British PM Cameron urges UK to reject Scotland’s independence bid

[Amy SF]

British Prime Minister David Cameron will urge people in all parts of the United Kingdom on Friday to try to persuade Scots to vote ‘no’ in their referendum on independence.

With just seven months to go until the September 18 vote, Cameron will reach out to people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which he said would be “deeply diminished without Scotland”.

The Conservative leader also acknowledged there could be “no complacency about the result of this referendum — the outcome is still up in the air”.

A recent ICM opinion poll showed support for independence is growing, with 37 percent now in favour — up five points since September — against 44 percent against.

Cameron will use a major speech at the Olympic Park in London, where the 2012 Games were held, to highlight how much the UK benefits from operating as “Team GB”.

British PM Cameron urges country to reject Scotland’s independence bid

So what would happen if Scotland won its independence, ends up struggling financially for a few years, decides they made a mistake and wants back in the UK. Would they be let back in or be told to bugger off, they wanted out and now they're out and too bad. Or be welcomed back with open arms?

 

[Blobbenstein]

whenever I see Alex Salmond, I always see dollar signs in his eyes, like some kind of Walt Disney cartoon.

 

[Clueless Git]

Hmmmm, if it is true that:

1. Cameron knows that the Scots (by and large) hate Tories.

2. Cameron knows that the Scots tend to have bit of an " up yer ***, Sassenach" attitude.

3. Cameron knows that the Scots know that Cameron is a Tory Sassenach.

Then there is a slight possibility that Cameron might be dealing cards from the bottom of the deck here.

 

[Blobbenstein]

but the Tories love wrapping themselves in the Union Jack, and it won't look quite so impressive without the blue bits.

 

[beancounter]

This was an interesting read.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Scottish_sentiment

 

[ledboots]

I think the Scottish people are capable of deciding for themselves.

 

[Second Summer]

From my position in the sofa, I must say I'm impressed with Alex Salmond as a politician. He's taken the SNP from strength to strength. From second largest party, to largest party in the Scottish Parliament and forming a minority government in 2007. Then on to overall majority (!) in the next election (2011). On top of it all, he comes off as honest, almost humble in TV interviews I've seen him.

However, in the independence referendum I feel like he's in it over his head. Of course, a lot can happen between now and the referendum in September, that might still tip the scales in his favour.

So what would happen if Scotland won its independence, ends up struggling financially for a few years, decides they made a mistake and wants back in the UK.

They would have to struggle quite a lot for that to happen, and they would probably have to have another referendum then to decide that.

Personally, I would think they have some good cards that would make them do well on their own: oil, a small population, and of course Alex Salmond.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I have been thinking, if this island starts to be broken up then I wonder if somewhere down the line Muslims might try to have a chunk of it for themselves, an Islamic country of their own on the island. Not that that is a bad thing necessarily.

 

[Second Summer]

I have been thinking, if this island starts to be broken up then I wonder if somewhere down the line Muslims might try to have a chunk of it for themselves, an Islamic country of their own on the island. Not that that is a bad thing necessarily.

Sounds unlikely! Also, a new country based on a certain religion sounds like a pretty bad idea to me. Scotland at least has a history as an independent country.

 

[Amy SF]

Sounds unlikely! Also, a new country based on a certain religion sounds like a pretty bad idea to me. Scotland at least has a history as an independent country.

Well, a lot of countries have an "official" religion...like England, right?

 

[Blobbenstein]

Sounds unlikely! Also, a new country based on a certain religion sounds like a pretty bad idea to me. Scotland at least has a history as an independent country.

well I don't think it would necessarily be that good an idea, but I do think that maybe fifty or a hundred years down the line, if Britain is broken up, that it will be easier to present and lobby for the existence of an Islamic country within this island..maybe on the present boarder between Scotland and England.

 

[Amy SF]

I don't see the possibility of creating a brand new country anywhere in the British Isles. It's not like partitioning off a section of India to create Pakistan, a country with a Muslim majority. That made sense when India was lobbying for its independence. But Muslims in the British Isles are probably too scattered and too much of a minority to get their own country there.

 

[Blobbenstein]

Maybe.
But if I were a Muslim and into all that sharia law etc, I would love the idea.
Maybe take over Berwick-upon-Tweed, near the Scottish boarder, and go from there. Not sure how they would sell the idea..

 

[Second Summer]

Well, a lot of countries have an "official" religion...like England, right?

Yes, but England was created more than 1000 years ago in a time when the role of religion was much different. A new country today, especially one in the midst of Western liberal civilization, could not use a certain religion as a unifying force.

 

[Amy SF]

*cough*Israel*cough*

 

[Second Summer]

*cough*Israel*cough*

Like I said, a very bad idea! Although of course modern Israel isn't exactly located in the midst of Western liberal civilization, and the area does have a history as a sometimes independent Jewish country. Still a bad idea, for reasons that are too evident to mention.

 

[Blobbenstein]

 

[ledboots]

Nvm

 

[Yokel]

I'm all for Scotland and England separating as long as the Scots pick up the tab for the humungous debt bequeathed by two Scottish Chancellors (Brown and Darling) and two Scottish banks (RBS and HBoS). Brown was running a budget deficit at the peak of boom and turned his blind eye to the housing bubble, whilst those merchant bankers in Edinburgh (Herr Blair's home town) were buying up American mortgage securities, which we have all now paid for through their bailouts; Oh and if Cameron doesn't want to be separated from his clan, we deport him north of the border, yay!

 

[Amy SF]

James Bond star Sean Connery says Scottish independence a chance ‘too good to miss’

Well, if independence is good enough for 007...