Discuss your views of the Scottish Referendum with the UK government NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

With fewer than 200 days to go until the Scottish referendum, UK Government has produced the latest edition, in a series of information packs, focussing on money and the economy in the context of the independence debate.

Read more: Scottish independence referendum: Money and the economy.

UK Government wants to find out what Mumsnetters' views are of the Scottish referendum coming up in September. When it comes to the prospect of Scotland going it alone and possible impacts on the economy, like changes in currency and taxes, what are your views? Whether you're Scottish or not we'd love to hear your thoughts.

Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury says, "As part of the UK the Scottish economy is growing, inflation is down and more people are in work. By remaining part of the UK, Scottish industry and jobs will be protected by the generous freeze on duties on spirits and the £3bn tax break for oil and gas industries we announced at the Budget, as well as the big cuts in income tax helping 2 million Scottish workers.

This new pack sets out some key facts people in Scotland need to know before the referendum in September. I urge everyone to read up on the facts and understand the true benefits being part of the United Kingdom brings to Scotland."

Mumsnet will be hosting various content and activity in the run up to the referendum from all sides of the debate, so do keep a look out for these in the coming months.

Thanks,

MNHQ

[prettybird]

- wonder how much it cost to produce this, given that Better Together campaigners are complaining about how much it cost to produce the "Scotland's Future" document?

I believe that there should be transparency on both sides of the debate and that voters should be fully informed. It's not something I mind money being spent on - but I can't abide double standards.

[sleepyhead]

I don't believe a word either side says to be honest. It's typical, but disheartening, the lack of unbiased information available from either side.

The daily bad news "No" stories in the media are as irritating as a postnasal drip. The blindly positive "Yes" statements are no less annoying.

I'm digging for plain facts as much as I can, but when it comes down to it I suspect I'll have to vote with my gut.

[TheBigBumTheory]

I didn't think the government were interested in my views as a Scot living in England. If they were I might be allowed to actually vote.

[Roseformeplease]

The referendum is divisive and scary. Many people I know are thinking of how to leave if it is a, "Yes" although our ages make moves more difficult before retirement. They need to do a poll to see how many will seek to leave - that will be interesting.

Also, I am angry that the SNP are using the education system to promote their policies - even the name of the qualifications (Nationals) is designed to promote their views. I don't want to leave in the People's Republic of Salmond. Even Labour are threatening 50% tax again, meaning that enterprise will be stifled and more will leave.

This is NOT being discussed amongst friends at all - we are all too worried about finding out that people we care about are, "Yes" voters and the scars will run very deep for a long time.

The economic case just doesn't stack up. But, Salmond can keep making promises because we have no way of knowing what it will be like. His opponents have been running the UK for generations so he can pin almost any crimes he wants on them and they will, at some stage, have been guilty.

I am angry that people from outside Scotland, who are Scots, do not get a vote. My German friend, my English friend, me (English) will all be voting but we can sod off back to where we came from. Scots everywhere ought to get a vote because it is their country. And, before someone argues they should live here then, there are some jobs and industries where you would find it difficult to get work here.

It is so very sad, distressing and makes me so, so angry.

[Abra1d]

I am annoyed that my Scottish husband, who owns property in Scotland but has to live in England because of the lack of jobs in the Highlands, does not get a vote, despite having seen active service in a Scottish Regiment.

And he would vote NO. As are the rest of our family who are still in Scotland.

[GetKnitted]

I live in England and I would be sad to see Scotland as a foreign nation. I don't think it would make me personally worse off, but I can't imagine it makes economic sense for Scotland, and if it doesn't pay in terms of taxes they would be worse off in terms of independent social policy than they are under devolution. a lose lose situation.

[prettybird]

Roseforme : I don't understand your comment about "even the name of the qualifications (Nationals) is designed to promote their views" The Curriculum for Excellence and the National Qualifications pre-date the SNP administration by a long way . The process was already well underway (including the name) before 2007.

