If You Were Scottish How Would You Vote?

[andyandy]

OK, there are lots of comments online from Scots as to whether they want to stay or leave the union, I'd like to hear from non-Scots. If you were Scottish would you vote to leave the union or stay in it?

I think I'd vote yes for independence - due to the following reasons:

1) Whitehall barely knows or cares the north of England exists - let alone Scotland. Independence would actually mean being governed by politicians who care about the region.

2) There are many small countries around the world which are viable - no reason that Scotland can't be one of them

3) The economic arguments for and against are massive unknowns - but then any predictions made by the same dismal science that utterly failed to predict or understand the global financial crisis needs to be taken with a very large pinch of salt. Economists only seem good at predicting things once they have already happened.

4) It would be an opportunity to have a genuine centre-left government.

What do you reckon and why? Yes or no to independence?

 

[Professor Yaffle]

I'll be leaving Scotland not long before the referendum, but if I were staying, I'd probably vote yes, if only to cancel out one of this lot's votes...

http://instagram.com/p/py5bjlOQBG/?modal=true

 

[Strawberry]

I would vote yes. Scotland's population is too small relative to England to ever have its votes count at a general election or a referendum. They will always be outvoted by the English electorate, which wouldn't really matter too much if they were all on the same page, but they're not.

If Scotland is to get the government it wants and make its own choice about the EU it needs to be an independent country.

 

[Giz]

Personally, I'm in favour of the union (having Scottish and English parents and being brought up in a British household will do that).

However, Scotland's should make its decision based on politics and culture. It shouldn't be an economic decision.

 

[Phoenix]

I'd vote for independence. From what it look like to me, what policies benefit England and what policies benefit Scotland are two different things and Scotland's too small to have its interests adequately represented in Parliament.

 

[angrysoba]

I'd vote for independence. From what it look like to me, what policies benefit England and what policies benefit Scotland are two different things and Scotland's too small to have its interests adequately represented in Parliament.

Which Parliament, the Scottish Parliament or the UK Parliament?

(Or the European Parliament?)

I would vote to remain part of the union, personally, but I would understand why Scottish people might want to leave given the atrocious pro-union "campaigning" which seems to consist of nothing but ever more insulting jibes about the Scots and their junkyism (welfare, legal and illegal drugs).

Having said that, being Scottish is not a necessary nor sufficient condition for voting in the referendum. Scottish people who reside outside Scotland don't get to vote and non-Scottish EU citizens, Commonwealth citizens and a few others living in Scotland do get to vote.

 

[Craig B]

Having said that, being Scottish is not a necessary nor sufficient condition for voting in the referendum. Scottish people who reside outside Scotland don't get to vote and non-Scottish EU citizens, Commonwealth citizens and a few others living in Scotland do get to vote.

That's the right arrangement and the only possible one. There is no agreed definition of "Scot" so by default it means anyone living in that country and nobody resident outside it. Just like voting for an MP in a parliamentary constituency.

 

[MikeG]

.......I would understand why Scottish people might want to leave given the atrocious pro-union "campaigning" which seems to consist of nothing but ever more insulting jibes about the Scots and their junkyism (welfare, legal and illegal drugs).........

Do you think there might be a reason why this is all you hear of the Better Together campaign in Osaka?

-

All I hear of the "Yes" campaign is virulent anti-English sentiment dressed up in the language of oppression. You'd think we were talking about 1960s South Africa. I (marginally) want them to win, but I'll laugh like hell if they don't. One of the bloggers posters on here in particular has such a one-eyed view of the world that the immediate post-no-vote period will be one of the highlights of the forum year.

 

[Craig B]

Do you think there might be a reason why this is all you hear of the Better Together campaign in Osaka?

-

All I hear of the "Yes" campaign is virulent anti-English sentiment dressed up in the language of oppression. You'd think we were talking about 1960s South Africa. I (marginally) want them to win, but I'll laugh like hell if they don't. One of the bloggers posters on here in particular has such a one-eyed view of the world that the immediate post-no-vote period will be one of the highlights of the forum year.

That characterisation of the yes campaign is preposterous or perverse. "All" you hear of the yes campaign is what you say? I simply don't believe you. And if it is that in its entirety, and if you will laugh like hell if it loses, why do you (marginally or otherwise) want yes to win?

 

[MikeG]

On balance, just, I want Scots independence because I rather dislike the idea of unhappy relationships. If Scots dislike the English so, then its time for a divorce. I suspect that, like me, many English rather like Scots and Scotland, but are sick and tired of all the whingeing.

