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Thpinth

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  1. I think you're all too eager to believe that this viewpoint is representative of the way every single English person, or at least the overwhelming majority thinks. I hardly qualify as Middle England - for a start I don't live in suburbia, have twin garages or go on skiing holidays - but as a proud Englishman and something of a tub-thumping English nationalist who completely rejects any sense of a "British identity" I realise the constitutional anomalies inherent in the current "devolved powers" arrangement. There's no bunging the toothpaste back in the tube so Scottish independence is the best solution, provided that's what the people of Scotland want. It'll happen sooner or later anyway - the sooner the better in my view. I think the English are finally starting to become convinced that there is a real desire for independence in Scotland - it has taken a long time to wake up to that fact, but for me that has a lot to do with the fact that the Scottish electorate has never really shown its desire for independence through a strong SNP presence at Westminster. The English are generally a fair-minded people, as a people we tend not to be arrogant colonialists and as Scottish support for independence grows, there too will be more support for it in the south. The whole drawn out Scottish independence has been, and will continue to be, a bit of a psychological trauma for many English folks - that's not necessarily a bad thing but it is bound to have some unpleasant consequences along the way. Not suggesting that we are in the majority by any means, but there are plenty of us who see Scottish independence as an essential step towards the re-emergence of an English nation state so actively support a YES. We view eventual separation as a natural process of history whereby all of the traditional nation-states of Europe will reassert themselves in time, and that the people will feel better for it as unnatural superstates die off and are forgotten. Britishness, to me, is a distraction - a phoney identity that stands in the way of progress. Think "Britain" and you're thinking of old, irrelevant baggage and living in the past. Think "England" / "Scotland" / "Wales" and you're on the same wavelength as the ordinary people and you have the correct focus for improving society IMHO. It's also obvious to me that far from strengthening, the links between England and Scotland will inevitably melt away like snow over the next few decades. Just compare where we are now to where we were 20 years ago. That's not to say that the "social union" won't persist in some form (and a good thing too). I can see why threads like "What They Really Think of Us" serve a purpose because it suits a certain agenda to drive a wedge between English and Scottish people, but that doesn't make such claims accurate. I find it all a bit depressing, I actually feel I have lot more in common with a Scottish nationalist than an English Unionist. I think I mentioned this on another thread recently, but of the regular English posters on this forum I don't believe any is antagonistic towards Scottish nationalism, and there are no Billy Britains among us who try to browbeat you into abandoning nationalism and being good unionists.
  2. Depends on the immigrant. when it comes to needing immigrants who behave well and integrate, and not needing Jihadists or other kinds of troublemaker and refusenik, our needs are exactly the same.
  3. Was thinking that too, what's in it for him to back YES? As much as I want Scottish independence to happen, I echo what FE says above. News International is the grubbiest of organisations and the thought of The Scum being able to somehow claim it won the referendum is pretty unpalatable.
  4. The Czech and Slovak Koruna union lasted a matter of weeks because the markets spotted an inherent weakness, lack of full committal, and exploited it.
  5. [quote name="EddardStark" post="6102" timestamp= Armed Forces. Elvis Costello and the Attractions. That's a great shout. Blondie - Parallel Lines Kate Bush - Hounds of Love Pulp - Different Class Talking Heads 77 - Talking Heads Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of the War of the Worlds Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
  6. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd Trick of the Tail - Genesis Pet Sounds - Beach Boys Rumours - Fleetwood Mac The Wall - Pink Floyd III - Peter Gabriel Anything by Half Man Half Biscuit Absolutely - Madness Flood - They Might Be Giants Out of the Blue - ELO Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John Am I the only one who thinks the SPs are the most overrated band in history. Can't stand them.
  7. There's no way there will be a volte face on the currency stance before the referendum because it would hand victory on a plate to YES. It could even bring down the government because I can imagine (in fact would hope) the rUK public's reaction would be extremely hostile. If there is a YES, I agree it will be up for negotiation, at least initially, but I really don't think it is a realistic possibility that the UK would agree to a CU on terms that would be satisfactory to the Scottish Government. Even if they did agree terms (and I genuinely don't think the UK government want a CU, and my extensive reading on this subject brings me to the same conclusion), there won't be one without one of the rUK political parties including it in their 2015 GE manifesto and receiving a mandate or without a UK-wide referendum (only fair since one was promised in the event of joining a Euro and that the situation would have arisen by virtue of a vote that was only open to those living in Scotland). I suppose anything could happen, but the scenario I'm outlining here is far from unlikely. However, should Scotland call Osborne's "bluff" (not necessarily the right word here as I don't think it is, but you catch my drift) and vote YES, and the rUK government stand firm on the issue it won't make a difference to the result - Scotland will still become independent. I recall someone - Khana Lagur it may have been - suggesting that one of the reasons why rUK would not get in the way of a CU is because the SG have made it clear that they desire this, and to refuse a CU would somehow breach the Edinburgh Agreement because independence would have to be aborted. Not so, a YES vote and Scotland goes.
  8. Ah sorry, I was thinking in a purely British context. I guess in terms of geo-political shocks there are plenty of comparable events or ones with much bigger ramifications (end of Apartheid, 9/11, collapse of communism, you name it) and it's then "one of..." is fair enough. In terms of UK constitutional politics though this is as big as it gets,
  9. Indeed, and on that very theme this made me smile on Twitter: "Egg man mckenzie sounds like the Fernando Torres of egg throwing."
  10. Not at all, and I think "one of the biggest..." is even a gross understatement. Whatever happens (and I'm starting to think, for the first time really, that a YES vote is now a distinct possibility) the implications are absolutely massive. I can't think of a bigger political shock in this generation, can you?
  11. Flirtatious PMs? No, I Don't think so. Jude was a troll, pure and simple. A bored Dubai housewife. Plenty of posters will back me up on this. Take a look at those threads - she was pure barking. Let it go.
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