BoWSaint

"[independence is]...probably going to be a positive development, if it does happen, for British Airways" - Willly Walsh, Chief Executive “As I said, let’s leave the people of Scotland to make the determination about what they want and, as I say, if I need to operate in 39 countries rather than 38, that’s what we need to do.” RBS CEO Ross McEwan on Channel 4 News, Jan 19 2014. “September is fast looming and it will be a big decision for the people of Scotland to make and, no matter what the outcome in September, we will continue to focus on serving our customers and our communities; so for us it’s no change whatever the outcome.” - RBS director Mike Moran on BBC News, June 2014. I said "RBS said nothing would change after a YES vote." Their director said "so for us it’s no change whatever the outcome.” You said "you've misrepresented the RBS Group" and "The ONLY person linked with the RBS who has said that a Yes Vote would be an "opportunity" for RBS is former CEO George Mathewson" It certainly won't be all rainbows and fluffy rabbits after a YES vote just as much as it won't be complete armageddon.

British Airways, Kiln Group, Clyde Blowers, MacDonald Estates, Jupiter Investments have all spoken in favour of a yes vote. Ryanair seemed pretty keen too although not as explicit as the rest (Michael O'Leary said he supports the Scottish Governments stance on APD but as far I know didn't give an actual "I support independence" soundbyte) RBS said nothing would change after a YES vote. They would simply operate in 39 countries instead of 38. Similarly for Ineos who run the Grangemouth refinery, Aviva, Lloyds, Tesco, Diageo, Next. I think both sides are building things up for a massive anti-climax. The average person will not experience an immediate life-altering change over night. Change will gradually happen over time depending on the party we vote in and the policies they bring. The vote is for the future, not just for the present.

They got a monstrous amount from the US government. I'm sure it was the biggest bailout amount.

So the away fans can't see it.

The spread of wealth is one of the growing problems with the current UK. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. In fact, spreading the wealth more evenly is one of the main reasons I think we should support a YES vote as I don't think it can improve under the current regime (it's been getting worse for 30 years). Here's a video about it....albeit a rather patronizing one! Spread of wealth in the UK

it's a good thing that his name isn't on the ballot paper or else this could actually be relevant to the debate.

I really hope no-one makes their voting decision based on the potential delivery price of internet based goods from rUK. Maybe there will be a www.Amazon.indy offering free postage.....

Yes you have, multiple times! For the umpteenth time, Salmond is not my prime minister or someone that I have EVER voted for, quite possibly never will. he does not speak for me or represent my personal views. No matter how often you bring him up, it will not change this fact. You really don't realise how little he factors into my choice! Also, again, the utopia is your word, not mine. Never once have I ever claimed everything would be 100% happy and rosy for everyone. Misrepresentation. You haven't "disproved" any of my reasons for supporting yes! It's quite astounding how your mind works for you to chalk up all these victories! For someone who appears to loath Salmond, you remind me incredibly of him. It's uncanny.

No-one, least of all me, has ever claimed that a "utopia" is likely to be achieved. One again you are completely misrepresenting me. I have many reasons for supporting a yes vote. None of them, not a single one, are "for changes sake". Again, you are making stark assumptions that are completely untrue. I'm pretty sure I have stated earlier in the thread some of my reasons. It has been a carefully weighted decision and after consideration I have come to the conclusion that Scotland could be a wealthier and fairer society than it is today. It's my decision that I have come to and I'm sorry if you can't accept it. Obviously, for your own reasons, you have concluded that a NO vote is in our best interest, which is fine. You don't have to go on the offensive with every post. I'm more than happy to agree to disagree.

I quite clearly said I wasn't a Salmond supporter so I don't consider myself to be a hypocrite. If we vote YES and the elected Scottish government gets involved in exploiting genocide for profit then I will still be as vocal against them as I am against our current UK government. I quit my job at QinetiQ in Bedford in 2004 precisely because I was conflicted with where the stuff I was designing was ending up. You are making wild assumptions about me that are completely false and then tarring the entire YES support with the same brush. Would it be fair for me to pick some random, racist, neanderthal NO supporter and claim that he epitomizes the entire NO support?

I doubt anyone can really say that they stand by a political party and all its policies and MPs without exception. That would be unrealistic. I am not an SNP supporter or a Salmond supporter or a "Nationalist" but I am a firm YES supporter. I am not fussed either way about being in the EU and it certainly wouldn't sway me either way. I am not fussed either way about the currency. I would happily continue using the pound or the euro or our own currency. I by no means think it is a foregone conclusion that the SNP would have power after a YES vote. If the referendum vote is tight and swings towards YES, all the NO voters will still get a vote in the general election and I doubt they will be SNP fans. Similarly, many YES supporters would not vote SNP, so focussing on their policies alone and comparing them to Thatcher is completely irrelevant. I think we should vote YES for the simple reason that we would get to make our own decisions and the political parties will all have to wake up and realise the demands of the people that have stuck their neck out for independence. I also don't think it is good to be associated with a government that facilitates genocide and profits from war. http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/david-cronin/britain-admits-selling-12-billion-weapons-israel

I caught a brief few seconds of the tour completely by accident as it came through Paris on Sunday. Just sitting by the Seine enjoying a bottle of rose wondering why the crowds were larger than usual, only to be rudely disturbed by the French version of the Red Arrows screaming narrowly overhead with their red, white and blue smoke, then a swift pack of lycra clad cyclists shooting by to rapturous applause. It was all over by the time I had figured out what was going on.

