HOPC Forum

Nicola Sturgeon MSP (SNP, Glasgow Southside) has today announced that she will seek, via a parliamentary vote next week, permission to hold a second referendum on Scottish Independence. You can see her statement via http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-s ... s-39255181

At the Scottish Parliamentary Elections held last May, the SNP won 63 seats out of the 129 available, this is two seats short of an overall majority, however the Scottish Greens (who also support independence) won 6 seats meaning that there is a total of 69 votes for independence and 60 against meaning that such a vote would pass and, if Ms. Sturgeon's views are taken on board, the referendum would be held in either the Autumn of 2018 or the Spring of 2019.

I do hope, as per a comment I've seen elsewhere, it's not a case of hold a vote until you get what you want. This was suggested about Brexit. Living in Wales, as I do, I'm only too aware of how much support the EU gives Wales (and Scotland). Independence seems more of an idea than a reality. I always consider, just as a starting point, the population numbers.

UK as a whole: 64.1m (2013)
Wales: 3.016m (2011)
Scotland: 5.295m (2011)
Northern Ireland: 1.81m (2011)
Eire: 4.95m (2011)

On that basis alone where's the revenue in taxes and duty? Are there any businesses, other than oil or gas, producing enough revenue to support any true independence? In the cases of both oil and gas isn't it the case that that's now limited time wise? Shale seems to be equally divided both sides of the border?

Scotland now, like some aspects in Wales, enjoys (I believe) a higher standard of living in some ways than the UK. Here in Wales we get free prescriptions and, I think, the Scottish enjoy support at a great level on higher education. Neither of these two things alone are available in England (a little under 40million)