The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #155459   Message #3657328
Posted By: Scabby Douglas
05-Sep-14 - 10:20 AM
Thread Name: BS: scottish independence
Subject: RE: BS: scottish independence
Oh for Goodness' sake, Teribus. I may answer some of these out of sequence as I don't have time to check references right now, but let me pick up a few things:

"The greatest stumbling block to Scotland becoming a member of the EU is the unanimous acceptance of Scotland's application by the existing member states - EXCLUDING the UK there are six current EU members that will blackball Scotland's application for purely national interest."
Any evidence of that? I am unaware of any member state having said any such thing - in fact the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo has explicitly said that Scottish independence is a matter between Scotland and Westminster and Spain has nothing to say on the matter, Spain being one of the countries most likely to feature in your supposed list of blackballers, I'd guess.

"Scotland's pensioners equate to 23% of the total population"
You know, or you should, that is not a problem being faced only by Scotland. Scotland's stats for population ageing are not dramatically different than those for the rest of the UK. So the problem you describe is one that will be faced by ALL of the UK, not just Scotland. in the White Paper however, a partial solution has been proposed - namely to allow immigration to increase by a net amount of around 1400 people a year - the increase in working population would offset the deficit implicit in the ageing increase.

And really, I'd love to know what the obsession is with NO-vote supporters in applying personal insults to Alex Salmond. If your points are valid, then don't undermine them by childish and irrational name-calling.

Your point 8 falls because I don't accept your premise that Scotland would be outside of the EU.

Point 7.   Civil Service - According to https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-provides-more-than-30-000-civil-service-jobs-in-scotland (do your own blicky, if you like) there are 48,830 Civil Service jobs located in Scotland, or to put it another way, less than one quarter of the number you cite. Of that number they are split about 65% - 35% between servicing UK requirements and Scottish Government needs. It's possible that some reduction in size may be necessary over time, but nothing like the carnage that you suggest.

3. NATO again. (sigh) If you care to look at a map, you will realise that anything that poses any kind of military threat to Scotland would automatically pose a threat to any of... wait a minute I already said this.. (Copy.. Paste) The second thought is that of course NATO could choose to "exclude" Scotland, but in reality, how much of a threat is that? As I said above, anything that's a real military threat to Scotland would be as much of a danger for England and other North Atlantic neighbours, so how could England, and its NATO allies, ignore such a threat? Scotland would not be looking for a free defence solution. It's been stated that Scotland would look for membership of NATO, and contribute its share to the defence of the North Atlantic community of nations.

9. Eh? Can I suggest you re-read this sentence and tell me what you think it means? The UK will not, nor ever has had ships built for the Royal Navy outwith the UK. Orders for the Type 26 number 18 or 20 in addition to those for the Indian Navy will be built under licence in India.
I think you have just said : The UK will never ever, nohow, noway place orders for Royal Navy outwith the UK. Ermm, except for these, which will be built in India. Maybe that's not what you meant. I'm sure you'll let me know.

Chin chin