Watched Question Time last night and they discussed splitting the United Kingdom up...Scotland has teh choice to seperate...what the audience member asked was..."why doesn't England have the choice to cut ties.."




So.. what is your opinion??

Given the choice would you dissolve the union or not?

Pro's and Cons?

This is quite a hot topic at the moment. The thing that really annoys me is that England is basically funding Scotland single handedly yet a large number of scots still want independance. They don't seem to realise if they cut ties with England their economy isn't strong enough to keep many of the measures brought in afloat. Schemes like free prescriptions and grants for students at university (particularly annoying for a student like myself paying £3000 a year) would all be in serious trouble considering it is English taxpayers who are funding them. So I say let them have independance; they'll come crying back to us within a year. Rant over.:boxing:

Monk, i think the same thing. I love Scotland, however I think they'd struggle alone and are better with us than without. I also think it'd cause a whole heap of confusement...

I mean...does devolution mean that all the Scotch Army Units will be handed over to them? Could Scotland pull out of Iraq? How will we cut the fact all the tax and all the expenditure is coming out of a shared pot.

I prefer us as a collective.

This is quite a hot topic at the moment. The thing that really annoys me is that England is basically funding Scotland single handedly yet a large number of scots still want independance. They don't seem to realise if they cut ties with England their economy isn't strong enough to keep many of the measures brought in afloat. Schemes like free prescriptions and grants for students at university (particularly annoying for a student like myself paying £3000 a year) would all be in serious trouble considering it is English taxpayers who are funding them. So I say let them have independance; they'll come crying back to us within a year. Rant over.:boxing:

This is misinformed rubbish. There are no especially strong arguments to suggest England or Scotland would be better off independent which is why most people realise it would be foolish to break up the country.

This is misinformed rubbish. There are no especially strong arguments to suggest England or Scotland would be better off independent which is why most people realise it would be foolish to break up the country.

Thanks:) You could argue my post was opinionated and one-sided, but to label it "misinformed rubbish" is naive. There are numerous articles avaliable on the internet on the topic which I recommend you browse through when you have some spare time.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article1909775.ece

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=488944&in_page_id=1770

These are two I found in under a minute. They are not the most balanced articles you will find, but the facts are there for everyone to see.

There's no point in reading those articles beyond the headline because the premise of them is entirely wrong. Higher education in Scotland is not free of charge, we get our fees paid for us and are entitled to a student loan both of which are paid back when our wage reaches a certain level. Any discussion of a hypothetical situation in the future is just that - hypothetical. Furthermore, this country's income comes from a variety of sources so the suggestion that English Tax is paying for Scottish universities is utter tosh!

This is quite a hot topic at the moment. The thing that really annoys me is that England is basically funding Scotland single handedly yet a large number of scots still want independance. They don't seem to realise if they cut ties with England their economy isn't strong enough to keep many of the measures brought in afloat. Schemes like free prescriptions and grants for students at university (particularly annoying for a student like myself paying £3000 a year) would all be in serious trouble considering it is English taxpayers who are funding them. So I say let them have independance; they'll come crying back to us within a year. Rant over.:boxing:
Yep your right England pay far more to Scotland the the Scots pay back in tax, England have funded the free prescriptions and all the other free stuff they give out the SNP are full of crap Scotland would end up a third world country with out the hand outs from central govenment.
The people from Berwick in North Northumberland said recently that they would love to be part of Scotland, news for them YOU ARE FROM ENGLAND, the Scots were kicked out in 1492.

There's no point in reading those articles beyond the headline because the premise of them is entirely wrong. Higher education in Scotland is not free of charge, we get our fees paid for us and are entitled to a student loan both of which are paid back when our wage reaches a certain level. Any discussion of a hypothetical situation in the future is just that - hypothetical. Furthermore, this country's income comes from a variety of sources so the suggestion that English Tax is paying for Scottish universities is utter tosh!

Nobody is suggesting that; its the grants that are being given to Scottish students to cover their fees which are being funded by English taxpayers.

Yep your right England pay far more to Scotland the the Scots pay back in tax, England have funded the free prescriptions and all the other free stuff they give out the SNP are full of crap Scotland would end up a third world country with out the hand outs from central govenment.
The people from Berwick in North Northumberland said recently that they would love to be part of Scotland, news for them YOU ARE FROM ENGLAND, the Scots were kicked out in 1492.

Prescriptions aren't free, they are only free to pensioners, minors and those on benefits.

