disagree


    Some sporting and other organisations are All-Ireland basis. Brexit has muddied it even further.


    To sum up. Its complicated.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭wiggle16


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    Like what exactly? What has changed?
    This:
    Plus, one of the major points England had in its campaign for Scotland to vote no last time was that if Scotland left the UK it would take them out of the EU and they'd face years trying to get back in.

    The full argument as it went at the time was that Scotland leaving the UK, and by extension the EU (for some reason), was an unacceptable risk because re-entering the EU was not at all guaranteed on account of the precedent it would set for other EU countries, specifically for Spain and the prospect of an independent Catalonia.

    For Scotland to leave its EU "parent" country and then be automatically re-admitted would have been vigorously opposed by Spain, and have the potential to create a crisis for the EU if Catalonia were to unilaterally break away - Catalonia would have a legitimate precedent to cite for re-entry, but to re-admit Catalonia would necessitate recognition of its independence, an affront to Spain which it wouldn't tolerate.

    In addition, with the sole exception of Murcia, the entire Spanish coastline is made up of regions which have separatist movements of varying support. There is no way Spain would have allowed Scotland to re-enter the EU.

    With Brexit, that problem is now completely moot. For Scotland to leave its non-EU "parent" country and join the EU is not a threat to Spain's territorial integrity. And so the situation has completely changed. You can't use a 2014 election result to evaluate 2021's state of affairs. Too much has changed.

    As for nuclear submarines, I imagine an arrangement similar to our Treaty Ports in 1921 would not be difficult for them to agree to. The remnant UK and a Scottish Republic are guaranteed to be exceedingly cooperative when it comes to defence.


  • Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    McGaggs wrote: »
    Yeah, I've never really got why Trump likes Brexit so much. It's exactly the same as, say, California deciding to leave the US. Trump would have a massive fit if that was being floated.

    It's nothing like California leaving. Maybe something more like Guam or Puerto Rico.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,078 ✭✭✭IAMAMORON


    So, 45% of Scots (at least) are scroungers and/or Dundee United supporters? Phew, you pulled that out of the fire. For a second there I was worried about your credibility.

    Sorry I forgot about the long term unemployed who live in social housing schemes in East Glasgow.

    No one else is arsed. The facts are there for all to see.

    Your average Scottish person wants to enjoy the benefits of remaining in the UK, they are not that fussed. Scotland were asked this 6 years ago and they said " no" , they voted to remain in the UK. I cannot see that changing in all honesty.

    As I alluded to earlier the SNP are a fudge or a double bluff. They want

    a) to be in power
    b) to campaign for an independent Scotland
    c) to reap the benefits of that campaign

    they don't want

    a) to orchestrate independence
    b) to organise Proportional representation in Scottish voting systems - they know this won't work and their survival only works on a first past the post system.

    The SNP exude the epitome of hypocrisy - they make me cringe.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    I cannot see that changing in all honesty.


    Cannot or will not? 'There are none so blind as those that refuse to see.'


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,824 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    There is no opt out clause in the 1707 Act of Union.

    WHICH ARTICLES OF UNION and Act immediately above-written Her Majesty with advice and consent foresaid Statutes Enacts and Ordains to be and Continue in all time coming the sure and perpetuall foundation of ane compleat and intire Union of the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England.

    In the above Her Majesty is Queen Anne.

    Queen Anne had ruled the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Scotland, and the Kingdom of Ireland since 8 March 1702. She became monarch of the Kingdom of Great Britain after the political union of England and Scotland on 1 May 1707.

    Did the 1801 act change anything?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,333 ✭✭✭Hamsterchops


    wiggle16 wrote: »
    This:


    The full argument as it went at the time was that Scotland leaving the UK, and by extension the EU (for some reason), was an unacceptable risk because re-entering the EU was not at all guaranteed on account of the precedent it would set for other EU countries, specifically for Spain and the prospect of an independent Catalonia.

    For Scotland to leave its EU "parent" country and then be automatically re-admitted would have been vigorously opposed by Spain, and have the potential to create a crisis for the EU if Catalonia were to unilaterally break away - Catalonia would have a legitimate precedent to cite for re-entry, but to re-admit Catalonia would necessitate recognition of its independence, an affront to Spain which it wouldn't tolerate.

    In addition, with the sole exception of Murcia, the entire Spanish coastline is made up of regions which have separatist movements of varying support. There is no way Spain would have allowed Scotland to re-enter the EU.

