General Chat

JoyLouise, I would hazard a guess at a Raleigh Smallwheel or a chopper with a bit of Woodbine packet in the wheel to make it sound like a Norton.

Gawd, that takes me back. My kids had those plastic fluorescent things that clip on the wheel and make the noise while catching the light ..... 30 to 40 years ago. :-0

Off piste altogether now. :-D

I'm sure some do go off piste often bound to have been a contender for the Olympics in their time.

Caroline is entirely missing the point. remaining within the EU was a key element in the Bettertogethet pitch. That has now gone. as the SNP put a 2nd ref in their manifesto as insurance against London getting tricksy they have every right to call another referendum. The Leave campaign was a full pack of lies such as money for the NHS, staying within the Single market, good times for all. Immigration cut 90% that to treat the 52-48 vote as the will of the people is laughable esp in Scotland which voted 62pc remain.

An independent Scotland would find it tough to start but no worse than being stuck in brexitland. It would be able to join the SM and customs union v quickly. There is no such thing as a queue to join the EU. Once a country has been accepted as a candidate then joining date depends on compliance with the chapters. Turkey has been in the queue for 30 years. Scotland would prob take around 3 years.

the Scots would have to go on using the £ for a while, maybe a year while changes were made. It could not expect a seat at the BOfE. It could adopt either the euro or £ as a working currency but that would be v risky. Much better to split off the Scottish £ at parity and let it float. the BOfE expertise would be invaluable.

Other issues such as passports and British Isles free travel zone have been managed fine for Eire which is an ideal template.

the SNP is committed to NATO and the Queen as head of state along with Canada.

Sturgeon is being naughty asking for s30 power for a vote by 2019. however if the brexut talks don't collapse the UK would have to get a transition agreement as a full free trade agreement within 2 years is impossible. Such an agreement might be OK with a maj of Scots. The EU are so far -ve about a transition agreement. Then there are upcoming Scots and Westminster elections... A dark glass.

Many known unknowns, unknown surprises. At some point within the EU UK and Scotland there will have to be some flexibility. Some u turns or the sky will fall in on them all.

"Caroline is entirely missing the point. remaining within the EU was a key element in the Bettertogethet pitch."

No really I'm not Rollo.......the last vote was stay or go...go won....end of...or it would be if people understood that you can't act little a spoilt child if you don't get your way.

"There is no such thing as a queue to join the EU. Once a country has been accepted as a candidate then joining date depends on compliance with the chapters. Turkey has been in the queue for 30 years. Scotland would prob take around 3 years."

Make your mind up is there a queue or not ??

Scotland can ask to join but they would only be considered after the other countries already being considered....therefore a queue......

Why would they have to use the pound ?......Of course the Bank of England skills would be invaluable.....cake and eat it time.

Do Eire use UK passports then ???

The thing with Canada having the Queen as head of state.....they don't look down on the UK and they don't go cap in hand for money from the UK...they also have their own PM. They have their own paid for armed forces for NATO too.

Scotlands/your whole argument would also work for big towns/cities in the rest of the UK so on this logic London might as well separate.

Rollo you've said in the past companies will move from the UK due to Brexit, and in some cases that's already happened as they used that as an excuse to move to cheaper labour countries......why then would the same not happen to Scotland including why would they move there....they're not exactly going to be in a strong stable situation for years if ever are they ?
Your usual comment is car factories suddenly appearing in the highlands....well historically those companies are moving to Eastern Europe or Mexico for instance from the UK or America and Canada for instance.

The holders of Eire and UK passports have reciprocal travel rights Inc voting and standing for election and so on. After 1922 there was no other way to deal with the matter vis a vis Eire and the same would be true of an independent Scotland.

I am sorry for my sloppy description of Turkey's long wait to join the EU as being in a queue. It is not in a non existant queue but rather has only completed one of about 40 chapters as well as occupying territory of an EU member.

As Caroline has such a low opinion of Scotland surely she welcomes them leaving the UK.

Financial orgs are already moving to Paris, Germany and Dublin. Not notably low cost options. the SNP announcement of a 2nd ref has created a huge stir in the financial community.

Regardless of what the Scots do or dont do Red white and blue brexit is not going to work any more than the flight of Icarus. Given Hammonds u turn today anything else is possible.

I don't have a low opinion...never said that...have said I have close relatives there right now. If they want to leave; which I think is debatable as most polls seem to show they don't; then leave but leave totally or stay and shut up always moaning and calling for a vote when you're not happy.

It's a queue Rollo....a process....a line up.....a long wait....call it what you will....they will not get special treatment and be considered ahead of others already under consideration.

Eire have their own passport therefore so would Scotland.....so their own border control etc......Eire also have their own currency albeit the Euro

LOL Rollo what's next weeks lottery numbers seeing as you see in to the future ?

None of your comments show how Scotland will fair any better

And Rollo the Red White and Blue you keep stating...it includes Scotland don't forget..it comes from the flag which includes them .
Why do you think we should treat them differently from the rest of the Union, even though they are already with more Government money than the rest of the UK? Why should they have special consideration?

If it's due to perceived historically wrong doings then I want to sue the Italians as the Romans invaded and the Danes due to Vikings forages....

...as for the Huguenots - well !!!!
Spreading out all over Europe to escape rampant religious persecution in France.
How very dare they.
Do the French treat Protestants with 'kid gloves' now?
Perhaps their descendants should sue.

"Financial orgs are already moving to Paris, Germany and Dublin. Not notably low cost options. the SNP announcement of a 2nd ref has created a huge stir in the financial community. "

So sorry trying to keep up with your changing argument

So now Scotland won't have to have pop up car factories or wind turbines or oil it's looking to the financial groups to set up shop in Scotland to support it in the future?
Why would they do that? If they're leaving London due to the uncertainty then the same argument applies to Scotland.

Looks like the tide of populism has been stemmed in the Dutch election.

Oh well that's it then...... will never rear it's ugly head again.... :-D

Brexit is doomed

Have to admit to enjoying Sturgeon 'informing' May she became Tory leader without a vote - and has not sought a new mandate from the country.

This means May has to follow the one set out by Cameron.

This came home to roost today with the tax/NI on self-employed - thanks to a reporter!

Strange that both May and Hammond were unaware they had to abide by the Tory mandate, and she thought the party could bring in whatever 'rules' they wanted.

I can't help feeling that the nat.ins. climbdown owes more to the influence of self employed journalists and news presenters than real concern about not following their manifesto.

Last week you could see the anger of some on the TV news but yesterday they were really beaming.