There are a lot of things you can accuse the SNP of - but that is not one of them.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Mumsnet will be hosting various content and activity in the run up to the referendum from all sides of the debate, so do keep a look out for these in the coming months

I'm very glad to hear this :-)


The pack can be accessed here

MNHQ: please warn people that this link automatically starts a download!


I too would like to know how much money Westminster has spent on these and the other packs.

[KefaloniaBaby]

I've always been a staunch no...however, as this campaign goes on, I am beginning to feel more and more hectored, bullied and threatened by the UK Government.

I hate being told 'if you vote no, you can't have x' 'if you vote no, you won't have y' because, really, nobody knows how it will all play out if we vote yes.

I'm getting offended by the assumption that if Scottish people know what's good for them, they will stick with what they know and shut up.

And frankly, how the UK Government are going to argue that we're better off with a government run, in the main, by extremely wealthy Conservatives who have only ever been to Scotland to shoot the wildlife is beyond me.

Bedroom tax would be enough to never vote for these evil bastards ever again - never mind anything else. They don't give a shit about the small people, and I think that Scotland has a much more socialist outlook than that.

[jennyl131]

Quite frankly Alex and his pals can't actually tell us what would happen in the event of a yes vote.

Currency? Oh, we'll continue to use the pound.

Oh, but that'll mean handing a lot of fiscal policy straight back to England.

Europe? Of course we'll be part of the EU. But wait, not if Spain has any say in the matter (and they do!)

Funds?! Ah well, we've got oil... (for now)

It seems that nothing has been thought through, and any answers Alex doesn't like are dismissed as bluster or bullying.

I really feel the whole thing is a monumental waste of money that could be much better spent elsewhere.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Quite frankly Alex and his pals can't actually tell us what would happen in the event of a yes vote.

And Osborne and his pals can't tell us what will happen with a no vote...

Currency? Oh, we'll continue to use the pound.
Oh, but that'll mean handing a lot of fiscal policy straight back to England

Indeed, but it is probably the best option for both parties. If in the event of Independence rUK do refuse a currency union there are other (albeit less desirable) options.

Europe? Of course we'll be part of the EU. But wait, not if Spain has any say in the matter (and they do!)

Again, it is extremely unlikely we would not be allowed in the EU

Funds?! Ah well, we've got oil... (for now)

Firstly it is important to note that in the event of independence it is very unlikely Scotland will walk away with nothing (if that is the case we lose the debt whichd be a bonus in itself), on Independence Scotland would be entitled to a fair sahre of the assets of the UK, a fairly sizeable sum...

In 2012-13, total Scottish non-North Sea public sector revenue was estimated at £47.6 billion, (8.2% of total UK non-North Sea revenue).


It seems that nothing has been thought through, and any answers Alex doesn't like are dismissed as bluster or bullying

The Future of Scotland publication does cover things pretty comprehensively, but obviously as there can be no pre-negotiation, there can be no complete certainty, only probabilities.

I really feel the whole thing is a monumental waste of money that could be much better spent elsewhere

If the polls keep moving the way they are a Yes vote is looking pretty possible - do you really think it is a waste a time to allow a people self-determination?

[CorporateRockWhore]

Jenny voting for the independence of your nation is not the same as voting for Alex Salmon. If more people could separate the two the yes vote would be a sure thing already.

I'll vote for independence. But I'll never vote for Alex Salmond.

Don't belittle Scottish politicians by saying 'Alex and his pals' it's that crap which builds resentment in previously neutral people like me.

Oh, and Itsall is right. The UK Government has no more knowledge on what will happen than the Scottish Government. So that's not really an argument for either side to use, is it?

[Twooter]

The whole thing has been ill thought out, as far as I am concerned. The vote should be after the conditions have been thrashed out, not before.

[CorporateRockWhore]

Twooter would that not mean potential months, if not years, of political wrangling, by people who have countries to run? That would be a lot of time and effort wasted if it was a no vote...