Accepting the risk? He proposed it!

https://scontent-b-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/t1.0-9/10424281_775749309158617_7373948340527788501_n.jpg Scotland keeps the blue. The rest goes to Westminster to decide what to do with. A yes vote means that Scotland chooses how to spend it all.

Things that have nothing to do with the referendum: - Alex Salmond - The SNP - Bannockburn or any other battles - JK Rowling, Obama, Connery, Bowie etc etc - Nazi Germany - Thatcher ... ... ... I genuinely think a lot of people think that they are voting on whether to bring Salmond or the SNP into power. At this stage, all that is being asked is whether Scotland should make it's own decisions or not. Nothing more, nothing less. The politics will be decided after the referendum. If Scotland wants to vote for a Tory government after independence then lets do it, similarly for every other party. Remember that after a YES vote, all the people who voted NO will still get a vote in the election so it really is anyone's race to win. Certainly all the YES voters aren't SNP supporters.

Stuart, you just rubbished a poll because of it's low number of people polled and then immediately followed up with your own poll of 4 people sitting round your dinner table to establish the "trend" of the entire country!

The North East of Scotland has seen a surge in YES voters and actually has them in the majority. https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/scotland/254563/poll-majority-would-vote-yes-in-north-east.

Apparently everyone is failing to find any form of abuse at all. The worst "attack" by a cybernat appears to have been the term "labour party minion"! http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-worst-of-the-worst/ Just more smearing by the NO biased media trying to win votes the dirty way instead of promoting their own campaign.

It is quite staggering that someone getting called a "bastard" by an anonymous online account can be equated with Nazi Germany. Also, here's a poll that shows that the gap is narrowing with 100 days to go. I'm sure you will claim it isn't narrowing however.... http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/bombshell-daily-record-poll-shows-3678091

I can't believe Stuart and Isabella still seem to think that this is a vote for/against the SNP. It has nothing to do with them and it would be a real shame if a sizable number of voters made up their mind due to this. I've never voted SNP but I would vote yes. Pointing out the SNPs shortcomings is pointless and juvenile. It also isn't a vote about economics. There isn't even a debate about whether we would be a wealthy country. The Conservative Prime Minister even acknowledges it. The question being asked this September isn't "could...", it is "should".... The only question you really need to ask yourself before you vote is whether you want Scotland to have full control of itself. That's all. How we choose to run the country after a YES vote is still completely up for grabs. We can vote in whoever we want and everyone who voted NO would still get a vote in the election so who knows who would come into power. The SNP do not win by default. Also, if someone chooses to vote yes or no, they quite possibly have thought through it and made their choice. This doesn't make them a bad person and there certainly shouldn't be any gloating or ridiculing before or after the vote. It is a shame that some have brought it to this schoolyard level. I've had many entertaining debates with NO voters over the months, not on this site mind you, but it can happen and you can still be good friends after.

Haha "leaving stuart dickson aside". He has got to be the biggest contributer and the most angry bully boy here. He completely destroys your argument and you even acknowledge it! Must try harder with your nonsense.

You could just leave out the quotations and put "not a country" because it isn't a country and never has been. Trying to make it into a country by putting "" around it to further your case doesn't change the truth. No country has voted against independence.

Name one of these powers. You cry from your soapbox that we need details from the YES campaign but the entire NO campaign seems to rest on these "extra powers" but none have actually committed to specifying any of these supposed powers. It's completely meaningless as it stands. The same as "the best of both worlds". What the f**k does that mean? Seriously. Are people voting NO based on these 2 statements? Who would be so naive? He's dodged tons of my posts. He only replies to the ones he wants which he is entirely entitled to do but there are many YES issues for which he has no rebuttal. Rwanda is after the C's. I'm going to use your rolly eye smiley now. Here it comes..................................

The election had absolutely nothing to do with the independence referendum. Any comparisons that you are desperately trying to make are fabricated in your mind. There was no question on the ballot paper asking if Scotland should be an independent country. This election was about an entirely different issue. You have absolutely no idea if any UKIP, Conservative, Green, Labour etc etc voters would vote YES come September (no-one does). Like I mentioned earlier, I have never voted SNP but I would vote YES for independence so you are completely wrong to claim that anything has been "proved beyond all doubt". I can only hope we do get a much better turnout come September as I find it quite embarrassing that we can't even muster up half of our voters to actually vote. What's the point in democracy if we aren't prepared to even use it?

So we reapply to join the EU if that is what the people want? What's the problem? Again, the future is unknown. This situation is unprecedented. No-one knows exactly what wil happen with the EU situation unless we vote yes. We have 5 million members who are voting to leave the UK, not leave the EU. I see the Danish dude has made absolutely no indication that we would have any problem reinstating our membership if we did have to reapply. Croatia is not Scotland. Neither are the other states that have tried to get into the EU. Quoting their situation is completely irrelevant. Or we stick with the UK government who are actively trying to get us to leave the EU. Again, a NO vote does NOT secure EU status. The future is unknown on this issue either way, deal with it! I can't believe the EU issue is the focus! There are much bigger problems to face.