Billy Bragg

[Bill McDicken]

Billy Bragg in his usual way has taken a lateral view of a "Yes" result and come up with an interestingly positive outcome for the whole of Britain. Who knows? he may be right as he often is.


http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... devolution

[Innes Newton]

Part of me agrees with him. At the moment my life is south of the border. Like many people living in Scotland I only ended up in England because I couldn't get a job in Scotland. And as with so many other 'ex-pats' once I got started here work has kept me here. Certainly for what I do the prospects and rewards are far better in England than in Scotland and I've done quite nicely out of it. But being British, part Scottish, part English, Scotland remains very important to me. It's part of my home, and I do not want to see the country of my birth, the UK split up.

But I can see an aspect of independence that will suit me very nicely. I have no doubt that rUK will benefit from Scotland leaving the UK. I'm in transportation, and having a border between England and Scotland will create more work, with more revenue and greater profits. I am confident for so many reasons that we will see a two tier Britain materialise with Scotland increasingly isolated and falling behind rUK ....................and what Scotland loses will be to rUK's gain.We on this side of the border will prosper. House prices in Scotland will fall behind those of rUK so I should do quite nicely switching across the border when the time is right to take advantage of Scotland's free prescriptions and free care homes when I reach that stage.

But really I don't want Scotland to fail. The grass isn't greener on the independence side. I want Scotland to succeed as part of the Union and to maintain the British nation that I have always lived in and always been proud to be part of....being part English and part Scottish in body and soul.

[Innes Newton]

Yes, in it's full glory. I sell photos for bottles of whisky if you are interested. Feel free to take a browse

https://flic.kr/p/cBD8VL

[Bill McDicken]

I should do quite nicely switching across the border when the time is right to take advantage of Scotland's free prescriptions and free care homes when I reach that stage.

You see Innes. even you think Scotland will be a better more prosperous place come Independence. Tho' with your history we may class you as an "undesirable alien" and not let you in !!

[Innes Newton]

even you think Scotland will be a better more prosperous place come Independence

No, I don't, really. But rather than spend my money on healthcare when things get costly I'll come and take advantage of free home care. I'll become a benefit immigrant of no use to you at all, just a burden on the country. It will be the advantage of a two tier Britain.

[NickB]

. . . rather than spend my money on healthcare when things get costly I'll come and take advantage of free home care. I'll become a benefit immigrant of no use to you at all, just a burden on the country. It will be the advantage of a two tier Britain.

Ah, I see. You envisage a two tier Britain where Scotland is the top tier, with better services and living conditions.

Why didn't you just say so?

[Innes Newton]

No, you don't see at all.

You envisage a two tier Britain where Scotland is the top tier, with better services and living conditions

I'm talking about the time when my life may have deteriorated to a point where I can't look after myself, and I need someone to pay to look after me.

[NickB]

No, you don't see at all.

You envisage a two tier Britain where Scotland is the top tier, with better services and living conditions

I'm talking about the time when my life may have deteriorated to a point where I can't look after myself, and I need someone to pay to look after me.

. . . And England will either not be able to or will be unwilling to, I presume?

But poor wee hopeless bankrupt Scotland will still - years after becoming independent - be able to afford to do so.

As is so often the case, your 'logic' doesn't add up. If Scotland can't afford independence, as you have been saying for months, then how exactly will this free care for a feckless immigrant be funded?

[Innes Newton]

At a certain age I expect to go downhill. I believe an independent Scotland would be going downhill at the same time. I'll take advantage of the free care before it is gone.

[Innes Newton]

Innes Newton better hope he has more luck finding a care home in Scotland than he had finding a job.

Haha, so funny. I had a job in Scotland. Like hundreds of thousands of young people in Scotland every year, with some ambition in life I wanted something better and headed south where there were better prospects. You might have done better for yourself that way too.

Young Scots have always headed south. They'll do it even faster if Scotland separates. Within the younger portion of the Scottish Electorate, particularly, amongst students, they have already shown that an even bigger proportion of them favour staying in the Union. They are the future of Scotland. You older Yes campaigners ought to take some time to understand why they see the future as brighter as part of the UK.

[Innes Newton]

Discovering that must be the highlight of your week

[NickB]

Discovering that must be the highlight of your week

Well, it proves you to be a liar again.

[Innes Newton]

I don't think whether Scotland becomes independent or not is going to swivel on how I ended up working in England. Be honest with yourselves Nick and Elaine can you honestly say what the exact reasons and sequence of events were that caused you to end up doing what you did and where you lived for the next 30-40 years?

Let's see how honest you can be on that.