    With Brexit, that problem is now completely moot. For Scotland to leave its non-EU "parent" country and join the EU is not a threat to Spain's territorial integrity. And so the situation has completely changed. You can't use a 2014 election result to evaluate 2021's state of affairs. Too much has changed.

    As for nuclear submarines, I imagine an arrangement similar to our Treaty Ports in 1921 would not be difficult for them to agree to. The remnant UK and a Scottish Republic are guaranteed to be exceedingly cooperative when it comes to defence.

    Fascinating view, specially when looked at in addition to all the issues raised in #59, in other words it's complicated :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,231 ✭✭✭Hercule Poirot


    Smee_Again wrote: »
    England can’t opt out it would have to expel the other nations from the Union.

    Edited to add: and I doubt they could actually expel the other nations.

    Could England just not dissolve the Act of Union?


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    Sorry I forgot about the long term unemployed who live in social housing schemes in East Glasgow.

    No one else is arsed. The facts are there for all to see.

    Your average Scottish person wants to enjoy the benefits of remaining in the UK, they are not that fussed. Scotland were asked this 6 years ago and they said " no" , they voted to remain in the UK. I cannot see that changing in all honesty.

    As I alluded to earlier the SNP are a fudge or a double bluff. They want

    a) to be in power
    b) to campaign for an independent Scotland
    c) to reap the benefits of that campaign

    they don't want

    a) to orchestrate independence
    b) to organise Proportional representation in Scottish voting systems - they know this won't work and their survival only works on a first past the post system.

    The SNP exude the epitome of hypocrisy - they make me cringe.

    Yes the facts are indeed all there to see, and the facts show that your statement in bold is false as recent polls indicate.

    The majority want to be part of both the UK and the EU, but if they can only be part of one of them, the majority want to be part of the EU.

    Not quite sure why it's so difficult for you to understand something so basic.


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  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    McGaggs wrote: »
    Did the 1801 act change anything?


    Between the two dates they stopped burning witches. So, progress can be made. ;)


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭wiggle16


    Queen Anne had ruled the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Scotland, and the Kingdom of Ireland since 8 March 1702. She became monarch of the Kingdom of Great Britain after the political union of England and Scotland on 1 May 1707.

    But not of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, created by the Act(s) of Union 1800-1801 - ironically enough as a direct result of the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland. We got the whole f*cking sh*tshow going in the first place.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,824 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    Maybe it's more pedantry but is NI seen as a nation by anyone?

    FIFA have made a lot of weird concessions to these islands. They don't even allow our team to play under the name of the country.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,078 ✭✭✭IAMAMORON


    Cannot or will not? 'There are none so blind as those that refuse to see.'

    There certainly will not be a referendum proposed while the post Brexit United Kingdom is in its' infancy. Not going to happen. The concept of a United Kingdom post Brexit only works with the entire British Island remaining in Union.

    Controversially this does not apply to the 6 counties. The Brits are beginning to turn their backs on Loyalists - they are certainly hinting at this. However you are talking a long term PR battle here. I can see a 3 - 4 county northern Ireland before this is realised - quandary's like South Fermanagh and northern Armagh remain very much an issue - Portadown still says no. But economically the Brits are already prepping the North for ceding. Westminster wants them gone deep down.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,824 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    It's nothing like California leaving. Maybe something more like Guam or Puerto Rico.

    An association of areas with their own borders, flags, governments, etc that make their own laws, but subject in some cases to rules from the parliament of the association. Seems pretty similar to me.

    Guam leaving would be like Greenland or Saint Martin leaving the EU (think this may have happened?).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 70,731 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    Interesting reading around this and interesting that it happened so recently:
    Harold Wilson considered expelling Northern Ireland from the Union. THe bonds aren't that strong if Westminster changes it mind.

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jan/01/past.nationalarchives6


  • Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    McGaggs wrote: »
    An association of areas with their own borders, flags, governments, etc that make their own laws, but subject in some cases to rules from the parliament of the association. Seems pretty similar to me.

    Guam leaving would be like Greenland or Saint Martin leaving the EU (think this may have happened?).

    It's not, though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,011 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    The 1800 act of Union was amended in UK by the 1951 short titles act (Northern Ireland).
    Which took the form that any reference in UK acts specifically excluded the Republic of Ireland.

