Originally Posted by
OJ 72
In adding my two penny‘worth I may be coming across as a tad controversial, but, then I’ll only be living up to the late, great TE Utley’s definition of an Ulsterman viz ‘The first to give, and the first to take offence’. So here goes!!
Anyone who knows me will realise I’m an avowed ‘Capital-U’ Unionist both by upbringing and instinct, so it would break my heart if, following any independence referendum, the SNP should succeed in breaking up the Union. However, before any referendum is held then the UK Government should make the SNP and the Scottish people aware of the following.
On the day of secession HM The Queen immediately ceases to be the Head of State of an independent Scotland.
// From 1603 till 1707 there existed a united kingdom without a united parliament. Without a Stuart restoration this would still be the case until Scotland declared itself a republic. Remember, Ireland (Eire) gained independence in 1921 but did not become a republic until 1949.
Within a clearly defined period (say two to five years) the following should come into effect:
a. The Pound Sterling can no longer be the currency of Scotland;
// an independent country can use whatever currency it likes. It just has no control over the fiscal policy of that currency if it doesn't print it.
b. There will be no further fiscal assistance or intervention from Westminster;
// Naturally.
c. All UK military bases and personnel to be withdrawn from Scotland and relocated at suitable locations within the remainder of the UK;
// I think you'll find that in all previous colonial withdrawals the bases were stripped but they can't take the buildings.
d. The regular and reserve battalions of the Royal Regiment of Scotland be given the option of remaining within the orbat of the British Army or being disbanded with all the honour due to their, and their forebears, gallant service (with similar options being given to similar reserve units of the RN and RAF);
// In India, the regiments were divided according to geographical area. In Ireland they were merged. I expect anyone wanting to remain under English command could transfer to an English regiment. The Crown might retain the Scots Guards for sentimental reasons.
e. All military personnel currently serving in the UK armed forces who were born in Scotland should be given the option to remain on their current terms of service or to be honourably discharged;
// Yes
f. All UK Civil Service facilities in Scotland to be relocated to the remainder of the UK and their personnel based in Scotland given the option to relocate, or to accept a ‘length of service and seniority’ based redundancy package;
// This is not how it works. All departments would devolve to their new masters within Scotland.
g. No preferential treatment to be given to Scottish industry or manufacturers for any defence or other UK Government contracts; and, finally,
// Well, that would be subject to trade negotiation
h. A 'hard' border be established between Scotland and the rest of the UK.
// Why? Perhaps you could get William of Orange to gallop up and down the border too? Of course if Scotland then joined the EU then indeed Hadrians Wall would have to be spruced up.
These courses of action may seem harsh, and for someone with close familial and work-related ties to Scotland I don’t suggest them lightly. However, they are neither vindictive nor punitive, as the following should be noted.
You are from Ulster. Of course they are vindictive and punitive.
Firstly, the SNP cannot have their cake and eat it…either they are an independent nation, making their own way in the ‘big, bad world’ whilst standing on their own two feet, or they’re not.
// No. They can sign their own treaties and make their own friendships.
And secondly, in the event of any ‘Border Poll’ in Northern Ireland signalling the reunification of the island of Ireland into a single political entity then all of the tenets that I have outlined above would most certainly be imposed on the people of Northern Ireland!! So why should an independent Scotland be treated any differently?
// don't get you here. It states clearly in the Good Friday Agreement that any political change can only come about when the majority agree to it.
Will the UK Government do this? Almost certainly not!! If it did lay out all (or some) of what I have proposed, would it change the outcome of any referendum? It almost certainly would!!
What you have to realise that on a 63% turnout only 49% of the Scottish people voted for pro-Independence parties; that's only 30.87% of the total Scottish electorate. So to use a Scottish aphorism - the SNP’s ‘coat is on a shuggly peg’!! Obviously, the cry for 'Freedom' is not as clear cut as Ms Sturgeon et al would have you believe!!
// but isn't that how Brexit was voted for?