 

[angrysoba]

Do you think there might be a reason why this is all you hear of the Better Together campaign in Osaka?

If that's a genuine question, then the reason might be because I rely on BBC, Question Time, The Guardian and The Telegraph for most of my UK news. Some of the coverage is pretty overtly of that type, while some of it is bemoaning the fact that much of it is of that type.

I'm also in contact with English, Scottish and Irish friends and relatives who can relay their own views, and I also even know actual Scottish people here in Osaka with whom I converse. Then there's also the Internet that gives me access to all kinds of views and current affairs information. I suspect that this is similar to how many people form their opinions on events going on around the world in places in which they do not actually live.

However, either I am overly-sensitive (like them bloody jocks, ha ha!), tin-eared, or your post contained some innuendo to the effect that my opinion was of little value given my location.

If you were saying the latter, I just want to remind you that the OP specifically asks for the opinion of non-Scots, which more or less qualifies me already, although I deliberately pointed out that being Scottish is not really the relevant criteria here but rather those who live outside of Scotland, which definitely qualifies me, so I thought I might give my opinion and vote on the matter.

Now, presumably you yourself are a not a resident of Scotland which is why you are telling us how you would vote. If that's the case then you're in the same boat as me.

-

All I hear of the "Yes" campaign is virulent anti-English sentiment dressed up in the language of oppression. You'd think we were talking about 1960s South Africa. I (marginally) want them to win, but I'll laugh like hell if they don't. One of the bloggers posters on here in particular has such a one-eyed view of the world that the immediate post-no-vote period will be one of the highlights of the forum year.

Do you think there might be a reason why this is all you hear of the "YES" campaign in wherever you are?

 

[Rolfe]

I'm not voting in a poll with such offensive options. "Break the shackles of English oppression"! Is this some kind of sneery joke?

I was intending to start a serious poll nearer the time, to gauge what people who actually have a vote are intending to do, but this is just a distraction.

Rolfe.

 

[Craig B]

On balance, just, I want Scots independence because I rather dislike the idea of unhappy relationships. If Scots dislike the English so, then its time for a divorce. I suspect that, like me, many English rather like Scots and Scotland, but are sick and tired of all the whingeing.

Again, you are stating that the only thing you can perceive in the Yes campaign is whinging animosity towards English people. I can't believe that. I simply don't believe that you can't see anything else in the independence movement. I am being restrained here, because it is clear to me that the Yes campaign is in no way at all inspired by anti-English hostility, let alone the "virulent" anti-English sentiment you claim to be the only thing you can see in it. This is ludicrous.

 

[Information Analyst]

That's the right arrangement and the only possible one. There is no agreed definition of "Scot" so by default it means anyone living in that country and nobody resident outside it.

I'd hazard a guess that that imprecision will go out of the window if it gets to a point where people can apply for Scottish passports.

 

[andyandy]

I'm not voting in a poll with such offensive options. "Break the shackles of English oppression"! Is this some kind of sneery joke?

I was intending to start a serious poll nearer the time, to gauge what people who actually have a vote are intending to do, but this is just a distraction.

Rolfe.

you need to take things a bit less seriously. It's a light-hearted forum poll. I guess there's always someone desperate to take offense online.

 

[DC]

Freedom for Scotland

 

[Craig B]

I'd hazard a guess that that imprecision will go out of the window if it gets to a point where people can apply for Scottish passports.

No doubt of that. It'll become like any other country I suppose.

 

[jhunter1163]

I'm an American, but I have followed this thread a bit. If I had a vote, I would vote No, because I believe that the UK is stronger politically and economically as it is presently constructed. That being said, it is obvious that there is serious dissatisfaction in Scotland at the way the Scots are treated by the government, and this discontentment should absolutely be addressed and set right (as much as practically possible).

 

[Craig B]

I'm an American, but I have followed this thread a bit. If I had a vote, I would vote No, because I believe that the UK is stronger politically and economically as it is presently constructed. That being said, it is obvious that there is serious dissatisfaction in Scotland at the way the Scots are treated by the government, and this discontentment should absolutely be addressed and set right (as much as practically possible).

Problem is, if you vote No, hoping that nonetheless Scottish concerns will be effectively addressed, even when the threat of dissolution of the union no longer hangs over the head of the Westminster establishment, history teaches that you will be disappointed.

 

[fagin]

No Planet X option, no vote.