    A quick and dirty textual fix for a similar amendment to the 1707 act could be that the new act excludes Republic of Scotland.
    Along the lines of the 2022 short titles act (Berwick upon Tweed).

    The RT article in UK breakup is particularly interesting given it specifically excluded more recent break up examples, including USSR, Yugoslavia, Chezchislovakia and other more recent examples.

    The treaty ports example for Faslane is a relevant one.
    Defence equipment splits and allocations are also manageable and the usual approach is to take the GDP of the seceding regions into account and allocate on that basis.

    Hanging on to the 2014 Scots referendum result as being representative of current opinions is just as valid as holding the UK 2016 brexit vote as representative of current UK opinions.
    In that it isn't, the opinions have shifted quite dramatically.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭wiggle16


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    Controversially this does not apply to the 6 counties. The Brits are beginning to turn their backs on Loyalists - they are certainly hinting at this. However you are talking a long term PR battle here. I can see a 3 - 4 county northern Ireland before this is realised - quandary's like South Fermanagh and northern Armagh remain very much an issue - Portadown still says no. But economically the Brits are already prepping the North for ceding. Westminster wants them gone deep down.

    Slightly spooky but I had myself awake all night last night thinking about how this would actually work, and I hadn't even seen this thread.

    In the run up to Brexit there was so much talk about "does this bring a united Ireland even closer" and I always just thought about how shortsighted that question is.

    If there was referendum on both sides of the border tomorrow, and the result was in favour of a United Ireland, you are looking at at the very least 15 to 20 years of serious preparation before it could be put in motion.

    The Republic would have to find a way to replace the 11 billion pounds a year NI gets from the UK, and a huge transition in terms of employment. In the North, you have an employment population of 750,000 but a third of it (over 200,000) is employed in the public sector - that's over 10% of its population. By comparison, the Republic has approx 300,000 public sector workers, or 6.1% of the population. Northern Ireland carries a massive and completely unnecessary administrative bloat that would need to be sorted before unification could even begin, and just sacking 100k+ people seems a bit... unchivalrous.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,909 ✭✭✭Coillte_Bhoy


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    Sorry I forgot about the long term unemployed who live in social housing schemes in East Glasgow.

    No one else is arsed. The facts are there for all to see.

    Your average Scottish person wants to enjoy the benefits of remaining in the UK, they are not that fussed. Scotland were asked this 6 years ago and they said " no" , they voted to remain in the UK. I cannot see that changing in all honesty.

    As I alluded to earlier the SNP are a fudge or a double bluff. They want

    a) to be in power
    b) to campaign for an independent Scotland
    c) to reap the benefits of that campaign

    they don't want

    a) to orchestrate independence
    b) to organise Proportional representation in Scottish voting systems - they know this won't work and their survival only works on a first past the post system.

    The SNP exude the epitome of hypocrisy - they make me cringe.

    You are woefully misinformed.
    Elections to the Scottish parliament combine both FPTP and PR, PR is also the system used for locl elections. For EU elections a list type system is used. FPTP is used for general elections but the SNP have no power to alter that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,218 ✭✭✭✭Bannasidhe


    touts wrote: »
    England owns Wales and Scotland by right of conquest. They could just set them free again. The Scots would probably immediately bolt for the hills but the Welsh are totally domesticated and would keep hanging around pawing at the door until their English masters took pity on them and left them back in.

    Untrue.

    Scotland and England were formally united when both parliaments ratified a treaty in 1707. The Stuarts of Scotland succeeded to the Crown of England following the death of Elizabeth Tudor (the Tudors were Welsh by the way). Henry VIII's sister Margaret had been married to James IV of Scotland - their grandchild was Mary Stuart, their great grandson James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603.

    England never conquered Scotland - despite many attempts to do so.
    Wales was conquered by the Normans - as was England, so perhaps both should be pawing at the door of the French?

    Have you ever ready an actual history book written by actual historians?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,078 ✭✭✭IAMAMORON


    wiggle16 wrote: »
    Slightly spooky but I had myself awake all night last night thinking about how this would actually work, and I hadn't even seen this thread.

    In the run up to Brexit there was so much talk about "does this bring a united Ireland even closer" and I always just thought about how shortsighted that question is.

    If there was referendum on both sides of the border tomorrow, and the result was in favour of a United Ireland, you are looking at at the very least 15 to 20 years of serious preparation before it could be put in motion.

