Peter_in_Hungary

Over heard on HirTV
Scotland is having its election next week................will they choose skirts or trousers

Hmm that's one way to put it

Any views on whether it should be 'skirts or trousers'?

Jack_Russells4ever

I know I am in a minority but since I hate globalism the NWO and the rush to a one world government I am all for Scottish Independence. I have great disdain for big government and I would love to see the approximately 195 sovereign nations split up into about 8-10 thousand small ones. That way we keep our elected criminal vermin close to were we live in case we need to make them the exalted guest of a hemp rope party. A government big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take everything you have.

Pollypaprika

I like the idea of Scotland having their own independence...but in practice I don't think it will work. Brussels will come steaming in and see to that imo. It's an interesting debate...and the younger crowd who have been sold a Braveheart version of Scotland seem to be all for it...whereas older expats seem to think differently (or at least that is my experience).

I am going off to the corner of the kocsma now to slurp some Dreher....I leave the floor open...

FenTiger

I think it is a shame that people who were born in Scotland have no right to vote. After all it is their country of birth. Why should people, including non-Scots, who live there be the ones who vote for or against independence.

PS - I should have added I'm English ..... or East Anglian if you count that region as a "country"!

Pollypaprika

I was brought up in East Anglia...I think it is a separate country

FenTiger

I completely agree ..... it doesn't get the funding the rest of the country gets .... just like the North Eastern part of Hungary.

Lunch over ... so best get back to work before the firewall stops my next posting!

Rural Hungary

It's a difficult one Peter as there has been much mis-information fed to the electorate, moreso in the past few months and had Cameron not vetoed the original request of a second option in the referendum, I don't think we would even be having this discussion as I feel enough would have opted for further devolution and prevented a Yes vote.

The younger voters are actually polling a strong no vote with the 19-45 year olds, many of whom wouldn't have been fed the "Braveheart version" are polling the highest for voting yes. To be honest, I don't think Braveheart has much to do with it, in school we tend to learn factual Scottish history and not the glamourised, inaccurate, Hollywood version of it and I personally believe more recent history will have a bigger impact on the vote.
For many, family will influence their decision, I grew up in a nationalist family and from an early age we weren't taught that Scotland should be independent based purely on historical events but instead on facts such as the gap in wealth distribution despite the central and north east regions of Scotland having a per capita GDP equal to London. Further, nobody my age could ever forget being sold the myth that Scotland was a test bed for the poll tax. Even today, few people, including Cameron, acknowledge that it was pressure from Whitelaw et al to abolish the recently revalued Scottish rates system which was causing much discord in the then Tory areas such as Morningside and Bearsden. Implementing the tax in Scotland a year early was supposed to pacify the Scottish Tory voters ahead of the anticipated election in 1987 as they had felt the biggest impact from the revaluation of the rates system. Comments from some conservatives fuelled the myth that Scotland was "deliberately" being used as a guinea pig and for many Scots, this belief remains and will play a part in their decision. Throw in the oil and whiskey revenue and your closer to where most Scots are at the moment than thinking Hadrian's wall, William Wallace or Robert the Bruce will have a huge influence on the majority of Scots - those harking back to the distant past are, I believe, in the minority.

fidobsa

Actually, I think everyone in Britain should get a vote on this. After all, it could change what constitutes Britain, so the English, Welsh and Northern Irish people should be able to have a say on whether to give bits of their country away.

Pollypaprika

Re the 'Braveheart' comment...as I said in my original post - I only have my own experience to go on and the Scottish people I speak to. Admittedly my experience is limited....having said that I am a genuine redhead descended from Clan Campbell - Ne Obliviscaris! Ooops!

I was just so excited that we had a Kocsma that I decided to jump in there :-)

Rural Hungary

...and jump in you should, that's what A Kocsma is for. I have a particular loathing for the film Braveheart.....

Pollypaprika

Oh it really is the most ridiculous film going. I am not a fan either!

Rural Hungary

Perhaps it's to compensate for the somewhat questionable voting tactics that passed the Act of Union

FenTiger

The 'No' vote is currently in the lead in polls ...... but which one is this for? Trousers or skirts?

Pssst - has anyone ever told Hungarians they are called 'kilts' not skirts ... or maybe the equivalent doesn't exist in Hungarian although if you go to Hortobagy you'll see men wearing very long dresses right down to their ankles!

fidobsa

I wouldn't know, that was a bit before my time

John Gilbert

I agree with your distrust of government -

but do we protect ourselves from the dictatorship of the majority waving two fingers at substantial minorities by splitting reasonable sized countries into smaller & smaller states.

What protects us from "governments" is respect for separation of powers - the judiciary separated by time delays on appointments of judges from the rule of the executive - a stable constitution that can't be changed on a whim - building in time delays for second thoughts on substantial change.

The mature democracy as in the UK is far from perfect but it can't be quickly manipulated by populists - the bring back hanging, the back to a 1950's illusion of a UK that never existed brigade that dream of Nigel Farage ruling with a pint of beer in one hand & a Daily Mail in the other.

Small Government may not mean smaller & smaller nations. It may be that other things determine whether or not government remains the servant rather than adopting the airs of the master.