SNP propose 7 Airbases for Scotland post Independence
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"Sadly you can see signs of that trend of profligate spending in Scotland already; free university education etc etc."
Actually you can't at least not at present! What you can see is a devolved Parliament deciding how to prioritise the funds allocated to it by HMG at Westminster and yes we know the formula that decides that might well be too generous. So should Holyrood decide to pay for student fees and free transport for over 60's that means less to spend in other areas. For example, we still don't have a Motorway linking our two largest City's!
Buying votes by directing spending on the young and the old is the game here in the build up to 2014.
Actually you can't at least not at present! What you can see is a devolved Parliament deciding how to prioritise the funds allocated to it by HMG at Westminster and yes we know the formula that decides that might well be too generous. So should Holyrood decide to pay for student fees and free transport for over 60's that means less to spend in other areas. For example, we still don't have a Motorway linking our two largest City's!
Buying votes by directing spending on the young and the old is the game here in the build up to 2014.
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What you can see is a devolved Parliament deciding how to prioritise the funds allocated to it by HMG at Westminster and yes we know the formula that decides that might well be too generous.
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MGD
A tad behind the times!
Girobank (from where the derogatory term "cashing a giro" came) was sold by HMG to Alliance & Leicester in 1990. A&L like Abbey National is now owned by Santander UK which is the British arm of a Spanish Bank.
If you are out of work in the UK you receive Job Seekers Allowance (by BACS to a Post Office Account or normal Current Account) for a maximum of 26 weeks at £70.30 per week. If you have a wife/husband in work that's your wack as even if you have paid full NI for years, you will not be eligible for a means tested benefit after that. Hardly a life of luxury but yes the system is still there to be abused by a small minority the cost of which is a pinprick in comparison to tax planning/dodging by the UK Companies and the rich.
This country needs jobs but there is little sign that we have the means to create anything like the number needed. Our education system is failing our children in raising false expectations. The harsh reality is that many will be competing for work with Indian and Chinese workers as our Financial Services Companies continue to offshore work in the same way as our manufacturing industry has had to do in recent years.
Those of you in the Home Counties who think you are immune to this really need to waken up. We have all been asleep in the UK since 1990 when the Wall came down and Germany pushed east to claim by business what it had often sought through war. In the meantime we played at monopoly and with monopoly money!
A tad behind the times!
Girobank (from where the derogatory term "cashing a giro" came) was sold by HMG to Alliance & Leicester in 1990. A&L like Abbey National is now owned by Santander UK which is the British arm of a Spanish Bank.
If you are out of work in the UK you receive Job Seekers Allowance (by BACS to a Post Office Account or normal Current Account) for a maximum of 26 weeks at £70.30 per week. If you have a wife/husband in work that's your wack as even if you have paid full NI for years, you will not be eligible for a means tested benefit after that. Hardly a life of luxury but yes the system is still there to be abused by a small minority the cost of which is a pinprick in comparison to tax planning/dodging by the UK Companies and the rich.
This country needs jobs but there is little sign that we have the means to create anything like the number needed. Our education system is failing our children in raising false expectations. The harsh reality is that many will be competing for work with Indian and Chinese workers as our Financial Services Companies continue to offshore work in the same way as our manufacturing industry has had to do in recent years.
Those of you in the Home Counties who think you are immune to this really need to waken up. We have all been asleep in the UK since 1990 when the Wall came down and Germany pushed east to claim by business what it had often sought through war. In the meantime we played at monopoly and with monopoly money!
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Draken, correct, and if you have a measly service pension in excess of £92 a week you get **** all even with two young children.............fair it aint!!
Last edited by glad rag; 9th Jun 2012 at 16:22.
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England should be doing all it can to preserve the Union. Independence for Scotland would be very bad news for the English economy and how they are viewed by overseas investors. Trade links with England would dry up, the pound would go into freefall and the recession would become a depression.
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England should be doing all it can to preserve the Union. Independence for Scotland would be very bad news for the English economy and how they are viewed by overseas investors. Trade links with England would dry up, the pound would go into freefall and the recession would become a depression.
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The way some of them were talking about it on Question time, they do not want to leave the Union or to lose the Queen, simply have a stand alone Country within it, they were quoting the likes of N Zealand and Australia, that still have the Queen as their Monarch but are independent of the UK.
Last edited by NutLoose; 10th Jun 2012 at 14:20.