Nobody is suggesting that; its the grants that are being given to Scottish students to cover their fees which are being funded by English taxpayers.

So who exactly worked out that it is only English tax being used for this? It's complete rubbish I'm afraid.

So who exactly worked out that it is only English tax being used for this? It's complete rubbish I'm afraid.

The SNP are able to bring in these measures due to a grant from Westminster. Where do you think this comes from? You keep saying its rubbish, but I can't find any evidence that shows these measures are funded from within Scotland, and until it is proved otherwise i'll think i'll stick to my guns.

The SNP are able to bring in these measures due to a grant from Westminster. Where do you think this comes from? You keep saying its rubbish, but I can't find any evidence that shows these measures are funded from within Scotland, and until it is proved otherwise i'll think i'll sick to my guns.

You can't find any evidence that it is funded from outwith Scotland either. The fact that the grant comes from Westminster is neither here not there, where do you think money spent in Scotland was coming from before devolution? The issue here isn't Scottish people getting free handouts, the issue is poor decisions from Westminster on matters which solely affect England.

You can't find any evidence that it is funded from outwith Scotland either. The fact that the grant comes from Westminster is neither here not there, where do you think money spent in Scotland was coming from before devolution? The issue here isn't Scottish people getting free handouts, the issue is poor decisions from Westminster on matters which solely affect England.

Right I think this discussion has come full circle now. My argument now, like before, is that if Scotland gains independance these handouts from Westminster will cease. The measures which have been brought in North of the border rely on these handouts to function, so when they cease the benefits Scotland enjoys will cease also. Do you see where i'm coming from?

Right I think this discussion has come full circle now. My argument now, like before, is that if Scotland gains independance these handouts from Westminster will cease. The measures which have been brought in North of the border rely on these handouts to function, so when they cease the benefits Scotland enjoys will cease also. Do you see where i'm coming from?

I can understand why someone living in England might be feeling they have a raw deal but I don't understand why anyone would think they are propping up Scotland. Westminster takes money from purely Scottish sources, North Sea Oil is one that is regularly mentioned, I don't know specifically where this money goes but it wouldn't bother me if, for example, I found out it was funding English tourism or the Olympic games.

Nobody can say for sure what would happen if Scotland became an independent country, personally I don't believe the country would suddenly degenerate into some disease ridden hell hole but likewise I do not feel a separation would bring tangible benefits.

I can understand why someone living in England might be feeling they have a raw deal but I don't understand why anyone would think they are propping up Scotland. Westminster takes money from purely Scottish sources, North Sea Oil is one that is regularly mentioned, I don't know specifically where this money goes but it wouldn't bother me if, for example, I found out it was funding English tourism or the Olympic games.

Nobody can say for sure what would happen if Scotland became an independent country, personally I don't believe the country would suddenly degenerate into some disease ridden hell hole but likewise I do not feel a separation would bring tangible benefits.

Right I agree with the majority of this post and I think its a good way to end.

Back to your topic Micky...I say lets lose Wales, they are harming our street cred.

If Scotland becomes independant I'll probably leave the country, I'm British first then Scottish

Prescriptions aren't free, they are only free to pensioners, minors and those on benefits.
mis-informed must be the Welsh then, my bad.

I'm not too fussed either way. But i do think some of the Scots take us for granted, i'm not saying they would go tits up with out us, but it would certainly harm them more then it would us, if it was disbanded.

one way is to only let Tax made in scotland be spent in scotland with no help from England at all. then see what happens, and if they do go it alone will I need a passport.
I still think a republic of Wallsend would be better.

Just read the article some one posted, please tell me this is some kind of sick joke:

All tuition fees in Scotland will be scrapped from 2009 for Scottish students.

Students from the European Union will also receive free education from 2009 unless they come from England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

That is dizzguzzdin.

Mozza...chill Winston... don't take this thread personally... devolution is an issue for us all.

Nobody is suggesting that Scotland is a "sponge" etc. But what i'm trying to say is that Scotland, rather than being better off....would be in a much more vunerable position than how it is as a part of the UK. I get the feeling the SNP watch Braveheart to much... I also get the feeling they are very xenophobic towards the English as a whole.

I got a question for you though Mozza... do you think Scotland benefits more from being in the UK than England does??

What will be the new Scotland emblem a clogged artery.

its stupid to suggest a split the UK became a super power because the union gave us security this is a backward step imo we need each other.

lol im at uni in scotland and pay half price tuition fees. £1700 i think. i dont get it though, why do we have to pay and scots dont? what is the logic behind this.