From the election results declared so far, it looks like change is a comin'...
There'll be more windfarms and less wild land, I'll wager.
Energy Independence Day?
18 Responses to “Energy Independence Day?”
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THE SMALL(ish) PRINT... (updated 23/07/2016)
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Free Speech: you may well have the right to it, but you've no right to compel me to a) listen to it, or b) publish it!
Thanks Stef
It looks like Smarmy Alex has got in with enough for an overall majority - so God help the Wild Land now.
Well, if he governs with the mandate of the majority of the voters, and if they support his policies, how can he be criticized?
Breaking the link with Westminster will remove many moderating influences, independence has consequences far beyond liberation.
Unfortunately the other parties provided no alternative to the SNP energy strategy. I didn't vote for the SNP this time, due to my position on their energy policy, but they have been doing a good job elsewhere. I think a few folk down south are looking at some of the SNPs achievements, healthcare in particular, with envy.
I will continue to oppose destruction of wild land through the JMT and hope they can lobby for some sense at Holyrood.
I do want independence. Mostly because I don't think Westminster is accountable to, or representative of the people of Scotland. As a small nation, we should look to the Nordics for inspiration. For better or worse, I'd rather be in control of our own destiny.
I understand what you're saying, Fraser. Scotland's independence will have been hard-won and therefore well-deserved. I'm not sure how Scotland will fare financially, though. Would such independence extend to being independent from Europe too?
Just a few quick questions - who funds all the things that you'll get for free but which cost in England (prescriptions, university education etc.) and where do they get the money from? Oh, and what'll be the status of the armed forces up there?
As for your take on Westminster, you are correct but you sold it short - it's not representative of the people of England either!
The Armed Forces don't concern me TBH, it's not something I'm worried about. Although it'd be interested to see what happens with Trident.
I take your point on Westminster.
We may be doing well from the Barnett formula ATM, but I pay my taxes too! As I said, for better or worse, I'd rather be independent. I'm not sure how we'd fare financially either, but the implication that we'd somehow be unable to manage without England propping us up is nonsense. There may be hard times [just like we're all experiencing just now], but it would be up to the people of Scotland to to address it and to grow our economy to meet our aspirations. I wouldn't expect to see any significant change to our GDP or standard of living as a result of independence.
Sorry if you've misinterpreted my meaning, Fraser, but I wasn't implying anything about a prop-up, they were genuine questions to which I really don't know or understand the answers. I had to Google "Barnett Formula", I'd never heard of it before - you've educated me there, do I owe you a small fee for that?
Having read a bit about it during the last few minutes, I note that the Government (Westminster) declared "its intention to continue to use it as the basis for funding the 3 devolved governments" (Wikipedia), but would it still apply to a fully-independent government?
Re. the Armed Forces - I was thinking primarily of the Scottish Regiments... with independence, would they continue as is (i.e. part of the British Army and hence possibly perceived as an occupying force), or would they become yours to fund and to deploy at your leisure, or would they cease to be?
I suppose the big question has to be "how far can/will such independence be taken?"
Scottish independence might be good for England as it will get rid of the iniquitous Barnett Formula and go some way to redress the democratic deficit in England (i.e. remove the Scottish MPs who can vote on English matters, but not vice versa).
I'm not sure that many really believe that Scotland can't stand on its own. Good luck to them. If they don't want to be part of the UK, fine. My only concern is that they take their share of national debt with them.
Personally I wouldn't be too bothered if Wales and Northern Ireland floated off at the same time, then we can get away from this constant whinging about English oppressors.
Well my definition is total independence, so no British army any more, but I suppose this may have to be transitioned over a period until we extract ourselves from Afghanistan/Iraq. Barnett's formula would cease to apply as finance would be controlled at Holyrood, there would . Of course, we have a strong shared history, so I'd still like to see co-operation in areas which we find mutually beneficial.
We should share our burden of the national debt, how this would be carved up would no doubt still make some folk unhappy on both sides. I can imagine the negotiations would be a long and painful. If it does ever happen, I hope it would proceed in a dignified fashion. On Robin's point of whinging - I don't feel oppressed, I'm not anti English [I'm half English] and I'm not proposing rebuilding Hadrian's Wall.
It seems we all want the same thing, our local Parliament to be more representative of our electorate. I think it's win/win personally.
Fraser, I wasn't accusing you of whinging 😯
Unfortunately there are plenty that do though 🙄
I'm just fed up with it.
That's a fine answer, Fraser.
The more I think about this, the more complex it becomes...
What of the monarchy?
Will the Duke of Edinburgh be made redundant?
Who will be Patron of the SRU?
Will Mr. Salmond's head grace your postage stamps?
Will the internet cater for "###.co.sco" rather than "###.co.uk"?
Will you be making Irn-Bru Export?
Assuming that the traditional Westminster political parties wouldn't be able to contend in an independent Scotland, will there be any viable opposition to the SNP?
Robin, I have to say that I've met very few whinging Scots, but plenty of whinging English. Mostly light-hearted stuff, a bit of fraternal winding-up by both sides really.
BG, perhaps my view is coloured by the comments you see on sites like the Guardian and Independent (I'm catholic in my reading!) , where the whinging from the Scots is rampant. I'm not sure that is "lightheated". It seems a bit vitriolic to me. Quite frankly, I would welcome a referendum. The sooner, the better as it will settle the issue one way or the other. That's democracy. It seems barmy to deny people the opportunity when there are such strongly held views. It only leads to bitterness (and whinging :lol:).
I think SNP have said they'd keep the monarchy. But that's a whole other issue! Get rid of them I say! But that's my current position anyway.
I assume we'd just have Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservatives, etc as we do now, but no longer answering to Westminster party HQ. I expect things might become a bit more open politically, post-independence.
I wouldn't advocate any airbrushing of history, we have strong cultural/historical ties. We're all still the British Isles after all.
Export ban on Irn-Bru. Sorry! 😉
@Robin - I usually avoid comments on BBC/Guardian/etc sites, online debates on thorny issues like this rarely bring out the best in people IMO, particularly where people can comment anonymously.
It doesn't take a brave man to do shit-stirring and sniping on blogs, forums and websites like the Grauniad and the Indie, Robin. Oiks from both sides, secure under the cover of online anonymity, will always be there to chuck their digital Molotovs but I doubt that many would be quite so aggressive Mano a Mano.
LOL - you beat me to it, Fraser.
There's a lot of angry people out there!
As I said, a referendum would settle it and take the heat out of it.
Can't say I've ever spotted Irn-Bru this far south, so I don't think it would change our way of life 😆
It's readily-available alongside the other fizzy gut-rotting stuff here, maybe down your way they put it in the ethnic/foreign foods section?