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Didn't catch Question Time but the SNP's Mike Russell behaved like a complete twit in a BBC Scotland programme at lunchtime to-day. He would not stop yapping was aggressive and tried hard not to let any points other than his get made.
Question SNP views and they often react with venom. On Defence, anyone with half a brain knows that the idea of a separate Scotland retaining complex warship building on the Clyde is daft. The workers realise this and are onto the SNP. They know they face the chop after the carrier programme ends if Type 26 does not arrive to replace it. To also argue for the retention of Lossie and Leuchars when neither would be needed after Independence is pure deceit. The likely scale of assets required (SAR and MPA) could be based at Prestwick or other civilian airfields. We have many and they are not even near capacity!
Question SNP views and they often react with venom. On Defence, anyone with half a brain knows that the idea of a separate Scotland retaining complex warship building on the Clyde is daft. The workers realise this and are onto the SNP. They know they face the chop after the carrier programme ends if Type 26 does not arrive to replace it. To also argue for the retention of Lossie and Leuchars when neither would be needed after Independence is pure deceit. The likely scale of assets required (SAR and MPA) could be based at Prestwick or other civilian airfields. We have many and they are not even near capacity!
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Question time was fun, they had some SNP supporting buffoon of an actor who cant see why people question his motives when he dosent even live in Scotland and has taken American citizenship.
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A bit like the reference to Sean Connery too, puts his ten penneth in for it, but lives abroad and pays no taxes in Scotland.
Last edited by NutLoose; 10th Jun 2012 at 16:42.
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And your evidence is?
But since you asked, England is hardly a popular country around the globe at the best of times so the break up of the Union can only make things worse.
In all my travel around the globe as part of my job when they ask me where I live i say Scotand.
"Where's that?"
"North of England."
If you want to change Scottish banknotes into local currency, forget it.
"Where's that?"
"North of England."
If you want to change Scottish banknotes into local currency, forget it.
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"Its just an opinion. Why does it need evidence?
But since you asked, England is hardly a popular country around the globe at the best of times so the break up of the Union can only make things worse."
Because making a wild statement like that should be backed up with some facts and figures.
"Independence for Scotland would be very bad news for the English economy and how they are viewed by overseas investors. Trade links with England would dry up, the pound would go into free fall and the recession would become a depression."
The British economy is not dependent on Scotland, people will trade with Britain regardless of whether Scotland is part of the Union and I would put a bet that Scotland leaving would not take Britain into recession or depression.
Scotlands economy is a pimple on the butt of the British Economy.
That's a bit like saying if Australia became a republic, a major shift will occur with how the rest of the world views us !
As though they really give a damn.
And as for popular, no more or less so than any other country.
But since you asked, England is hardly a popular country around the globe at the best of times so the break up of the Union can only make things worse."
Because making a wild statement like that should be backed up with some facts and figures.
"Independence for Scotland would be very bad news for the English economy and how they are viewed by overseas investors. Trade links with England would dry up, the pound would go into free fall and the recession would become a depression."
The British economy is not dependent on Scotland, people will trade with Britain regardless of whether Scotland is part of the Union and I would put a bet that Scotland leaving would not take Britain into recession or depression.
Scotlands economy is a pimple on the butt of the British Economy.
That's a bit like saying if Australia became a republic, a major shift will occur with how the rest of the world views us !
As though they really give a damn.
And as for popular, no more or less so than any other country.
Last edited by 500N; 10th Jun 2012 at 21:06.
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England is hardly a popular country around the globe
"Please"
"Thankyou"
and
"No I'm not English, i'm Scottish"
Sad to say the last one gets me a lot further with the locals
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I don't know. In my visits to Austria, Germany and Italy I have a noticed a genuine love of many things English. A couple of years ago in Munich, I was surprised to see cricket being played albeit I was walking through the Englischer Garten.
It's a pity that some fail to live up to the image that many abroad still have of the English. Scots, like the Irish, have a different image to live up to. On the whole we seem to do so!
Another abiding memory was a visit to Paris and noticing a Frenchman wearing the kilt and an England Rugby shirt. A pity I didn't take a picture!
It's a pity that some fail to live up to the image that many abroad still have of the English. Scots, like the Irish, have a different image to live up to. On the whole we seem to do so!
Another abiding memory was a visit to Paris and noticing a Frenchman wearing the kilt and an England Rugby shirt. A pity I didn't take a picture!