BF2S Forums How do you feel about the possible break-up of the United Kingdom?

Null voted as requested.

As a citizen of a commonwealth country with many, many ties to the UK I'm keeping an eye on this, though I don't really know enough about the situation to offer commentary or opinion.

What do UKians think would happen re: the commonwealth?  Ties of friendship and diplomacy lie with the UK as a whole, not it's individual components.

JahManRed wrote:

Id be happier with a free state of Northern Ireland. Uniting Ireland used to be something I was extremely passionate about. The government in the Republic is rotten and only cared about the North when it made financial sense to them. Now it doesn't, they cut us loose and showed their real colours. Fuck them, doesn't matter anyway. Europe will encroach on each countries sovereignty bit by bit until we are all one supper state anyway. That makes me ill.

There are many down here who still care passionately about the occupied six counties JahMan - but you're right: the further south you go the more self-indulgent mé féiners you get...

However, a good friend of mine is big in Fianna Fáil and he assures me that Brian Cowen is a very different fish from Bertie Aherne. He's a through and through Irish Republican for a start.

Last edited by CameronPoe (2008-05-21 02:07:03)

CameronPoe wrote:

JahManRed wrote:

Id be happier with a free state of Northern Ireland. Uniting Ireland used to be something I was extremely passionate about. The government in the Republic is rotten and only cared about the North when it made financial sense to them. Now it doesn't, they cut us loose and showed their real colours. Fuck them, doesn't matter anyway. Europe will encroach on each countries sovereignty bit by bit until we are all one supper state anyway. That makes me ill.

There are many down here who still care passionately about the occupied six counties JahMan - but you're right: the further south you go the more self-indulgent mé féiners you get...

However, a good friend of mine is big in Fianna Fáil and he assures me that Brian Cowen is a very different fish from Bertie Aherne. He's a through and through Irish Republican for a start.

http://www.myspace.com/captainmoonlightkilkenny       Click on Dirty C$%ts in the player.

To be quite honest I really don't care much. I can't see it making much difference to me either way. Personally I'd like to see Britain becoming a closer part of Europe, which would negate a lot of the point of British devolution.

I'm English btw.

Bertster7 wrote:

I reckon it'd be good for England

I tend to agree.  I think a quote from my first link in the original post sums it up well.

"The Union had a purpose in 1707 but it doesn't now"

But what about our cushy permanent seat in the UN Security Council?  Or the G8?  I wouldn't just assume that they would plump for England.

I just wish they'd all adopt the same fucking law system. Would have potentially given my opportunities to study British law in Scotland although I don't know why I'd do that. I was thinking about applying to Ireland but it's just too expensive to study there. Cam Poe do something about that man

CameronPoe wrote:

KILLSWITCH wrote:

But what about our cushy permanent seat in the UN Security Council?  Or the G8?  I wouldn't just assume that they would plump for England.

Of course they would. What's the population of England? 50 million? And Scotland and Wales? 5m maybe? WHo holds all the power? London.

There military credibility would take a pounding though.  There is a disproportionate amount of arms kept in Scotland, the nuclear naval base is located up there, the MOD's new navy destroyers and I think the carriers are already ordered and to be built in Glasgow (HMS diamond launched end of last year and there well into the next one, of six in that class).  Are they going to pull the rug from under them? 

Fazlane I think would cause problems.  Salmond wants all nuclear weapons out of Scotland, but I dont see them simply giving them to England (or indeed wales), though nor do I see them being allowed to keep them as a 'going away present'.

Theres also infastructure (like the refineries) and all sorts that England to keep its status as a world power would need to invest in, I cant see Brown/Cameron (who are both pro uninion) doing to well when he anounces major cuts in spending on schools and hospitals in order to rejig the whole country.  It cost the lot of us a fortune to go independant.

If it was as black and white as England subsidising Scotland and Wales I think we would of been broken up years ago.

Martyn

CameronPoe wrote:

KILLSWITCH wrote:

But what about our cushy permanent seat in the UN Security Council?  Or the G8?  I wouldn't just assume that they would plump for England.

Of course they would. What's the population of England? 50 million? And Scotland and Wales? 5m maybe? WHo holds all the power? London.

I'm not talking about nations from the former UK.  I mean up and coming nations, from around the world.

ghettoperson wrote:

We'd be a lot richer without the Scots. That said, it works as it is, I don't see the point in changing it.

Pretty much my thoughts as well currently.
However that said, Scotlands statistical effect on Englands economy and politics aren't something I know enough about to make an finalised informed decision.

JahManRed wrote:

XanKrieger wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

We'd be a lot richer without the Scots. That said, it works as it is, I don't see the point in changing it.

Pretty much my thoughts as well currently.
However that said, Scotland's statistical effect on England's economy and politics aren't something I know enough about to make an finalised informed decision.

The rest of the UK owes a debt to the Scott's. We grew for decades with the gas extracted from their waters. Now its gone, it seams its time to cut them loose.
Scotland and Wales will be fine. They have a relatively low population and unspoilt countryside. Tourism.

Except that despite the money they bring in from oil (and presumably gas as well) we're giving them far more money than they get from all the drilling. As I said though, no one would win by splitting it up and GB would find something else to waste the extra money on.