Really? No-one commenting on tonights debate?

[Dominic]

Will it cost us (the workers) more for this? Potentially yes, that's something I'm willing to take a chance on.

This seems to be the approach of many Yes voters - "We'll just chance it".... personally I don't think we should "chance it" / have a punt / etc etc on something as important as this.

That's a hell of a selective edit Dom.

I don't think that the Yes vote is summed up so simply, it's not "we'll just chance it" it's more we've looked at the whole situation, taken into account what has happened in the past, what has happened in other countries, thrown in some economic theory and decided that we can manage our own affairs successfully.
There is chance on both sides, it's naive to think otherwise, you've just got to look at the facts and pick a side. The fun bit is picking the facts from the nonsense, lies and half truths.

Okay, it was a selective edit, but it covers what I see in a lot of the yes voters attitude. Quite a lot of my clients ask me about the vote when they come in to see me. The general pattern seems to be that those voting "No" have a considered reasoned argument, while those voting "Yes" are taking a punt from an un-informed position. A few of the "Yes" side do have some reasoned argument to put forward (as we see on here) but many don't really seem to have any answer as to why they are going for a "Yes".

[pete]

Okay, it was a selective edit, but it covers what I see in a lot of the yes voters attitude. Quite a lot of my clients ask me about the vote when they come in to see me. The general pattern seems to be that those voting "No" have a considered reasoned argument, while those voting "Yes" are taking a punt from an un-informed position. A few of the "Yes" side do have some reasoned argument to put forward (as we see on here) but many don't really seem to have any answer as to why they are going for a "Yes".

Oh I admire the "selective edit in an internet forum post" - 'tis a tactic I myself have perhaps abused. Used. Not abused.

That's fascinating, I have exactly the opposite experience, the no voters are knee jerk whilst the yes voters are educated! (I mean it's not a definitive description, just a tendency).

Maybe we should put them in a room and let them fight it out?

(Things I have heard from No voters in the last week, "I don't need facts, I know what to think." "Scotland is subsidised by the rest of the UK" (many many times); "Well Alex just wants to be King.")

[pete]

On the uncostedness of it all, how much is the UK leaving the EU going to cost?

[GBOBM]

1. We don't get currency union and we have no control over our own currency. Uk government then sneeze and we catch a cold.
2. Our system costs more to run (older, less fit, less healthy population) and this wipes out the GDP excess
3. People like me who work for an english company but are based in scotland start getting taxed out of england cos it's better for employer and employee with the associated reduced receipts for the scottish version of HMRC
4. Cost of imports and exports go up due to the increased problems associated with different tax rates etc
5. Costs in supermarkets go up due to logistic costs now being concentrated in Scotland and not across the UK
6. For me, loosing my English clients - who's going to want to use a foreign accountant? Also, the additional cost of trade for those dealing with English business - currency exchange costs etc. I have quite a few clients who are putting plans into place to relocate their businesses to England to avoid some of the issues.
7. Going by the accountancy press, increased taxes in Scotland.

1. If we ended up using the euro, then would it be that bad? Which is stronger?
2. This is an issue yes, but I'm sure they would adapt the spending accordingly, and if they get rid of the nuclear element then they can start drilling on the west coast and make a gazillion bucks from the oil there to subsidise it.
3. This is also an issue and I wonder how pensions would work if you had only paid into England.
4. This may happen, and it may not. If it does then we will start buying more home grown products which in turn could (maybe) spark an increase in new scottish business if there is a demand for it.
5. Why? Why do logistical costs for a private company all of a sudden change?
6. currency exchange rates could or could not be an issue. All the talk suggests that if we go independant that westminster will screw us over when it comes to currency and we won't be worth anything. Do you not think it's in their best interests to keep scotland on side too and to have a good working relationship? When it comes to foreign accountants..... I've never seen a foreign worker do anything in scotland before.
7. Maybe, maybe not.... don't know. Could happen short term, but also could be better long term. who knows but also who knows if we stay part of the UK?

People think the status-quo is not risky, but at the same time that could all change as well.

[Dominic]

Stuff,... yadda yadda...

Yea, whateva! I know the facts I want to hear, so know how I'll be voting

[Andy G]

I thought it was really sad about the total lack of answers Salmond had - I hate political debate point scoring nonsense.

I thought the execution of the programme was poor, educationally what did you learn, some of the audience had clearly been "let out for the night".

Still have to admit its hard to believe Scotland is being asked to make this judgement with such an utter lack of information, some of it supressed, some of it unknown.

Press sensationalism seems to be a more effective toll these days than actual information.

I cant see a YES vote as anything other than a gamble.

I cant see Salmond as anything less than a muppet.

And I cant help but think, all this time, money and resource would be far better spent fixing the issues of the country. Compare this to some of the other issues in the world and it all seems rather petty to me.

If I'd been asking him a question last night it would have been simple " Will you resign if the No vote is successful?". After all his one man egotrip will be at an end, and I fear rather a lot of this is what its about.

And business wise the last thing I need is any more barriers to trade.

