Who can vote?

Should we vote Yes or No?

I'll start.  I hope it's a Yes vote, it's time to disassociate from the neo-liberal policies that are causing decline in living standards and from the interventionist foreign policy that causes destruction abroad and recession at home.

Scotland is a viable economic power.

I hope it's a Yes vote, it's time to disassociate from the neo-liberal policies that are causing decline in living standards and from the interventionist foreign policy that causes destruction abroad and recession at home.

Neither of those things will happen in an independent Scotland.

In terms of neoliberal economics, Scotland is one tiny little piece of the world economic jigsaw. The fact is this: whether we like it or not (I personally do not), neoliberal economics are here to stay. An independence vote is not going to change that. Because what's going to happen? If there is a yes vote, the SNP will act to attract businesses to Scotland. How does it do that? By lowering tax rates. Neoliberal cycle continues. It's an incredible irony that the way to bring about apparently more progressive politics is to create even more divisions between the working classes of the UK.

With regards foreign policy: hypothetically, an independent Scotland wants to become part of NATO does it not? That means Scotland will be placing itself right back in the middle of the same interventionist foreign policy you think they'd be removing themselves from. They'd just have less influence. Because really, without wanting to sound in any way patronising, are the likes of the US, China and Russia going to pay much attention to what Alex Salmond has to say?

Independence will solve none of the problems you've mentioned here. It'll be more of the same, just with less clout.

I am hoping for a Yes vote. Just so Standard needs a passport to cross the border from his hovel..

I can vote and I am voting Yes.

I could go into the fiscal reason for my decision, but it's very long-winded and - to be honest - quite boring if you arent interested in the referendum. The only sticking point for me with the Nationalist's plans is defence. Removing Trident and replacing it with a defence force "fit for purpose" worries me slightly, but the assurances that Faslane will be turned into Scotland's main naval base with war ships patrolling the coasts appeases me somewhat.

I'd like to say, however, that I'm not a Union Jack burning William Wallace fanatic, I just feel the financial health of Scotland will be better served by making the decisions in Holyrood as opposed to Westminster and in the event of a No vote, I seriously doubt Devo-max will ever come to fruition, especially with Cameron's own party vowing to block the proposed changes.

I have voted this morning and I voted No.

My wife and all my family all voted Yes. Everyone has their own thoughts and opinions right or wrong on the matter, but I just hope that whomever comes out as the winner in all this, the other side stands back and accepts it for what it is.

I firmly believe it'll be a Yes vote that wins, but every fibre of my body is praying for a No vote.

in the event of a No vote, I seriously doubt Devo-max will ever come to fruition, especially with Cameron's own party vowing to block the proposed changes.

Yes, that has been proven many times, they wont give us Devo-Max. Heck we were promised devolution in the late 70s and only got it in the 90s. But still, I firmly believe that shit will royally hit the fan in this country if we become independant.

The Local councils are terrible as it is, I hate to see how the idiots in Holyrood handle running the country on their own without being told what to do by Westminster.

I do agree with the financial side that we "should" be better served by the decisions being made here in Scotland, but will we have as much money?

No-one knows for sure whether we give more to the UK than we receive. The SNP would have us believe that Scotland gets less money back from Westminster to spend than what it puts in, but this is the same SNP that tells us we don't use Private care in Scotland for NHS Patients - I work for a Private hospital and we deal with NHS patients on a daily basis so Alex and his little minion are liars. How can we trust anything these two say?

That said; Even if its a Yes vote, there is no guarantee it'll be SNP that are elected to run the country, it could be Labour. But I have no faith in either tbh.

I'm in England, living in Liverpool, and quite frankly, I don't give a shit what happens with Scotland.

As far as I can see, the entire Yes campaign appears to be built around rabid anti-English sentiment, and Alex Salmond's ego. I don't think half of what he says about Scotland economically is true, and it downright makes me angry that people genuinely think they're getting a bad deal. To put it bluntly, because I am English, I will graduate university with £27,000 of tuition fee debt. If I was born in Scotland, I would graduate with NO tuition fee bet. So automatically, just for being Scottish, someone in my position is £27,000 better off. Bad deal? Piss off. 

