A Conversation for Ask h2g2

Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 1

Pastey

Over the last weekend I was up in Edinburgh for a friend's birthday party. While there, I did a fair bit of thinking about the potential independence, it's kinda hard to miss it at the moment.

Mostly though, I was thinking about how ill-informed a lot of the people are. There was one guy at the bar who was arguing until he was getting strange looks, that there'd be virtually no difference except they'd pay less taxes.

Thankfully his mate kept raising subjects like the NHS, the pound, the military, EU membership, etc, etc.

So my question really is two fold:

What *are* the implications for an independent Scotland? What would the new country have to replace?

And secondly, are any of the parties involved addressing these issues in their campaigning?


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 2

bobstafford

They will have a tough time making it viable, Scottish Widows have threatened to pull out and locate to London. Scotland just is not a viable country to be located in. Scottish power will have to compete with the French EDF who will undercut them.

I don't think it will work, and if property prices fall the government will collapse.


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 3

Pastey

What about the police too? And the other emergency services?


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 4

swl

I don't really understand the question about the police, the NHS etc - you do know these are run quite competently under devolved powers already? The military is an interesting question, as is the EU issue but the day to day public services will not really be affected IMO.


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 5

Pastey

I don't know about the NHS, which is why I mentioned it, but I did think it was the same overall body with seperate trusts.


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 6

swl

Health is a devolved matter. The NHS in Scotland is administered from Holyrood and paid for out of general taxation delivered under the block grant.

Devolved powers - http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/visitandlearn/25488.aspx


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 7

Pastey

So the structure for the NHS is in place, but would take some reworking for things like cross border emergencies, tourists from England etc. It may well just be paperwork and administration changes.

What about the DVLA? HMRC?


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 8

Dr Anthea - ah who needs to learn things... just google it!

you could argue that hmrc is broken as it is...


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 9

bobstafford

There will I suppose be a closed border policy passports required?


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 10

swl

I don't think there will be any problems replicating bureaucracies smiley - winkeye As for HMRC, I believe El Presidente Salmond has a simplification of the tax system in mind. Basically, whatever you earn, the government will take it then you apply for an allowance each week.


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 11

Secretly Not Here Any More

Poor Salmon. He's not worked out Scotland doesn't have the climate to be a Banana Republic.

smiley - laugh


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 12

Sho - employed again!

if an Independent Scotland remains in the EU medical cover for other Eu nationals visiting the country will be the same as for the rest of the EU. The only difference will be how the details are worked out, some EU countries demand upfront payment and you have to claim back from the NHS, others have different methods.

I assume that things like police and other public services will continue to be funded by whatever taxation etc that the Scottish government will have, and they, presumably, like other countries will have to decide how best to cut their cloth.


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 13

U14993989

Is this not primarily a political decision that the People of Scotland have to make? A question of governance, identity and "freedom" rather than economics? If it was a question of economics then probably it might be better to hook up with Saudi Arabia (no income tax etc).


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 14

swl

For those interested, here is a link to the White Paper released by the SNP purporting to answer many of the independence questions - http://www.pieandbovril.com/downloads/indywhitepaper.pdf


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 15

Pastey

Stone, economics has to be taken into account. It's all well and good promising everything, but if the economics and beaurocracy isn't there to back it up, it's lies.


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 16

Sho - employed again!

but you can't separate the politics from the economics - the two are indelibly intertwined for any country.

James McAvoy had an interesting take on the question of Independence on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday. He said that as we know politicians will promise just about anything before an election, and that in 5 years most likely there will be a whole different set of politicians in charge - what you really have to decide is what your heart really wants.

If you really want an Independent Scotland, whatever that may bring, vote for that. And vice versa. And tbh I tend to agree with him.


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 17

Smudger879n

Quote......"Poor Salmon. He's not worked out Scotland doesn't have the climate to be a Banana Republic. "

Aye! He is in a world of his own yon bloke, he is a good "channel changer" .......every time he comes on TV, I change the channel
smiley - winkeye


smiley - cheersSmudger.


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 18

swl

Anybody got any further thoughts with only days to go?


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 19

Pastey

My current thoughts on it are that most people being vocal about leaving the UK seem to be doing so because they don't like the Tories, or the any of the current political parties.

Do they really think that having their own politicians will make it any better?smiley - erm


Further Thoughts On Scottish Independence

Post 20

KB

The point is not that Scottish politicians are innately better, but that Scottish voters have more control over the composition of their own parliament.


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