GarryP

I've been banging on for ages that they only way Cameron's actions make any sense is if he wants a "yes" vote so that he can ensure the whole thing is such a mess that they want back into the union quickly.

It's the best way of killing independence for generations - give them it, but make sure it fails spectacularly. As an added bonus, he can shift more of the money and assets out of the region in the process.

Cameron can only lose by this if he gets voted out at the next election - which has always been the threat anyway.

scrubbedexpat098

In fairness you bang on about lots of things, was easy to overlook

Seriously though I think the whole campaign, on both sides has been ludicrous, the yes's relying on Braveheart, memes, questioning the no'ers intelligence, and bullshit. The no'ers relying on scare tactics, shite ads, and bullshit. roll on tomorrow, when will the results be in?

bcworld

Yup, whatever the result, agree with that! I've never seen my newsfeed so full of such a lot of total bs as it has been in recent weeks. First of all I had to unfollow 'Better Together' because they post approximately every 8 seconds, and now it's just a barrage of mostly fabricated crap by yes voting friends. Make it stop! Hopefully it will...although I have a feeling it won't!

scrubbedexpat098

haha

paulry

The Scotland independence referendum is opening a barrel full of worms for the UK, revealing that it's political system might have been broken for a long while - we just didn't see it.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...1227055743895#

Bix

Comfort zones and the fear factor will see the NO vote succeed I reckon.

paulry

I agree, but it's a wake up call that the system needs a re-write.

Bix

Quite astounding it's lasted so long really.

An antiquated system where cup winners run the country in preference to league champions and non players can sanction everything.

GarryP

Bookies are paying out on "no" bets - I've never seen one yet hand over the cash until they knew they had no other option.

OzTennis

The bookies are paying out on No already because based on the pattern of the bets placed with them they assess the odds of a No vote at 79% and a Yes vote at 21% - that's not a poll of voters but purely based on bets placed.

I disagree with your assumption about what Cameron wants - i.e. you think he secretly wants a Yes vote and then hopes Scotland falls flat on its face and wishes to come running back to join the union. My take is that Cameron has been far too complacent, he looked at the early polls and saw a huge lead for the No campaign. He has avoided, until recently, coming to Scotland because it plays into hands of the Yes campaign - re-inforces Salmond's view that Westminster is run by a small group of toffee-nosed former Eton/St Paul's/Oxford snobs - which it is.

The No campaign have been both surprised and stung into action (possibly too late) by the late surge for the Yes campaign and the one poll 10 days ago which gave Yes the lead; as well as Darling's pathetic performance in the 2nd debate and Yes supporters choosing less and less to seek answers to the hard questions - currency union, financial sector, share of national debt, NHS, delays in joining the EU etc, etc.

In no shape or form would Cameron, the leader of a Unionist party, secretly hope for a split up of the union and he would certainly be out on his backside if independence and break up of the union happened on his watch.

The governor of the Bank of England has declared that currency union and sovereignty are mutually exclusive - i.e. you can call it the Scottish pound or the Saltire pound or whatever you like but it won't be pound sterling. It has appeared today that in the event of a Yes vote, it could take up to 5 years to negotiate EU membership and joining the single currency will be a pre-requisite - i.e. Euro in 5 years for an independent Scotland.

It has also been said that if Scotland walked away from its share of the UK £1.4 trillion national debt that the bonds of a separate Scottish government would probably be downgraded to junk status i.e. Scotland would find it hard to raise money on capital markets.

GarryP

Not quite, I think he intends to ensure it falls flat on it's face, then has to rejoin the union. And I think he'll be aided in that by ... well just about every country with a rebellious region.

'Yes+Fail' is the only way to kill the idea of independence for 100 years - think Sun Tzu.

paulry

I agree, but Cameron and co aren't as smart as that.

GarryP

First class Honours from Brasenose College Oxford.

His worldview maybe be blinkered and stuffed full of the failed simplicity of "the market will solve everything" and "social stratification" - but dumb he ain't. Neither are the civil servants standing behind him, feeding him the lines.

Jon77

The elephant in the room is clearly Eurovision. Surely Salmond would quickly press for entry into this who's-who of nations. However, could this be the setting for the start of a British Isles block of voting where we all give each other high points every year (high number of expats etc) - further break up of the Uk could soon give us the potential to maybe get as high as 10th?

commonwealth

Has BE reserved the website for ScottishExpats.com?