Scottish independence: First referendum results declared

BBC.com ^ | 9/18/14 | ?

[blueyon]

The first results are coming in for the referendum to decide whether Scotland should stay in the UK or become an independent country.

[wardaddy]

LoL

[GeronL]

didn’t Glasgow go for NO?

[NZerFromHK]

It was yes 53%. My ex-boss is from Glasgow and he said many of his own friends his generation (mid 30s) are the bedrock independentists. But that was it plus perhaps Dundee. Edinburgh is definitely unionist though.

[Hieronymus]

In many ways, it is not a close vote, but at this point if they could sway the right one in eighteen voters to shift their votes, they would have a majority.

[wastedyears]

European Conservative is different from American Conservative. Just like the Founding Fathers were called “liberals,” small ‘l’, while today’s Liberals are on the complete opposite side of the political spectrum from 1776.

[Tredegar]

It does not alter the fact that British conservatives are to the right of the political spectrum, however skewed you believe that political spectrum to be. British liberals are to the left. British socialists have dropped off the cliff.

[DoughtyOne]

I suppose, but then that means the right one in eighteen shifted the other way would make an even bigger margin of victory.

It is true that when there is a ten percent spread, you only have to move 5% plus 1 to win.

I’ve noticed that when the writer is disappointed in an outcome, it is described as oh so close, and when the vote goes their way, it’s a landslide.

Obama’s first run at the presidency comes to mind. Wow, what a mandate...

[Pelham]

NKP rules!...

[bd476]

Myrddin wrote: " Wales would likely vote yes. They have been trying to escape the English domination for centuries. It would be a tough time economically as the mining industries have largely shutdown. Wool and tourism remain."

Agree. For awhile, the Welsh were doing so well they could afford to and actually did help the English by deeding some Welsh land to them. IIRC Geoffrey the generous (my term for him :P) and circa 1400s give or take, was the kindly benefactor to the English.

Also I've often wondered why Swansea played second fiddle to Liverpool as a major port.

Cymru am Byth! :)

[Hieronymus]

Divided and closely divided are more appropriate terms. U

[bd476]

dglang wrote: "Being of English, Irish, Scottish ancestry I have no specific choice in this election based on nationality. I am however firmly in the NO category based on my belief that it is better for the world for Scotland to remain a part of the UK for their as well as England’s benefit.

Since England is a solid ally of the U.S. it is better for all if they remain strong which will assist them in fighting any Islamic effort to conquer first Scotland and after establishing a foothold there concentrate on Britain itself."

Agree, the timing for Scotland leaving now is terrible. Yet I also feel a tug thinking how there never has been a good time for England to lose any of her colonies, including India, South Africa, Hong Kong, the Falklands, her 13 colonies right here, etc.

[DoughtyOne]

Works for me...

[Solar Wind]

British lobster backs weren’t often encountered in the far southern colonies.

After 1780 they were. The overall commander, Clinton sent Cornwallis down south to split up the colonies by starting a second front. He wrongly guessed that the South was a bastion of British loyalists.

Cornwallis devastated Charleston and moved inland slaughtering patriots as he went. This won little local support. He sent one flank to the west headed by Ferguson to subjugate the North Carolina mountain people. Militias and mountain hunters rose up and wiped out Ferguson and his men at Kings Mountain.

Washington answered Cornwallis' challenge and sent Nathanial Green and Daniel Morgan to the Carolinas. Cornwallis sent his east flank headed by Tarlton after Morgan.

The more experienced Morgan goaded Tarlton into a frontal charge at Hannah's Cowpens. Using tactics he developed at Saratoga, Morgan used successive lines of militia and Continentals to break Tarlton's charge and kill and capture almost all of Tarlton's forces.

Green then lead the remainder of Cornwallis' forces in a chase all over South and North Carolina wearing his troops down. Green then fought Cornwallis to a draw at Gilford Courthouse. This was approximately portrayed in "The Patriot".

After these three defeats Cornwallis knew he could never beat the American commanders again.

His forces depleted and unable to subjugate the South, the weakened Cornwallis went to Yorktown to combine with the British troops there. The rest of the story you know.

The Southern campaign is not as well known as the Northern one. Green and Morgan were remarkable leaders and did much with almost nothing. Green was at Washington's side since the beginning of the war. Washington trusted him to counter Cornwallis in the South and he did it along with the help of Morgan and several local militia leaders.

[samtheman]

A political union that has lasted for 307 years continues. Scotland remains part of the United Kingdom. Border posts are not thrown up in the Cheviots. Britain’s nuclear-armed submarines remain based in Scotland. The pound, though it may wobble, does not tumble on currency markets. Billions of pounds invested in Scottish banks mostly stays put. As do the banks. The biggest constitutional crisis in British history does not happen.

Scotland votes No: what happens now?

[manc]

Common sense prevailed thankfully and the socialists lost.
Now Salmon who promised the world in his Marxist agenda can shut up and stop telling lies to the few uneducated and the young.

But in the grand scheme of things that’s a small percentage of people living in Scotland and an even smaller percentage of the total population of the UK.

Over 4.75m people live in Scotland (though BBC figure put it at just over 5m, the election figures do not support this claim) the 1.6m that bothered to register and then go out and vote yes is actually just a third of the total population living in Scotland. It’s less than 2.5% of the total population of the UK.

More people live in North West England (Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire & Lancashire) at 6.8m than live in Scotland. It’s been a hell of a lot of expense for just 1.6m people and Salmond has got the devo max he wanted but Westminster originally said he couldn’t have.

[bd476]

Conflicting sides present that Scotland's Communists
were for Independence and then others said that the
Communists were against Independence.

And a whole host of somebodies are playin' the pipes
Yet were they fer it or ag'in it?

** Communists-for-Scottish-Independence

** Is There A Scottish Road To Socialism?
Scots Republic Communists in Scotland

** Young Communist League calls on Scotland to vote No in referendum

** The Telegraph:

Disaster on the scale of the meltdown following the collapse of
Communism has been averted with a No vote, according to one
senior European Union official

Scottish independence 'like collapse of Communism'

[the scotsman]

Scotland is not and has never been a colony of England.

[bd476]

Dear The Scotsman, my awkward wording was ... awkward and it’s regrettable that it led to a misunderstanding.
However I did not call Scotland a colony, nor would I call Wales nor Ireland colonies.
Have a braw day. :)

[the scotsman]

We were free in 1707. We were free last night. We remain free today.

[the scotsman]

Nope. Its horrific, a dirge. A second rate folk song with cringing backward lyrics. Scotland the Brave, Heilan Laddie, Scots Wha Hae, Highland Cathedral and others are far superior tunes.

Scotland the Brave is my anthem. Fantastic rousing tune.