[mrscumberbatch]

I'm Scottish, the whole thing is an utter riot in my opinion.

How are we supposed to vote yes or no to something when there is no solid information provided to support that decision?

There's constant chatter about 'Oh, Scotland will be a wealthy nation blah blah'. But will it really? Will any resident a really benefit? How are they proving that Scotland will be wealthy? It's all hearsay!!

[Roseformeplease]

ACE was conceived under Labour but implemented by the SNP minority government that pre-dates the current one. The qualifications were named only 3/4 years ago when the SNP were in power. The content of courses for the exams, along with the names, has been done under an SNP administration - often totally against the wishes of the bulk of teachers.

I was at a massive meeting of teachers with the SQA (cut short by hurricane bawbag) where every single person there objected to the curriculum being imposed. I sat on a focus group of teachers, all opposed to the things being foisted on us by the SNP. They went ahead anyway because the curriculum is a crucial way of getting their "message" out to young people.

They named the qualifications and dictated the content of courses. The underpinning experiences and outcomes were Lab/Lib coalition.

The only consolation is that the huge fuck up that is the new qualifications will be biting them on the arse just before the referendum. Education has always been devolved and they can't even get that right.

[Roseformeplease]

Avid the name was announced in 2009 by Fiona Hyslop

www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/06/11154737

Not sure how to turn that into a link on an iPad.

[RawCoconutMacaroon]

I'm a YES.

It's not a vote for Alex Salmond or the SNP (although I have voted for him and them many a time), it's a vote for Scottish independence.

Westminster government does not represent the views of Scotland, and haven't done for a long time, Scotland as a society (not speaking individuals obviously), is a much more socialist society. You can see that in our divergent spending priorities under devolution.

As a wee reminder, many things such as our education system and NHS Scotland are completely separate entities already so "no change" there YES or NO.

We don't know what will happen if there is a YES vote, and neither side really can know the specifics. But we do know it will be "more of the same" if it's a NO vote... If you are happy with more of the same, then vote NO.

Regarding fairness or otherwise of who gets to vote, residence is the only sensible and workable way to do it IMO.

[Mitzyme]

Just listened to Nick Clegg discussing the future of the EU and the UK!
So why did he state that those opposed to Europe are "Little Englanders"
Grrrr! I'll still vote No in September but Dear God it's getting harder to ignore London Centric politicians.

[jennyl131]

corporate alex and his pals are no better or worse than david and his cronies, (or pretty much any politician). The fact remains that although a yes vote is not an snp vote, independence has been a core aim of the snp, and we would not likely be having any debate about independence without the current snp majority in the Scottish parliament.

itsallgoingtobefine your user name sums up your attitude, I don't buy it, I'd like to see some concrete plans!

[cashewfrenzy]

If Scotland is such a weak, welfare-dependent, Westminster-dependent country, why on earth does the UK government want to hold onto it? Surely Scotland is a millstone rounds the neck of the UK?

[RawCoconutMacaroon]

An SNP majority which the Scottish people voted for!

And actually, when the devolved parliament was set up, it was done in such a way as to make it very difficult for any party to get majority, so them getting that majority was a huge achievement in itself.

[peggyundercrackers]

I'm with the no voters. The only people pushing for independence is the snp, none of the other parties seem interested - the SNP aren't even proposing independence they want to sign us up lock stock and barrel to the eu, including using the euro... Snp have produced a manifesto with no answers to any of the important questions which is a waste of taxpayers money - it's all flannel. Salmond keeps giving the same answers over and over again to some of the questions - he must be the only person who believes what he says, does he think because he keeps repeating the same lies it will suddenly become true?

[FannyFifer]

I'm voting Yes of course.

[FannyFifer]

Sigh not just SNP wanting Indy, Green Party, SSP, last poll i saw 33% of labour voters were voting yes hence the group Labour for Indy.