Posted on 01/01/2014 3:29:37 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
PRIME Minister David Cameron has appealed to Scots to vote to stay in the UK for the sake of their “children and grandchildren” when they go to the polls in the referendum this year.
In his New Year message, the Tory leader insisted it will be the biggest decision Scots have ever faced on 18 September.
He used his message to warn that there will be no let-up in the climate of austerity this year – with a pledge to “redouble” efforts to reduce the UK’s massive annual spending deficit.
Mr Cameron said 2014 would be an “important date in the history of the United Kingdom”.
He said: “The referendum vote will be the biggest decision Scotland has ever been asked to make.
“The outcome matters to all of us, wherever we live in the UK. This is not a vote for the next few years, but a vote that could change our country forever.
(Excerpt) Read more at scotsman.com ...
An interesting twist to Scotland is the odd relationship it has had with of all places, Poland. For various reasons, in historical times, Scots would travel to Poland to find work and Poles would travel to Scotland for the same reason. Currently, the flow is from Poland to Scotland.
Even Bonnie Prince Charlie’s mother was Polish. Maria Clementina Sobieska was a Polish noblewoman, the granddaughter of the Polish king John III Sobieski.
Being one of Europe’s wealthiest heiresses, she was betrothed to James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, the son of the soon-to-be-deposed James II of England.
King George I of Great Britain was opposed to the marriage because he feared that the union might produce heirs to James Francis Edward’s claim to his thrones.
To placate him, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI arrested Maria Clementina while on her way to Italy to marry James Francis Edward. She was confined in Innsbruck Castle but eventually the guards were deceived and Maria Clementina escaped to Bologna, Italy, where, for safety from further intrusions, she was married by proxy to James who was in Spain at that time.
Geez, what a soap opera.
There was no English crown as Winnie has pointed out, after 1707, it was a British govt and a British royal family, which btw, sat and sits on the throne because of its SCOTTISH descent.
Most of the landowners were Scottish, from major families, and the reason (and nobody here is denying the Clearances weren’t appalling, what we are discussing is the bad history that surrounds it, thanks mainly due to nationalists) was pure profit. Sheep made more money than people.
Remember it happened long after 1746, the Highlands (of whom only barely half supported the 1745 uprising, more Scots fought AGAINST Bonnie Prince Charlie than for him, both sides of my family, one highland one lowland, and I am very proud they did so) has been at peace for years. lthough it started in 1762, it really didn’t start en masse until 1792 and into the 1800’s. By then, there was no prospect of another rising.
Also, even in Scotland, the equally important and harrowing LOWLAND Clearances have been forgotten. In fact it started first and influenced the later Highland one. Cynics might suggest that we Lowlanders don’t have the victim mentality of the Highlander....
Yep. Scots went all over Europe, from Ireland to Russia, Norway to Italy, for hundreds of years before and after the Union, as soldiers, traders and businessmen. Also as academics.
Tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, over 500-600 years.
Yep. Most English commentators would be happy to see the Scot’s go, as the English foot a great deal of their welfare bills.
Thanks all.
Thanks for helping to explain all this to me...... I truly am interested in it, but it’s hard to know if what is read in a history book is really the whole honest truth. So much of history is written from one side’s perspective, so I very much value your input.
(78) Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law. The death penalty is abolished and prohibited. Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as inflicted in contravention of this Article when it results from the use of force which is no more than absolutely necessary in defence of any person from unlawful violence, in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained, in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot or insurrection, or when such death results from a lawful act of war. This Article shall not, however, be construed to prohibit the voluntary termination of a pregnancy, or voluntary euthanasia, under such circumstances and conditions as may be prescribed by law. (92) Freedom of speech, expression and publication shall not be infringed, other than by such laws as are necessary and reasonable in a democratic society to prevent scandalous abuse of this right, to prevent incitement to violence, and to protect reputations and public decency.
Not exactly the first amendment... (97) No citizen shall be expelled, by means either of an individual or of a collective measure, from the Kingdom, nor deprived of the right to enter the Kingdom. The collective expulsion of aliens is prohibited.
(99) Everyone has the right to freely choose their employment and workplace according to their abilities and qualifications. Every employed person has the right to receive, for work done, commensurate remuneration which shall not be less than the minimum wage fixed by law. All workers are entitled to regular days of rest, equal to at least one day in seven, and to annual holidays with pay. The maximum number of hours of work per day shall be fixed by law, so that each person is secured adequate time for rest, recreation, learning, and social and family life. Conditions of work shall be regulated by law to protect the health, safety and well-being of workers. The rights specified in this Article cannot be renounced by contract. (100) Trade unions have the right to negotiate and enforce collective agreements, and to enforce these by strike action. This Article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the Armed Forces, the Police Services, the administration of the State, or persons working in essential public services. (101) Everyone shall have a right to adequate health care through a universal public health system established by law, as well as to public assistance, sufficient to maintain their health and dignity of life, in the event of accident, illness, disability, unemployment, and old age. (102) Everyone shall have a right to primary and secondary education, and also to higher, vocational or professional education commensurate with their aptitude and ability. The responsibility for delivering publicly-funded education may be delegated by law to County, City and Burgh Councils, and also to religious and charitable bodies in accordance with the law. Public universities shall be independent in their administration, teaching and research.
That’s a myth. And I say that as a NO voter and Conservative/Unionist. Scotland pays in more than it takes out. Our welfare bills are too high, and a disgraceful amount of Scots are dole scroungers. But then that is a British problem as well.
O.K., I can’t argue with someone who has studied it. It’s the meme I hear whenever Scottish independence is brought up.
The overall impression I get from talking to Scottish Nationalists is that they are not so much anti-English as anti-London.
Yeah, they want to leave the United Kingdom but have stronger ties to the European Union. In other words, they plan to be ruled from Brussels rather than from London. What a tremendous step forward.
...so they can be under Brussels instead.
Point of information. The United Kingdom came about because the King of Scotland became the King of England as well. Roll forward a century or so, and the act of Union that united the two parliaments politically was a Scottish idea. In other words, it was Scotland that took England over, not the other way round.
When was Scotland oppressed so tragically then? Certainly not since the Union, which effectively ended the border wars that had been raging off and on for four centuries plus.
And on a more pragmatic note, the vast bulk of the atrocities of the Clearances were committed by lowland Scots, (who hated the Highlanders) rather than the English.
The concept of "freedom" is lost on so many people now... including ever-increasing numbers of Americans.
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