[renmure]

That's fascinating, I have exactly the opposite experience, the no voters are knee jerk whilst the yes voters are educated! (I mean it's not a definitive description, just a tendency).

That is, generally speaking, the opposite to my experience. The most vociferous Yes campaigners I hear tend to be the ones with least to lose or most to gain from a political gamble ( and that is as valid a reason for voting as others having the opposite view) but many of their arguments can be characterised by either, anti-Thatcherism, anti-poll-tax, anti-tory, anti- bedroom tax, anti-westminster, anti- this/that/the next thing. Other than on social media, I haven't actually been faced with too many vociferous No campaigners.

Maybe we just mix in different circles

[flyingscot68]

If I'd been asking him a question last night it would have been simple " Will you resign if the No vote is successful?". After all his one man egotrip will be at an end, and I fear rather a lot of this is what its about.

And business wise the last thing I need is any more barriers to trade.

I'm hoping he'll resign either way, him and Sturgeon are probably one of the biggest put offs for the yes vote.

I haven't heard anything about plans for trade, I would hope that any Scottish government would be pulling out all the stops to make Scotland an easier place to do business and trade with the rest of the world than our neighbours.
Again though, we're left guessing.

[flyingscot68]

So far I don't see any insurmountable problems with independence, problems and potential issues yes but nothing that can't be sorted over time with the right people in charge - even the currency debacle.

Does seem to be a lot of glass half empty rather than half full going on though, there's guys in my office actually talking about moving to England if Yes wins! Suppose they can go live with the other half of the office who already live there anyway

[David]

So far I don't see any insurmountable problems with independence, problems and potential issues yes but nothing that can't be sorted over time with the right people in charge - even the currency debacle.

I think that is probably true, but why do we need to create problems to sort out? There are many that are happy with things the way they are - sure, change will always generates opportunities for some, but it closes doors for others. It is not a risk for me, but a certainty. My job will move south, or I'll get a P45. What right do the YES campaign have to impose that on, not just me, but thousands in a similar position.

[Rosssco]

So far I don't see any insurmountable problems with independence, problems and potential issues yes but nothing that can't be sorted over time with the right people in charge - even the currency debacle.

Does seem to be a lot of glass half empty rather than half full going on though, there's guys in my office actually talking about moving to England if Yes wins! Suppose they can go live with the other half of the office who already live there anyway

Of course, nothing is "insurmountable" and of course Scotland would not crash and burn (if at least run half-decently), but it's more about the quality of life that can be provided. The problem is that behind all the rhetoric and soundbites, the Yes campaign don't really have a solid vision of what things would look like, and the problems, as well as opportunities that could be available.

The problem I have with the debate, and more specifically the Yes campaign, is that despite claiming to be a positive campaign, its mostly mired in negative aspects of previous problems and percieved ills. On the other hand, the actual positive forward-looking aspects are very hazy, and seem to have so little structure so as to be almost intangible.. This means, to me, that they are simply statements of intent rather than a feasible and achievable plan.

Also, there seems to be an often significant mis-diagnosis of the origins of some of the problems / issues affecting parts of Scotland. The "if we are independant we can solve all this" mantra is very naive to me, and doesn't really reflect reality. If I'm going to vote for independance, I want to know the real situation, warts and all..

On the TV debate, nothing much new, Salmond was just basically quoting the white paper, and its slightly worrying he would potentially be in the hot seat in any negotiations with the rUK / Europe / NATO etc. He's a good "politician", but Darling showed him to be a bit wanting on substance and content.

[woody]

On the uncostedness of it all, how much is the UK leaving the EU going to cost?

We are? That's news.

[Jeremy]

The currency union "will we/won't we" thing is smoke and mirrors from Salmond and his slug eyebrowed sidekick which is conveniently, for them, hiding a much bigger issue.

If we do negotiate a currency union, we then have no control over our own interest rates and the rest of the UK then has oversight of our tax and spending plans. Exactly what is "independent" or in any way desirable about that ? It's pretty much what we already have at the moment with the Scottish Parliament. Darling would have been better to (hypothetically) concede the currency union thing to Salmond then take him to task on this.

Another point that has seldom been mentioned is that the Yes camp intend to keep the Queen of England as our Head of State in Scotland. This quite simply beggars belief, the Queen of another country would be our head of state ?! Why not go for the Queen of Denmark instead. Or perhaps Norway. Or Queen Ranai of Jordan ? She is much younger and prettier.

Regards,

Jeremy

[neil]

Is the Queen not head of state of Australia, New Zealand, and a raft of other independent countries?

Your currency union scenario would put us in a similar position to all Eurozone countries and that works doesn't it?

[Rusty]

A question i'd like to hear asked to better together is,

If Scotland Leave the Uk, Will the Uk still have a permanent seat on the Security council of Nato?
If Scotland stay in UK, we keep being told that we will get more powers, What powers?

Queen would supposedly be head of state as we would still be part of the commonwealth, All those teams over here for the last month or so, have the queen as head of state.