“The case for Scottish independence looks stronger post-Brexit”

[barryqwalsh]

Sir Nicholas Macpherson has advised Scotland to ditch the pound



Sir Nicholas Macpherson, permanent secretary to the Treasury during the independence referendum campaign, said Nicola Sturgeon has bolstered the Scottish Government’s “fiscal credibility” since she took charge in 2014.

In an article for the Financial Times entitled “the case for Scottish independence looks stronger post-Brexit”, Sir Nicholas said the UK’s decision to leave the EU “changes terms of debate north of the border”.

Reacting to the article on Twitter, Ms Sturgeon said: “This from Nicholas Macpherson, the chief architect of the Treasury’s anti Indy stance in 2014, is quite something.”


Read more:
Brexit vote a ‘golden opportunity’ for Scottish independence

 

[theHawk]

Independence is one thing, but rushing to get into the EU is another. Would seem foolish to do so considering how unstable it is now. It also seem pretty dumb for them to move to the Euro, two different currencies on the same little island?

 

[yiostheoy]

Well now it is political and the Scots do not want to be told what to do by the poor working class English.

Leaving the EU hurts England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Scotland and N.Ireland will likely now BOTH break away from the UK.

I never dreamed that the next nation to dissolve after the USSR would be the UK.

But there you have it.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Scotland will benefit from taking on all those companies that will leave England. They could offer EU access and an English speaking workforce. Its a huge opportunity for them.

 

[yiostheoy]

Scotland will benefit from taking on all those companies that will leave England. They could offer EU access and an English speaking workforce. Its a huge opportunity for them.

Exactly, yes.

Ireland too will be a great escape from England as well.

Scotland will need to lower their corporate tax rate down to 12 1/2 % like Ireland though in order to compete.

 

[Toro]

I think it's going to happen.

From the article.

Edinburgh faces “a historic opportunity” to develop as a financial centre by pulling in staff and resources from London, he said.

However, he said it is “highly uncertain” how quickly Scotland could join the EU, particularly with the objections of Spain, but he added that the EU “has a huge interest in fast-tracking membership for a country whose citizens have been members of the bloc for 43 years and have voted to remain by 62% to 38%”.​

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Scotland will benefit from taking on all those companies that will leave England. They could offer EU access and an English speaking workforce. Its a huge opportunity for them.

Exactly, yes.

Ireland too will be a great escape from England as well.

Scotland will need to lower their corporate tax rate down to 12 1/2 % like Ireland though in order to compete.

I cant see the Northern Irish leaving. It would be in their interests but there isnt an overwhelming majority in favour like in Scotland.
We are more likely to see the return of terrorism.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

I think it's going to happen.

From the article.

Edinburgh faces “a historic opportunity” to develop as a financial centre by pulling in staff and resources from London, he said.

However, he said it is “highly uncertain” how quickly Scotland could join the EU, particularly with the objections of Spain, but he added that the EU “has a huge interest in fast-tracking membership for a country whose citizens have been members of the bloc for 43 years and have voted to remain by 62% to 38%”.​

I think Sturgeon will take her time with this. She will want to see how the exit talks pan out before making a move. There is a good chance that the UK will stay in.

 

[Blackrook]

Scotland would fold if they could not suck the teat of the English taxpayer:

Nine out of ten Scots 'are a burden on the state' (and that's the suggestion of Scotland's Tory leader)

Good riddins' to this nation of welfare bums.

 

[Lumpy 1]

Not that I care all that much but why break up the United Kingdom, such a long and intermingled history, it just seems like a waste of time, money and effort just to say the word "independence" and hope you pretty well end up in the same spot.

btw. is Scotland being oppressed?

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Not that I care all that much but why break up the United Kingdom, such a long and intermingled history, it just seems like a waste of time, money and effort just to say the word "independence" and hope you pretty well end up in the spot.

btw. is Scotland being oppressed?

Scottish and Welsh interests are secondary to English interests. Scotland voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU but now have to deal with the horror of a possible brexit. Why should they ?

 

[ESay]

However, he said it is “highly uncertain” how quickly Scotland could join the EU, particularly with the objections of Spain,

It is not the first time I have come across a mention of these objections here, but I have never heard about them in detail. Does anybody have a link to an article about them or something like that?

 

[Lumpy 1]

Not that I care all that much but why break up the United Kingdom, such a long and intermingled history, it just seems like a waste of time, money and effort just to say the word "independence" and hope you pretty well end up in the spot.

btw. is Scotland being oppressed?

Scottish and Welsh interests are secondary to English interests. Scotland voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU but now have to deal with the horror of a possible brexit. Why should they ?

Sheesh, just trying to be easily enlightened..

Soooo I don't know, I'm new to this over the pond stuff, although, I was born in Canada and my grandparents were Irish, English, Belgian and Scottish .mmm. I guess I'm interested afteral.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Not that I care all that much but why break up the United Kingdom, such a long and intermingled history, it just seems like a waste of time, money and effort just to say the word "independence" and hope you pretty well end up in the spot.

btw. is Scotland being oppressed?

Scottish and Welsh interests are secondary to English interests. Scotland voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU but now have to deal with the horror of a possible brexit. Why should they ?

Sheesh, just trying to be easily enlightened..

Soooo I don't know, I'm new to this over the pond stuff, although, I was born in Canada and my grandparents were Irish, English, Belgian and Scottish .mmm. I guess I'm interested afteral.

Sorry, I wasnt being offensive, please dont see it that way. Another point is that Scotland has never voted tory but now has to suffer tory austerity policies. Again you have to ask why.
Its a bit more complicated than that but that is the basic case.

There wasnt going to be a second referendum but the brexit vote has changed this. Scots voted for the union on the basis that their EU membership would be in danger by leaving the UK. Now the UK has voted to leave they are entitled to reconsider.

 

[Andylusion]

Scotland would fold if they could not suck the teat of the English taxpayer:

Nine out of ten Scots 'are a burden on the state' (and that's the suggestion of Scotland's Tory leader)

Good riddins' to this nation of welfare bums.

But the irony there is, disconnecting from the UK would be the absolute best possible thing for Scotland. Just like the best thing a parent can do, is kick out their grown children, and force them to man-up, and become and adult. Not let them live in the basement playing video games, and hoping the magically decide to grow up.

If Scotland was forced off the dole, they would grow up, and build their own nation.

That said, if the UK does in fact break market ties with the EU, then your point will be irrelevant, because the government won't have the money to keep supporting the Scots.

 

[Blackrook]

The British economy will be fine without the EU, probably even better.

 

[Toro]

I don't understand why Northern Ireland would leave. I can't imagine them ever joining the Republic, and I thought a huge chunk of their economy was reliant on spending from Westminster.

 

[Dr Grump]

I wonder who's going to pay for Scotland's defense? All the other infrastructure they need? They have little primary industry and the oil in the North Sea will run out eventually. Then what? Tourism visits to Loch Ness?

 

[Toro]

Scotland would probably be poorer outside of the UK.

But then again, most economists believe the UK will be poorer outside of the EU.

 

[barryqwalsh]

Britain’s place at top table at risk, warns Rifkind


The UK’s “credibility” as a major global power has diminished as a result of the Brexit vote which will boost Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s efforts to “weaken” the EU, according to a number of former UK foreign ministers.


Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who served as foreign secretary in John Major’s government, has also warned that the surge in support for another referendum raises fresh questions about the prospect of an independent Scotland being frozen out of the Nato defence alliance, which is currently meeting in Poland.



Read more: Britain’s place at top table at risk, warns Rifkind
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