Home rule

[kenny m]

With more than a few Scots on here, what is the view of the scots getting home rule.

At the local council elections, more votes were cast for the other two main parties, but there was a rise in SNP votes, with Alex Salmon saying that Home rule for Scotland is getting nearer.

No matter oif the Scots were all to vote for it, it would have to be a majority vote with all of England, Wales, and Northend Ireland having a say, as it would break up the Union.

This country is small enough, would it benefit either of the union members if the Scots were to get home rule.

[Jeansman]

There would be no winners for Home Rule, and Salmond has admitted the Scots on the whole are not exactly rushing for it either. If the Scots had Home Rule previously, say when Donald Dewar was First Minister back in 1999, they would have gone the way of Ireland and Iceland - bust!!
And if Salmond were to get his wish, would Scotland continue as a Monarchy, or be a Republic?
JM.

[sophieofyork]

i don't really understand it, but being half scottish myself i would like to.... it is being discussed currently in my office too.... would you be able to give me a quick overview of all it would entail??

[Jeansman]

Home Rule would mean that Scotland would function as a seperate nation - with its own legislative powers and full revenue raising powers also - divorced entirely from the the rest of the UK.
There would be border controls just north of Carlisle and maybe armed forces too.
I feel this would be a wrong move for Scotland,with little to gain, and much to lose, and feel it is more an emotive issue, rather than a fiscal one.

[kenny m]

If Scotland were to apply for Home rule, (my understand of it is this) their would be a vote amongst the uk citizens of if the union should allow Scotland to break away from the rest of the nation.

If they did get Home rule, it would mean passport control would be in operation as Scotland would be a seperate country from the rest of the union, at present we have four parliments, but mostly we are controlled from Westminster, but if Scotland was to break away, there would be much to think about what way they could go forward, the amount of oil taxation would go to |Holyrood instead of westminster, but apart from that, I think Scotland would stuggle on their own, though reports do say they might be on an even par with Norway in terms of financial wealth.

Course I could be wronng in all of this, but thats how I see it at the moment.

[Jeansman]

Cameron does not want to go down in history as the PM who oversaw the break-up of the Union, but a resounding "yes" to a referundum would almost certainly see that happen.
I don't feel Scotland is fiscally strong enough to go ahead and do it, but Salmond needs to be very careful what he wishes for, as he may just get it......
JM.

[kenny m]

Alex Salmon has been the leader of the SNP for a long time, and he might be the person to shake the Scots up to be more aware of what Home rule is, but I dont think he would last long if the vote for a home rule was to be accepted.

Scotland might not be strong enough to break away and remain solvent, but the whole of the uk is 11 trillion in debt, so what is going to matter more to many Scots, breaking away and being a nation, or staying part of the union, while watching the cream head down south to the capital city.

[Jeansman]

Part of the national debt would have to be assigned to Scotland and I am thinking RBS and HBOS here.
JM

Alex Salmon has been the leader of the SNP for a long time, and he might be the person to shake the Scots up to be more aware of what Home rule is, but I dont think he would last long if the vote for a home rule was to be accepted.

Scotland might not be strong enough to break away and remain solvent, but the whole of the uk is 11 trillion in debt, so what is going to matter more to many Scots, breaking away and being a nation, or staying part of the union, while watching the cream head down south to the capital city.

[kenny m]

I have a brotther and sister still in Scotland,( not all have itchy feet) and they both think that Scotland would be a more richer and better place to stay if they got home rule.

The thought of a clean slate and a fresh start of a nation, seems to spur the though that Scotland can improve their lot if they get the chance, and that is what Salmond is banking on, I dont know if he wants to be king, or prime minister of Scotland, but the fame of being the person to give them freedom will be his aim....

[sophieofyork]

passport control? well that's crazy when we all share the same passport- unless of course they would have to turn in their uk passports. mind you, i quite like the idea of being dual nationality...