Clarkson did it again but what's wrong with the Beeb?

[doubleup]

I'm fed up of the fact that it is acceptable for there to be  such hatred expressed so readily against the English

Who says that it is acceptable?

General point - but it express' "national sentiment"; (IMO)

When did Scotland last support an English football team when their own team failed to qualify? Yet if England fail to qualify and Scotland do - the English fans support them...
Murray is a prime example of actively rooting for the opposing team.

There never seems to be an outcry  " in case it offends"

I hardly think that this qualifies as the "hatred" you alluded to in your OP - although it is a cultural anachronism. 

 

[Newmanseye]

Ohh dear how did we get to this point, Quite frankly the whole Scottish / English thing has been done to death, Guess what Folks the Scots got smacked about it almost every fight ever fought with the English, now what I don't get ism, We are a Tiny Island and we have 3 Nations on it yet we cant wait to take shots at each other.  I am past caring who did what to who and why it was done. 

Now Independence, Don't be so silly, we are all reliant on each other, to separate us would just be a stupid thing to do, the country is stretched thin as it is. Not to mention the only long sustainable product Scotland has left is water, possibly wind and wave farms for energy but that requires HUGE investment and would kill the beauty of the land.

I for one would leave this country given half the chances I had in my youth,

Who wants to stay in a junkie ridden, Sectarian, Corrupt country???   

So before we all have a barney about lets go it alone and we are so great, please take off the rose tinted glasses.

end of rant

[GlasgowBandit]

When did Scotland last support an English football team when their own team failed to qualify?

you will be surprised at how many thousands of scots will support england in any comp as long as they are not playing scotland

Yeah there is 50,000 of them at ibrox every other week.  They really showed their true colours when they went to manchester, so much show they started acting like english hooligans who visit other european cities.

[bolt pp]

Ohh dear how did we get to this point

You lot!!!!!!

[Rod Paradise]

TBH - I'm not bothered about Scotland becoming independent or not - I'm fed up of the fact that it is acceptable for there to be  such hatred expressed so readily against the English -  and yet no one bats an eyelid.

What I'm more concerned about is the fact that people feel free to comment on Thatcher's private conversation.

Do i find her comments palatable - no.
Why is the weasel who decided it was so important to break confidence not being scrutinised for their motive?

1984? Pah 2009 is the year double speak bit everyone on the arse.

Ling I don't hate the English, some of my family are english, I hate what they've done to my country though & I feel Scotland is in the position of the abused wife, scared to demand a divorce because the abusive husband is constantly telling us we can't make it on our own. You can see those sentiments from posts from other Scots. I want a divorce & I think we deserve it. England' government lied through their teeth last time we got a vote on it, Thatcher broke the treaty of Union & just said it didn't count. It's time we went our own way & the we might get on with the closest people to us - but at the moment they're abusing us & holding us down - I CAN'T accept that.

[byronkincaid]

when u guys go indy can you take crash gordon back with you plz.

is there a lot of farming in scotland? manufacturing? exports?

don't you get stuff like student grants, school dinners and hospital parking free?

seems like it's maybe not the best time for scotland but with the upcoming depression it might well be good for england?

interested in the economics of it, iceland is busto

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/iceland/4540835/Iceland-downfall-of-a-foolish-little-nation.html

ireland very close to busto, the dell factory that is shutting down was responsible for 4% of their GDP FFS and the construction industry which is on it's knees was something stupid like 25%. The UK as a whole is close to busto, we import everything, don't make anything blah blah blah and I think I read somewhere that 40% of scottish workers are employed in the public sector. So if we're fucked together it seems like scotland would be far more fucked on it's own?

interesting subject, what would have to be done to get scotland self sufficient?

[doubleup]

when u guys go indy can you take crash gordon back with you plz.

is there a lot of farming in scotland? manufacturing? exports?

don't you get stuff like student grants, school dinners and hospital parking free?

seems like it's maybe not the best time for scotland but with the upcoming depression it might well be good for england?

interested in the economics of it, iceland is busto

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/iceland/4540835/Iceland-downfall-of-a-foolish-little-nation.html

ireland very close to busto, the dell factory that is shutting down was responsible for 4% of their GDP FFS and the construction industry which is on it's knees was something stupid like 25%. The UK as a whole is close to busto, we import everything, don't make anything blah blah blah and I think I read somewhere that 40% of scottish workers are employed in the public sector. So if we're fucked together it seems like scotland would be far more fucked on it's own?

interesting subject, what would have to be done to get scotland self sufficient?

Have you finally finished editing?  Can ppl answer now?