If Scotland want to go, then, fine, they can go. It really doesn't bother me in the slightest. I think the country will go down the shitter very quickly, because I think that the SNP are deliberately overlooking facts on how much money Scotland is able to generate, but if it's what the people of Scotland want, then that's up to them.

However. If Scotland DOES today decide to leave the UK, that's it, for me. No currency unions, no returning if this doesn't work out, no England bailing Scotland out. Nothing. I don't want to be sat here in 2, 5, 10 years time hearing this bullshit on blanket coverage again. Just like if it's a no vote, that's it. I don't want to be hearing this again.

I also feel as though the whole UK should be given this option. Not about Scotland, but about the breakup of the union as a whole. Personally, I'm hoping that either way, this whole thing wakes up some kind of movement for a devolved parliament in the North of England. I do sympathize with anyone who wants to break away from Westminster and London, because I'd love to see it as an end goal for the North, because we do genuinely get mugged off my Westminster. Probably the reason why the Scots complaining they get a shit deal pisses me off, to be honest. It might be grim in Scotland but I'm pretty sure it's grimmer still here. 

Tyrion, according to the 2011 GERS report, which both sides have been referencing, Scotland receives 9.3% of the UK's GDP for 8.9% of the population, which would be fantastic if we werent contributing 9.6%.

In YE 2011, Scotland sent £10,741 (per capita) to the treasury and received £12,181 (PC) in return. The deficit created by Scotland in that year was £1,440 (PC).

In YE 2011, the UK average was £9,054 (PC) and received £10,966 (PC) in return. The deficit created by England in that year was £1,912

Basically, we're sending £1,700 more than the UK average, then we're getting £1,200 more in public spending in return. I accept our public spending is higher in Scotland than it is in rUK, but we're still getting less out than we put in, according to GERS. £500 per annum, generally speaking. £500 per man, woman and child in a country of 5.3 million people, so we're effectively losing 2.65 billion per year just by being a part of the Union. Not only that, but Scotland is growing the deficit at a slower rate than rUK, and we have a higher GDP than rUK too ($42,124 per capita compared to the UK's $35,607 per capita).

Even removing ALL the gas and oil revenue from Scotland's balance sheet, Scotland's share of the UK's GDP would drop from it's current level of 118% to 99% of the UK average. What that means is, if ALL of the gas and oil revenue is removed, we'd STILL be contributing almost exactly the same as rUK currently does, so we're essentially having our natural resources stripped to continue over-inflating the already over invested capital.

On top of that, we have potential oil fields below the Clyde and west coast which are unexplored due to Faslane requiring a sterile environment. We have the lions share of the UK's renewables, wind and wave power from the North sea. We wouldnt have to contribute to HS2, unlike now - even though it doesnt touch an inch of Scottish soil.

Despite all of that, I was holding out for someone - ANYONE - to offer me a real, clear and concise reason to stay with the Union because I actually like being British and I like the vast majority of English people. I just feel we're getting a raw deal which would be changed with a new independent government.

It is certainly a leap of faith, but judging by the numbers provided by the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland, it's worth it just now IMO.

Also, I'd just like to point out the reason Scotland wasnt devolved in 1979 was because Westminster overturned a +51% Yes vote in the devolution referendum due to "low voter turn out" - 63% of the electorate, I believe.

^ Like I said, all very boring facts and figures, but I wanted to be 100% sure I could justify my decision, not only to myself, but to my niece when she's older.

Rorschach.. sincerely, thank you.

I've been looking for facts like that this entire time, no politician seems to have been able to give that level of information.

I do firmly believe it'll turn out a Yes vote, but I dont know how big a margin. I fear it could be a small margin and cause massive issues when it gets blocked.

No probs, I work in an accountants office... I'm used to balance sheets and figures :P

Incidently, my brother is an anaesthetist in Manchester and he's dismayed by the level of cuts to the NHS down south. Apparently elective work is heavily rewarded and emergency procedures are granted very little spending, therefore the large privately owned practices "scoop up" (his words) all the elective procedures and receive massive funding, then the local A&E department diaries are stuffed full of emergency procedures and they're then penalised for not meeting their targets. Madness.

