Should Scotland be an independent country?

L-O-L

Danny Alexander was citing a Zoopla-penned PR puff piece today to try and 'prove' that property prices will fall in Scotland by the magic figure of '£30,000'. Talk about academic rigour. I'll be getting my energy estimates given to me by Mumsnet next.

If you'd troubled to read any literature or watch the debates the question of the oil reserves has been addressed by Salmond and many others very fully, and quite candidly.

The official position is that Scotland's economy does not depend on its long term revenue from oil. It's a very useful, very welcome short term stop gap maybe. Read page 40 of the Wee Blue Book? http://wingsoverscotland.com/WeeBlueBookDesktopEdition.pdf

Mendacity? Oil is a political substance. It's been deliberately obscured and mis-reported since it was discovered. I know people that work in the industry as engineers and they are pro-independence. That's enough for me. In terms of 'known' oil fields rumours of huge fields off the coast of Shetland are well deserved-why did Cameron fly up there a few weeks ago?

This is Chakrabortty's take on mendacity relating to the Deutsche fag-packet proclamations:

Which is why this weekend’s newspapers were bursting with dreadful warnings from Deutsche Bank about how a yes vote would be “a political and economic mistake as large as Winston Churchill’s decision in 1925 to return the pound to the gold standard” or the missteps in Washington that triggered the Great Depression.

That note of alarm came from the foreword to a two-page research note issued by Deutsche. Over the year, I have read thousands of such finance-house briefings – indeed, I have dim memories from very early in my career of having contributed to a few – and can say two things about them with confidence. First, for all the numbers and letterheads, they are not the word of God. They are a cross between a commentary and a forecast: think of a horse-racing tip without the colourful names, or Simon Heffer with more graphs. The Deutsche paper fits the form to a T: the bank’s group chief economist’s remarks are less economic than political in nature. “Why anyone would want to exit a successful economic and political union … to go it alone for the benefit of ... what exactly, is incomprehensible to this author.”

Fair enough: it’s one man’s view. But the other rule of research notes is that there’s bound to be another expressing a contrasting opinion. Such as the email I received from the head of the global strategy team at Société Générale. It argues that a yes vote would lay bare the fact that, without Scotland’s oil exports, the rest of the UK simply doesn’t pay its way in the world – and so independence would see “sterling quite rightly plunge into the abyss”.

Two well-known financial strategists, two divergent views – but only one gets amplified by the media. Funny that.

That would be the Eddie Izzard who was born in Yemen but, when talking about why he would be a good Mayor of London, said he was born in London? I think I would rather take political advice off Sting or Bono or Mick Fucking Hucknell.

Bollocks, you take a minute to write a post and the Tolstoy of the Yes campaign has published another novel in between.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq1rjrbmwzo

Shabby heritage Amis, stick that in your fucking pipe. 'Hard men and desperate chancers...' what patriarchal, desperate pish.

Any excuse to wear a skirt, ey, Eddie? ;)

I don't think he needs an excuse. The kilt is pretty solidly male attire anyway, so it's only drag when a girl wears one.

the Tolstoy of the Yes campaign

He's more Jeffrey Archer than Leo Tolstoy

I don't think über is rude, in fact I'd like him to come to my indepence party on Friday night.saltires and kilts optional.

Low blow, tester, low blow...

I shouldn't rise to it all but really, if you were all sitting here watching this negative, biased and patronising shite spewing all over the media landscape you'd be fucking irked too.

In a way Amis represents a feeling I've detected from certain parts of the rUK: a kind of hurt incredulity that's reflective of a weird cultural arrogance and overlooking of the real political situation here. Where Welsh can talk about creating a modern democracy fit for the 21st C, Amis rambles about romantic notions and reductive stereotypes.

When it's amplified across the BBC and even supposedly left leaning outlets like the Graun, it's hugely alienating, and when individuals such as T-V profess a genuine concern but frame any and all statements by weirdly unchecked or substantiated shite it's doubly annoying, even if it is logical given the paucity of the UK media's coverage of it all.

Anyway. Adios cuntos, I'll reserve myself the privilege of doing what all the unionist bullshit merchants are doing and only speak to people that support my opinions as with the accusations of 'shouting out' and 'outbursts' it's obviously too much for you to have someone who actually contradicts whatever comfortable narrative you're wanting to surround yourselves in....

I'd like him to come to my indepence party on Friday night.saltires and kilts optional.

If you wear a short enough kilt, your end will be in sight. You can then insert it into your indepence :-)

Oh dear , independence, I'll have a word with my editor.
Your invite to my party has been withdrawn, uber is still welcome.

Your invite to my party has been withdrawn

I had a previous engagement anyway, but it does raise a question. I'll be wearing a kilt on Friday night, as usual. Under the circumstances, I wonder how many people will want to make comments regarding the win/lose scenario?

Good thread. Much informed debate. Very current. Wow microcosm

This weeks debate is last weeks ice bucket challenge.

Very kind of you, and I hope it's a good one. I'll be in Edinburgh with pals reflecting on what's been a hugely inspiring process regardless of the result and stewing myself in single malts. I do hope Ian is on the mend and back on his feet if not on the bike yet btw-I was sorry not to be able to go back and visit before he left hospital.

indepence

Like you're going to get to keep pence when you're indy. :)

Perhaps that's their new currency; after pence (₤.s/d) & new pence (£.p), independent Scotland will switch to Indypence (℗) (That's a P with a wall around it to keep the English out)

This would help Gordon Brown, who allegedly was unaware that the singular of 'pence' was 'penny'. :)

If they reissue the [merk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merk_(coin)) after independence, it will presumably be known as the merkin

Just so we all know what the yes vote means.

Prices.

That's not what they fill my taps with or make my beer with is it?

#sweatyspring

Has uber left the building? Does that mean this can be discussed without pro-no posters being shouted down constantly?

I hope not, I am enjoying his contributions, he makes sense, his arguments are valid.

He isnt shouting anyone down - it's impossible to stop someone else posting on this forum if they want to.