[Ironside]

interesting subject, what would have to be done to get scotland self sufficient?

get back some of its industys like ship building, farming,fishing whisky, steel, gas etc etc which we had in abundance the last time we had a vote on independace which was voted down by the massive english intrest in our money.

we have nothing left so the 3 english partys wouldnt mind casting us adrift now

[Maxriddles]

I am happy to be both Scottish and British. I strongly oppose Scottish independence and don't know how anyone of sound mind can honestly think it good thing for the future of the country. The time for Scottish independence passed us by a long time ago and I can only think that those who still want it are hanging onto some romantic ideal rather than using the grey matter between their ears. Independence would be a disaster for Scotland and I am confident our economy would collapse as the best and brightest stampede south of the border and many big businesses do the same. Then there's the real likelihood of civil unrest as I'm sure there are a lot of people who wouldn't take a break from the union peacefully. Thankfully I don't think it will ever happen and I hope Alex Salmond and his cronies do have a vote on it soon, it should confirm what he probably already knows, there is little appetite for Scottish independence.
I don't like to post on political topics on public forums but I feel strongly about this topic and I believe the continued speculation about independence is damaging to Scotland and investment in it's economy.   

[GlasgowBandit]

I hope Alex Salmond and his cronies do have a vote on it soon, it should confirm what he probably already knows, there is little appetite for Scottish independence.
  

Just lol!

[seven2unsuited]

If there was little appetite for independence the SNP would never have been elected  in the first place.  The way the country is going there is more appetite for independence now that there was 10 years ago, which is supported by the opinion polls.  Also its for the Scottish people to decide not 'Alex Salmond and his cronies'.

[Maxriddles]

If there was little appetite for independence the SNP would never have been elected  in the first place.  The way the country is going there is more appetite for independence now that there was 10 years ago, which is supported by the opinion polls.  Also its for the Scottish people to decide not 'Alex Salmond and his cronies'.

The election of the SNP was to the devolved Scottish parliament which can deal only with devolved issues, although full independence is a policy of the SNP it was not part of the manifesto they were elected on. The SNP capitalised on the unpopularity of Labour at the time and the shambles which was the Scottish Labour party,  even then it was the list MSPs that got them in. They used populist policies to get in as well and I'm confident we will as a nation still pay the price for some of these policies. 

I have seen first hand how they operate too when campaigning, they do seek out soft targets. The day before the last election for the Scottish parliament I was in East Kilbride Village as Salmond and some cronies hit the campaign trail. I watched with interest how they went about it, he seemed particularly keen on getting the pensioner vote as he certainly charmed the old ladies and gents, it was quite amazing how he homed in on them. He and his crew passed me and my wife on at least three occasions that day, none of them (their local MSP candidates, councillors, helpers) attempted to speak to us or seek our vote, this was true of a lot of people under 65. 

Mr Salmond is a very clever politician, always to be seen clinging to the coat tails of any Scottish success, never a peep or sighting when things go tits up though. He has populist policies which appeal to a lot of people who have no real interest in politics but think it's good to have free prescriptions and no bridge tolls but don't look at the bigger picture. These could well get him re-elected before he's found out.

However I am confident that if there is a referendum on it Scotland would remain part of the UK, especially in the current climate, then again maybe I give the voting public too much credit and real economic disaster awaits.

[Ironside]

If there was little appetite for independence the SNP would never have been elected  in the first place.  The way the country is going there is more appetite for independence now that there was 10 years ago, which is supported by the opinion polls.  Also its for the Scottish people to decide not 'Alex Salmond and his cronies'.

they got less than 40% of the vote they will need 70% to get independance through

[Rod Paradise]

If there was little appetite for independence the SNP would never have been elected  in the first place.  The way the country is going there is more appetite for independence now that there was 10 years ago, which is supported by the opinion polls.  Also its for the Scottish people to decide not 'Alex Salmond and his cronies'.

they got less than 40% of the vote they will need 70% to get independance through

Not really, that was the little trick played last time to make sure that the majority vote could be ignored. The Act of the Union doesn't impose any figure beyond a majority.

[MrsBoldie]

Just a thought but I completed some sort of political swing quiz recently and one of the questions was something like:  Should you be proud of where you are from just because you happen to have been bornthere?   I like being Scottish, I also like being British, I also like being European and a human being..........  Perhaps this doesn't strictly relate to the Independant Scotland question but I know a lot of Scots who only want an independant Scotland due to their National Pride and as previously mentioned, a romantic vision...

As for Carol Thatcher and Jeremy Clarkson, the whole PC issue is very much a matter of opinion and I'm not sure how that could be addressed in an overall "PC scale".  It would be interesting to hear from those who were talked about and whether they are actually bothered - do we know?  Is the tennis player still around to comment?