The best way I could think to preserve our current level of (fantastic) service is by keeping our NHS publicly owned and writing into the constitution that it's not for sale, not now or ever, which is what the Yes side want to do.

As I said - I was very keen to stay in the Union if someone could have convinced me, but given the facts I had, it was a no-brainer for me. I just hope there isnt any trouble because of the referendum, since it will be the sovereign will of the democratic majority. Fortunately there's been little in the way of trouble down my way, although I've heard some nasty stories from Edinburgh and Glen Coe :/

As far as I can see, the entire Yes campaign appears to be built around rabid anti-English sentiment, and Alex Salmond's ego. I don't think half of what he says about Scotland economically is true, and it downright makes me angry that people genuinely think they're getting a bad deal. To put it bluntly, because I am English, I will graduate university with £27,000 of tuition fee debt. If I was born in Scotland, I would graduate with NO tuition fee bet. So automatically, just for being Scottish, someone in my position is £27,000 better off. Bad deal? Piss off.

Nonsense, Maria.

Especially the last bit. We don't get it because we are Scottish, we get the free tuition because we choose to study in Scotland. You want it? Come on up and study in Scotland! Plenty of English people have utilised it and are free to do so.

And the £9,000 fees are the choice of the institutions in England, you can't blame Scotland for that. Only a few years back they were charging a damn site less, more along the lines of 3,000-3,500 per academic year. And trust me I know, I spent the last 10 years working for Student Loans Company and administering the applications for students support.

Especially the last bit. We don't get it because we are Scottish, we get the free tuition because we choose to study in Scotland. You want it? Come on up and study in Scotland! Plenty of English people have utilised it and are free to do so.

Nonesense, Warrior. 

Please, read this, educate yourself on how fees work in Scotland. You have a little one, so I strongly suggest that you impress now on said little one that going to uni in Scotland is in everybodies best interests. You can thank me in, oooh, about 20 years? :p

http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/university-tuition-fees/going-to-university-in-scotland/

Since you've worked for Student Loan Company, I must ask... is it in your contract that you must reduce every student you speak to to a state of panic and despair as quickly as possible? :p

If you come from the Rest of the UK (RUK), universities in Scotland will charge you variable fees up to a maximum of £9,000 just like England and Wales.

This part is actually at the their discretion. Where it falls down is that they don't have the systems set up correctly to actually operate it properly and in most cases they dont charge the 9,000 at Scottish HEIs, though I no longer work at Student Loans Company, so they may well have since fixed this.

Since you've worked for Student Loan Company, I must ask... is it in your contract that you must reduce every student you speak to to a state of panic and despair as quickly as possible? :p

Yes. Before they employ you, they first check that you have an irrational hatred of students and that you will demeen and belittle them and scare them at every possible opportunity! :D

Out of interest, does anyone know what the impact to the UK is if Scotland do leave? 

I've seen and heard a whole lot about why it would be terrible for Scotland if they left, but nothing about what the consequences of them doing so would be to the rest of the UK.

I can't see it being a massive impact tbh Heel. But I think no-one really actually knows how things will fair if Scotland do leave the Union.

Looks like a No vote!

Right!

Time to decide if the UK want Scotland as members of the Union any more then. Get the voting papers out!

Tyrion, I'm pretty sure free tuition in Scotland is nothing to do with the actual universities, I think it's something that Government are funding. 

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/scottish-independence-blog/2014/jan/14/scottish-independence-tuition-fees

That makes me think I might be correct. The fact that EU students don't pay but rUK do suggests it's a Government thing to me.

I kinda have to agree with Brendan here, now that Scotland has had a say, I'd kinda like to see the rest of us get one too. I think we'd get some pretty interesting results out of that. I certainly don't think this issue will go away for the rest of the UK though. I'm expecting that up here in the North we'll be seeing devolution calls, and if that works, maybe then we'll be looking at breaking away ourselves.