    The Republic would have to find a way to replace the 11 billion pounds a year NI gets from the UK, and a huge transition in terms of employment. In the North, you have an employment population of 750,000 but a third of it (over 200,000) is employed in the public sector - that's over 10% of its population. By comparison, the Republic has approx 300,000 public sector workers, or 6.1% of the population. Northern Ireland carries a massive and completely unnecessary administrative bloat that would need to be sorted before unification could even begin, and just sacking 100k+ people seems a bit... unchivalrous.

    That is before the riots start.....


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,078 ✭✭✭IAMAMORON


    You are woefully misinformed.
    Elections to the Scottish parliament combine both FPTP and PR, PR is also the system used for locl elections. For EU elections a list type system is used. FPTP is used for general elections but the SNP have no power to alter that.

    So what part of woefully misinformed am I?

    PR is only used in local elections - as you say. This cannot alter the constitutional direction of Scotland.

    Adjectives are a poor mans' freedom of speech.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,034 ✭✭✭Hyperbollix


    Pre Brexit, I would have said Scotland would never leave the union. Too many risk averse voters who didn't see enough benefit in cutting the apron strings to Mammy in London...

    Now, I think it's very different. Brexit is an English nationalist/Tory/Elitist conjob which is removing Scots rights. If it goes badly wrong in the short to medium term, I could see a successful independence vote. All that Boris and co have to do is to make sure another referendum is a long term project. That way the economy may have recovered, people are back in full employment and are, again, too risk averse/apathetic to change things.

    As for England extracting itself voluntarily from the union.............why would they do that? The average english voter and certainly the average Brexit voter is quite happy to have dominion over the Scot's and the Welsh. They like having an Eton bullshít artist dictating to other nations what they can do and when.....

    They just don't like the idea of "Ze Germans" dictating to them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,909 ✭✭✭Coillte_Bhoy


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    So what part of woefully misinformed am I?

    PR is only used in local elections - as you say. This cannot alter the constitutional direction of Scotland.

    Adjectives are a poor mans' freedom of speech.

    You said to the SNP didnt want 'organise Proportional representation in Scottish voting systems' . You didnt specify a General Election, you specifically said ;voting systems'


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    Covid and Brexit have sealed the fate of the UK, an independent Scotland also suits the Tory party, it'll happen.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,078 ✭✭✭IAMAMORON


    You said to the SNP didnt want 'organise Proportional representation in Scottish voting systems' . You didnt specify a General Election, you specifically said ;voting systems'

    So it's semantics now is it?

    Probably not going to guarantee a vote on independence for the next 20 years either.

    PR will not influence a yes or no vote. Only the British PM can authorise a vote, regardless of the voting system.

    I prefer pedantics to semantics myself, try it sometime, at least it gives your argument a squeak.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 70,731 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    So it's semantics now is it?

    Probably not going to guarantee a vote on independence for the next 20 years either.

    PR will not influence a yes or no vote. Only the British PM can authorise a vote, regardless of the voting system.

    I prefer pedantics to semantics myself, try it sometime, at least it gives your argument a squeak.

    Democratic pressure will dictate when there is a vote just like it did the Brexit one.
    A strong showing by the SNP in elections will put pressure on Westminster whether you, Boris etc stamp your feet or not.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,078 ✭✭✭IAMAMORON


    Democratic pressure will dictate when there is a vote just like it did the Brexit one.
    A strong showing by the SNP in elections will put pressure on Westminster whether you, Boris etc stamp your feet or not.

    Won't happen Francis - you know this.

    The ruling authority in the UK are not going to risk losing their power by offering another Scottish vote on independence. Particularly in an infant post Brexit Britain. There is a better chance of a Border Poll over here - in fact that is more likely to happen first - if only to patronise Scottish nationalist ambition.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 70,731 ✭✭✭✭FrancieBrady


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    Won't happen Francis - you know this.

    The ruling authority in the UK are not going to risk losing their power by offering another Scottish vote on independence. Particularly in an infant post Brexit Britain. There is a better chance of a Border Poll over here - in fact that is more likely to happen first - if only to patronise Scottish nationalist ambition.

    That is rubbish, there will be pressure on Westminster to give a nod to a referendum if the SNP maintain and increase their support. There comes a tipping point where you can no longer pretend to be a democracy if you ignore that. That will be the pressure on Boris or a successor.
    You seem to be holding to your position here just to have snide digs, like the one above.


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