Buckle yer belts for a landslide wee Eck

[Commore]

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/10/20083324

"She who said she would never talk politics"

I am thinking that after Westminster's bombshell yesterday regarding their cuts,
that wee Eck and company can expect a landslide on election day.
In my opinion,
Scottish people have come to expect a certain quality of life and I cannot see them giving that up easily.

I think that as far Scotland is concerned, Westminster has just bitten the dust!

[ducati]

Surely an independent Scotland would lose all it's income from defence:(

[Gronnuck]

Let's be honest - the only reason SNP got voted in was because the electorate wanted rid of Blair's Scottish Lie-boor poodles. Next year will be interesting but even if SNP did win again they won't have the courage to hold a referendum on independence, or the strength to force the issue.

[Commore]

I feel so sorry for those whose jobs and livliehoods are affected by these cuts,
their small communities devasted in one foul swoop, by no-one else but Westminister,
whether wee Eck, has the wherewithall or even the guts to lead Scotland to independence is in my opinion neither here nor there. Or at least not a this present time.

I do however, feel that the Westminster cronies are once again targetting Scotland's people first,
as those who are in power in the South have always done,

I also fear that the cuts to Britain's defences are in effect leaving Britain and her people whether from the North or the South, wide open to attacks from other countries.

Surely, our defence services should have been the last services to experience cuts of whatever nature?

[Gronnuck]

IMHO its too early to say what will happen to Kinloss and Lossiemouth. OK the RAF is being cut but there is also plans to withdraw our garrisons from Germany over the next five years and these troops have to be accommodated somewhere. There are large numbers of troops in Gutersloh and Paderborn/Sennelager that could take up residence in Moray. I imagine it will be a wee while before the future plans are made clear.

[sam09]

If only the SNP had the guts to take us out of the E.U. then we would have a truly independent Scotland.

[Paul_and_Anna]

Surely an independent Scotland would lose all it's income from defence:(

Indeed it would ..... as it is bases will go, but I have a feeling that NATO bases might well replace them eventually.

"It's a commie Plot, Harry!"


Why on earth would Scotland want independence? It would have to be paid for, by the taxpayers of course, and there goes the quality of life one has become used to .......

I'm an Englishman, but I have made the Highlands my home by choice. I much preferred the days of the Union Jack. In my humble opinion it's a bit like the european situation; United we stand, divided we fall. We need to be a Nation, not a rancid division as has happened to many wonderful countries, the former Yugoslavia is a good example of what really happens when small countries strive for independence and set out differences and divisions among one and other.

We may speak in slightly strange tongues, and we may have different cultures from one and other, but be that as it may we are all still in the same boat. Rowing together makes sense to me ...... :)

Paul.

[Whitewater]

If only the SNP had the guts to take us out of the E.U. then we would have a truly independent Scotland.

I don't think and idependent Scotland is the answer, where are we going to get our money from, we get billions from both the British and European parliaments. What is the SNP going to replace it with. It certainly will not be Scottish oil, the British government has control of that and there is no way we will be getting it back.

The union of the parliaments took place because Scotland was broke, sucked to death by all the land owners. We have been able to screw billions out of the British parliament since then, now Europe is giving us money as well. Lets keep at, we have never had so much money as a country.

[Paul_and_Anna]

I don't think and idependent Scotland is the answer, where are we going to get our money from, we get billions from both the British and European parliaments. What is the SNP going to replace it with. It certainly will not be Scottish oil, the British government has control of that and there is no way we will be getting it back.

The union of the parliaments took place because Scotland was broke, sucked to death by all the land owners. We have been able to screw billions out of the British parliament since then, now Europe is giving us money as well. Lets keep at, we have never had so much money as a country.

Well said sir!

When all else fails common sense is the safest bet.

[golach]

I
The union of the parliaments took place because Scotland was broke, sucked to death by all the land owners.

Not so, Scotland was not broke, Scotland was bankrupt, because of the disastrous Darien Project, it was a failure. If it had succeeded, we would have ruled the Caribbean.

And I would not support wee eck, even if Donald Trump paid me

[bagpuss]

In the past the SNP talked of creating a neutral country (ie no nuclear and no armed forces to speak of) mini state along the lines of Switzerland, with favourable tax benefits for the super-rich in order to attract money in. Wonder if it's still on the cards.

[Fly]

If we become independent what do we do for defence? The rest of Britain will not defend us and if it ever happened (God forbid) fallout from a nuclear attack will not stop at the border just because we are not part of Britain. What do we do for power? We won't earn much from tourism for who is going to come to see a country over run with inefficient wind farms. Thats only three reasons we should not come out of the UK. There are many more.

[Commore]

If we become independent what do we do for defence? The rest of Britain will not defend us and if it ever happened (God forbid) fallout from a nuclear attack will not stop at the border just because we are not part of Britain. What do we do for power? We won't earn much from tourism for who is going to come to see a country over run with inefficient wind farms. Thats only three reasons we should not come out of the UK. There are many more.

When did a Scotsman ever need protection?
and where will England get it's army from?
I don't think there would be very much of a difference between an independent Scotland and any other independent state,
don't know if Eck's the man to do it though.........

For the parties, the tories, the libdems and labour, Scotland has been consistently let down, for years and years and whether or not "independence, ever gets on the cards / off the ground"
is a matter best discussed on another day,
for now though,
will snp have the guts to rise to the challenge on election day?
and will the "coalition" be shown the door by Scottish voters?

[bekisman]

IMHO its too early to say what will happen to Kinloss and Lossiemouth. OK the RAF is being cut but there is also plans to withdraw our garrisons from Germany over the next five years and these troops have to be accommodated somewhere. There are large numbers of troops in Gutersloh and Paderborn/Sennelager that could take up residence in Moray. I imagine it will be a wee while before the future plans are made clear.

Me thinks that Kinloss will remain operational until end of July next year... and as Gronnuck intimates, there are many German Units that do not have a UK base..

[bekisman]

In the past the SNP talked of creating a neutral country (ie no nuclear and no armed forces to speak of) mini state along the lines of Switzerland, with favourable tax benefits for the super-rich in order to attract money in. Wonder if it's still on the cards.

Don't expect so, Salmond campaigned to get rid of Faslane.. whoops! does a complete U-turn and campaigns to keep it..

[northener]

The union of the parliaments took place because Scotland was broke, sucked to death by all the land owners. We have been able to screw billions out of the British parliament since then, now Europe is giving us money as well. Lets keep at, we have never had so much money as a country.

It was the Darien escapade that actually crippled Scotland.

[northener]

Don't expect so, Salmond campaigned to get rid of Faslane.. whoops! does a complete U-turn and campaigns to keep it..

Makes me laugh every time the SNP start blethering on about defence cuts.

"We want the income from the troops and bases, but we don't want you."