Quote Originally Posted by baggiematt View Post
You're wrong for suggesting there is anger towards the Scots or that considering an existing arrangement that isn't working for two parties is 'small minded'. it's small minded to stay in an arrangement that isn't suiting it's people just because 'it's nice' to do so or being scared of change. The rhetoric of being stronger in numbers is just an old phrase but holds no weight in actual decision making.

You can name a few industries that are in Scotland but it's not an answer around what they really bring economically. Oil is a volatile industry and will be a temporary industry at it's current value. Fishing is renowned as being a tiny industry as highlighted quite rightly by the anti-brexit brigade. The important articles and reports which talk about a countries worth all state that Scotland would be in dire straights outside of the UK as their economy isn't strong per capita compared to the rest of the UK - mainly because of how strong London is economically. This tells you that we would be economically stronger without them. So if the arrangement isn't working for their people, what is the problem? We won't lose our good relationship with them, we can still trade with them and they will still be an allied nation.

It's their call if they want to leave, as they get the referendum but I haven't talked about other areas because those other areas haven't got a strong political case for change. But if Wales got a strong enough case for change as their people may want to go in a different direction, so be it. But we should always ask the same questions when they arise.
I say small minded because many people who put this forward think like 'Little Englanders'. The Brexit vote proved that we have millions of people who think that way.

And a lot of the arguments from English people who want Scotland to leave the UK don't make any sense. Scotland have already voted to stay, the last opinion poll put remain ahead and yet you are saying much of the country wants to leave the UK. There is appetite from some English people for Scotland to leave the UK, but of the other 3 nations in the UK, Scotland is the one that financially benefits us the most.

As for their industry, you can say that about oil for the future, but what about the riches it brought the Thatcher Government in the 80's? Scotland is probably a more prosperous region than some northern parts of England. Why not the clamour to remove them as well? Why not remove all of the poorest parts of the UK from the UK? Its a bizarre position for people on here to clamour for.

And the strength in numbers debate is an important one, especially when it comes to international trade. We were part of a trade union of 500m people, now its 65m. If Scotland goes, without looking at their population figures, I guess that would be another 10%. The higher the population, the better bargaining power we have with other nations. This is just basic common sense.