Uk Establishments Scotland Rip ?

[modeller]

If Scotland became independent what would happen to the dozens of current UK Establishments and Departments based in Scotland ? I can't see the rest of the UK paying for all those civil and military establishments , many of which were only sent to Scotland to share the wealth and employment of the UK as a whole, in the first place. If they were removed or reduced hundreds of Scottish companies and employes would be affected.

[jeffa]

It seems to me that people are getting their political knickers in a twist about all of this. I think that there is little chance of the Yes camp succeeding but, assuming that they do for the sake of argument, it's not like Salmond and his cronies are going to create the equivalent of the 38th parallel along the River Tweed. The way that some people are wringing their hands in despair you would think that they fear that the "bastard English" will be rounded up and deported!

[emmie]

actually i would rather we stay together, i don't want this split.
And it will be a problem if they do, for them and for us, in all manner of ways. Because if Salmond does want a separate armed forces, how is that going to sit with America for one, it will just look like a farce, two separate forces in one land.
This comes to mind. A Passport to Pimlico,

[jeffa]

The Americans will be fine with two separate forces in one land because that land will be two separate countries, just like the USA and Canada.

I think you've just underlined my previous post. People really are just making stuff up now...

[Baldric]

Just had a look, it appears we leased Cyprus rather than owned it

//In the aftermath of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) and the Congress of Berlin, Cyprus was leased to the British Empire which de facto took over its administration in 1878 (though, in terms of sovereignty, it remained a de jure Ottoman territory//

[emmie]

no, who posted a link the fact that a separate armed forces could well be on the cards, and Canadian forces are nothing to do with US forces, they have a long border between them.

[emmie]

as posted before.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/scottish-independence-army-make-up-revealed-1-3209070

[modeller]

We are only there in many cases because of the need to spread employment throughout the UK. A number of my relatives who were working in London were tranferred to Scotland as a part of the UK's government's policy to spread Civil Servants and departments to boost employment there. The same thing applied to companies and like Premium Bonds were given financial inducements to locate or re-locate up there. It was all done to boost Scotland's economy.
Once they are on their own that would cease, as would the annual grants per head of the population which is higher for the Scots than other parts of the UK. I was told recently , by an accountant , that the costs for the NHS and other public services are double in Scotland as compared with England . If that is correct ,we south of the borderers would be better off .
Would the Scots have to pay for all their medical services over the border ?

[jeffa]

Separate armed forces may well indeed be on the cards, but to suggest that that would somehow be a "problem" for the Americans seems baffling to me.

[emmie]

British army has a reputation as a good, mostly well disciplined force, so you split them up, take out the Scots and stick them up in Scotland, so how many will that be, according to that link they need 20,000 in a mostly peace keeping role, what does that even mean, that they wouldn't be called on to fight. And the north of the border quote, i don't even know what that means. We don't want to appear weak, and insufficient in force if we have to go and fight, after all they didn't in the world wars, they were just British soldiers, sailors, airmen.

[emmie]

so we tell the Americans who consider Britain a close ally, well you will have to ask David Cameron and whoever takes the top job in Scotland, can you help us out, one country that was, would be separate as far as the military goes.

[modeller]

If Salmond wants a separate economy then there will have to be border to control tax and duties similar to Northern Ireland. With regards to currency
there will quickly be exchange differences between the two, whatever
they decide to call their's. I've had problems in the past with Scottish pounds .
How about crime ? Will we have extradition treaties ? And how about passports and driving licences ?

[emmie]

and immigration,

[jeffa]

Again, where does idea this come from that if Scotland gain independence they will sever all contact with England? Why would there not be an extradition treaty? And of course there would be Scottish passports - how could there not be?

[DTCwordfan]

We would welcome independence down here, Plymouth securing its future as the UK's nuclear base and all the jobs that would be generated by Salmond wanting a nuclear-free Scotland. The man's a rabid socialist - he was at University and not much has changed, it seems.

[emmie]

separate passports, surely we all have European passports.

[emmie]

masquerading as British passports, awful red little books, i missed my substantial blue passport.

[Zacs-Master]

says Great Britain & Northern Ireland on the front of mine (as well as European Union).

[emmie]

still hate it.

[jeffa]

It does indeed, Zacs. A passport from an independent Scotland would say Scotland on it. If Scotland were part of the European Union, it would say that on it too.

Simple, really...

[emmie]

we will be a laughing stock.