Independance for Scotland?

[Alan Stubbs]

I'm not anti-scottish, just anti-those-who-are-anti English.

 

There's a letter in today's Times which puts it far more eloquently than I could. I precis as follows:

 

By all means leave the Union so long as the UK financial obligations are met my the scots....

It means taking on a proportionate share to Scotland's percentage of the UK population of the UK's financial obligations existing at the point of independence, including the national debt; public sector pensions, PFI / PPP contracts and any other public debt.

 

The English subsidy to Scotland, currently about £8 billion p.a. should cease and the division of UK oil and gas fields decided upon under the UN Law of the Sea Convention, which defines territorial waters as those drawn within a line of the border of two countries. This places a significant amount of the oil and gas reserves in English waters.

 

There would also need to be a repatriation of the English public sector jobs moved to Scotland.

 

Apart from the relief of being spared the rule of Westminster, it makes independence for Scotland look far less attractive.

[corydoras]

The English subsidy to Scotland, currently about £8 billion p.a. should cease and the division of UK oil and gas fields decided upon under the UN Law of the Sea Convention, which defines territorial waters as those drawn within a line of the border of two countries. This places a significant amount of the oil and gas reserves in English waters.

How do you work that one out Alan?

Recent evidence by Kemp and Stephen (1999) has tried to estimate hypothetical Scottish shares of North Sea Oil revenue by dividing the UK sector of the North Sea into separate Scottish and UK sectors using the international principle of equidistance as utilised under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) - such a convention is used in defining the maritime assets of newly formed states and resolving international maritime disputes. The study by Kemp & Stephen showed that hypothesised Scottish shares of North Sea oil revenue over the period 1970 to 1999, varied to as high as 98%[12] dependent upon the price of oil and offset against taxable profits and the costs of exploration and development.

 

Would the Catcher Field 180 Miles off the coast of Aberdeen and it's estimated 300M-350M barrels suddenly end up as being "English"?

 

Is this little lot suddenly going to be English?

Edited May 10, 2011 by corydoras

[Steve Walker]

As I understand it, almost all of the current oil would end up in Scottish waters and almost all of the current gas in English. I've seen it claimed that the SNP's figures apply the proportion of the oil resource that Scotland would have to the combined revenue of gas and oil, but I don't know how true that is. Either way it is predicted that revenue will decline over the next 20 years or so, so while it would be a useful source of income to invest, it would be extremely unwise to just spend it balancing the books. There would be a great temptation for politicians to do so, though, we all know their idea of long term is up to the next election.

[Alan Roe]

If they want independence then let them go for it and the Welsh as well as long as they expect no representation in Parliament and that they foot their own bills via their own taxation.

What they forget is that the English have subsidised Scotland and Wales for decades and continue to do so.

Frankly I would be quite happy to see the dismantling of the union it would save us a fortune!

[chesters1]

if we could shift northern ireland we could save a fortune i read somewhere ages ago the per capita "incentives" given to them was far above the rest of the union ,i suppose to appease the terrorists etc

[big_cod]

Mr salmond has allready mentioned the oil he has got his eyes on it.

 

paul.

[Worms]

Scotland can spend its money how it sees fit. If they choose to spend it on free health care and university education that is up to them. I understand that public spending is supposedly 20% higher per person in Scotland than in England, but isn't that compensated by the fact that London based governments (of all parties) have continually invested so much more in the South East than the rest of the country? Every major building project seems to end up in that most overpopulated area, where land and labour costs so much more. The decision is usually announced at the conclusion of a pathetic, false public enquiry, which generally conclude that whatever it is should be built in the south east because that's where everything else is! Wembley stadium would probably have been a quarter of the price if it had been built in the midlands!

It's us in the North of England that get the worst deal. We get no investment and we get to pay through the nose for everything as well.

Er, not quite mate. I fully support Scotland and Wales becoming totally independent.........of English taxpayer's money. Believe me, that will help the English economy. Just google the income over the countries per capita and the expenditure (from Westminster). Scotland Northern Ireland and Wales are laughing at our expense. Bring total independence on

[Ken L]

Isn't this the point where our Scottish members repost and suddenly everything gets nasty ?

[Worms]

Isn't this the point where our Scottish members repost and suddenly everything gets nasty ?

 

What and take over our Govt. or something? Never, not in a million years.........

[Huge_Vitae]

Er that would put my family, Snatcher and a load of Geordies and Northumbrians into Scotland, something they strugged against for centuries.

Independence for the Isle of Wight

Glad my Father's family moved from 'walls end' many moons ago then Tony, in any conflict there is collateral damage, that's what you get to be, sorry but life!

 

Independence for the Isle of Wight has long been spoken about, but you see, as it is, if not for us, you would be speaking French right now, having said that, as I see the problem lies with them 'up norfers' moving South. OH HAIL THE SOLENT, Barrier to the Northern Tribes.................