Independent Scotland

[TestMangler]

We'll see. I hope you get the vote soon. Don't let the door smack you on the arse on your way to poverty.

Suits me fuk-wit. You can carry on pretending to be rich and important.

[russell]

Unfortunately, you come across like a bit of a bellend. A sensible Scotland would export you at the earliest convenience.

If that was the case Scotland would be empty, you would be at the top of the export list

[Incognito]

I hope the Scots get the vote and vote themselves independent.

Apart from a few dwindling oil rigs, Scotland has fook all going for it and England will be well rid of it.

Hah, you clown, dwindling oil rigs?

A Scottish oil fund is a simple concept - tax revenues from the North Sea are invested now to provide a permanent source of wealth long after the oil and gas are gone.

Norway has done it and that fund is now worth £213 billion. Alberta in Canada and Alaska in the US have done it. In fact, the UK is practically alone among countries with major oil and gas reserves in not creating an oil fund.

For 40 years Scotland's oil has fuelled our economy, attracted investment, provided jobs and brought prosperity to the UK.

There are at least 25 billion barrels left to be recovered, worth hundreds of billions of pounds in revenue.

I believe the time is right to start an oil fund, controlled by the Scottish parliament, to support future generations and today we've published a discussion paper that looks at how we should best use our oil revenues.

Adjusted for inflation, the UK Government has raised approximately £270 billion in direct tax revenue from the North Sea over the past 30 years, equivalent or approximately nine times the annual Scottish Government budget. Based on tax revenue coming directly from Scottish territorial waters, that equates to some £230 billion. And based on the Treasury's most recent projections, it is clear the North Sea will remain a major source of tax revenue for years to come.

The oil and gas industry supports around 200,000 jobs in Scotland and an oil fund will be no burden on the industry, rather it will be part of a more sustainable approach, provide greater macroeconomic stability and support our transition to a low carbon economy.

Scottish Government: Web page currently unavailable.

Scotch whisky is growing in popularity in Brazil and the USA
Exports of Scotch whisky reached a record high last year, despite the economic downturn in some major markets.
Figures show the amount of whisky being shipped abroad increased by 4% worldwide during 2009.
The value of these exports rose by 3% to reach about £3.1bn, according to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).
Paul Walsh, chairman of the SWA, said the figures showed the importance of Scotch whisky to the UK economy.
The SWA said there had been a slow start to 2009, partly due to weaker consumer confidence.
But an "impressive" export performance was reported during the second half of the year.

Scotch whisky distillers have delivered record exports in the face of a global economic downturn
Paul Walsh
Scotch Whisky Association
The USA remained Scotch whisky's largest export market by value, with an increase of 13% last year.
The drink is also enjoying increasing popularity in Brazil, where the value of exports grew by 44%.
However in Spain, the third biggest market, the value of exports fell by 5%.
'Leading export'
An extra 3% - or £71m - of blended Scotch was exported last year, compared to 2008, while malt Scotch whisky shipments rose by 1%, or £4m.
Mr Walsh said: "Scotch whisky distillers have delivered record exports in the face of a global economic downturn.

BBC News - Scotch whisky exports reach record high in 2009

Edinburgh is the second largest financial services centre in the UK after London, and despite its geographical size is the sixth largest investment management centre in Europe and the 15th largest in the world. Scotland is also home to three of the UK's top five life assurance and pensions companies as well as Royal Bank of Scotland, which is the second largest bank in Europe and one of the world's top 20.

The financial services industry is one of the biggest employers in Scotland providing around 97,000 jobs (around 5% of the Scottish workforce) with a further 100,000 in support industries. An important part of the Scottish economy since the 1700s, it is today worth more than £20bn a year and accounts for 8% of Scottish GDP.Eight of Scotland's top 20 companies (those with a UK or international head office in Scotland or with 90% of their turnover generated in Scotland) are in the financial services sector.

Corporate Watch : G8 Report : SCOTLAND PLC: The financial industry in Edinburgh

Scotland has been highlighted by the European Commission as a key region for offshore renewable energy potential.

The region is offered as a ‘fine example’ of how to utilise various offshore technologies in a report published today by the European grid co-ordinator Georg Adamowitsch.

The report recognised Scotland for its array of wind, wave and onshore renewable energy potential, which it said combine to form a ‘coherent’ approach.

Adamowitsch is to continue discussions with Scottish experts to clarify the economic potential of the region’s renewable energy potential, the report said.

Scotland’s Energy Minister Jim Mather said the report is further evidence that Scotland has used its powers ‘successfully’ to create a strong support framework for renewables, as the country clings onto control over its resources in the face of UK-wide electricity reform.

The UK is to debate the recently proposed UK electricity reforms today, one day after UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne visited Scottish marine energy company Pelamis Wave Power.

Yesterday, Huhne announced that Scotland has a ‘major role to play’ in meeting the legally-binding UK renewable energy target, saying that the Pelamis visit had enabled him to see what green industries need from government.

Scotland is one of a group of countries working to create a North Sea offshore grid, for which Mather said the Scottish government is plugging the country to be able to export even greater levels of green energy.

The North Sea off Scotland is estimated to have the potential to hold offshore capacities of up to 68GW by 2050, said the report.

‘Scotland will be at the heart of plans to deliver a North Sea offshore grid to interconnect European electricity networks,’ said Mather.

http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com...potential.html

I'd be more worried about England when we've gone. Funded by a bankrupt city and Cornish pasty exports. Still, at least you untermensch can get by with sweeping our streets and emptying our bins.

[shaunbhoy]

Wow! Almost sounds good enough for me to return home.
I would consider it, but feel that I have to stay here to save the likes of Troll from sinking into a deep depression.

[TestMangler]

Wow! Almost sounds good enough for me to return home.
I would consider it, but feel that I have to stay here to save the likes of Troll from sinking into a deep depression.

Better do it quickly, before you need a Visa and sponsors

[d000hg]

I am all for Independence as I live am Scottish and live in Scotland. So I don't think he was talking to me.

But I was.

Unfortunately, you come across like a bit of a bellend. A sensible Scotland would export you at the earliest convenience.

And it seems so was he after all.

What differences would there be with an independent Scotland? Are they after a totally distinct country so the Scotland/England distinction is as clear as the England/France one, or still leaving some vestigial link... would they still be in the UK for instance?

[Incognito]

What differences would there be with an independent Scotland? Are they after a totally distinct country so the Scotland/England distinction is as clear as the England/France one, or still leaving some vestigial link... would they still be in the UK for instance?

Chances are we would cooperate on things like defence and air traffic etc. Same set up as Ireland, no passports etc, but we would be a republic with a President

[shaunbhoy]

Chances are we would cooperate on things like defence and air traffic etc. Same set up as Ireland, no passports etc, but we would be a republic with a President

President Salmond.........a real fish out of water!!

[d000hg]

Will they switch to driving on the other side of the road and adopt the Euro? Won't make much difference, nobody accepts their money as it is!

[shaunbhoy]

Will they switch to driving on the other side of the road and adopt the Euro? Won't make much difference, nobody accepts their money as it is!

I beg to differ. A mate of mine used to always bring down plenty of scottish pound notes when he visited England. The number of times the gormless english shop assistants gave him change of a fiver almost funded his trips.