quote:

Originally posted by Ewellguy:
As the SNP refuse to vote on bills that onyl affect England and Wales at Westminster I have a great deal of respect for them. That is what I call integrity.

Why should they? They do not support the Union, so why should they vote on any Unionist issues. They are in the same boat as Sinn Féin, except Sinn Féin are in a truly honourable position, as they do not take up their seats at Westminster.

quote:

Originally posted by C.L.A.D:

Scotland raises the 2nd highest amount of revenue, only London raises more.

Considering that Scotland is a country and not a region, your last statement is hardly surprising.[/QUOTE]

Why should it make any difference whether Scotland is a country or a region? The revenue is the per capita contribution, and only London raises more per capita.

Scotland has a population half that of London.

quote:

Originally posted by Deus ex machina:
where he belongs..

yes please - 'Make My Day '.......please ???? i will be good if he gets the boot


the plumb

quote:

Originally posted by hardwon:

quote:

Originally posted by plandalet:


How exactly have the SNP turned things around? Eventually they'll have to live withing their means but then I suppose they can just blame the Westminster parliament for not giving them enough money.

Scotland already lives WELL within its' means.

Unless you can provide me with some evidence to the contrary?

Explain to me where the money for free prescriptions comes from. Explain to me to me where the councils in Scotland are getting money from now that the SNP have frozen council tax. Explain to me where the SNP are getting money to fulfill their manifesto policies.

quote:

Originally posted by plandalet:

quote:

Originally posted by hardwon:

quote:

Originally posted by plandalet:


How exactly have the SNP turned things around? Eventually they'll have to live withing their means but then I suppose they can just blame the Westminster parliament for not giving them enough money.

Scotland already lives WELL within its' means.

Unless you can provide me with some evidence to the contrary?

Explain to me where the money for free prescriptions comes from. Explain to me to me where the councils in Scotland are getting money from now that the SNP have frozen council tax. Explain to me where the SNP are getting money to fulfill their manifesto policies.

Prudent housekeeping. Instead of just throwing money at projects, the SNP look at how money can be saved, and spent on more worthwhile causes.

Either way, the money is not coming from you[via a Westminster Government] so I don't see why you are so aggressive about it?

quote:

Originally posted by C.L.A.D:

quote:

Originally posted by Ewellguy:
As the SNP refuse to vote on bills that onyl affect England and Wales at Westminster I have a great deal of respect for them. That is what I call integrity.

Why should they? They do not support the Union, so why should they vote on any Unionist issues. They are in the same boat as Sinn Féin, except Sinn Féin are in a truly honourable position, as they do not take up their seats at Westminster.

Thats the first honourable thing Sinn Fein have done. But even that is clouded by self-interest. They claim their allowances even though they don't attend.

quote:

Originally posted by C.L.A.D:

quote:

Originally posted by Ewellguy:
As the SNP refuse to vote on bills that onyl affect England and Wales at Westminster I have a great deal of respect for them. That is what I call integrity.

Why should they? They do not support the Union, so why should they vote on any Unionist issues. They are in the same boat as Sinn Féin, except Sinn Féin are in a truly honourable position, as they do not take up their seats at Westminster.

It was actually a compliment to them..... Slightly over sensitive there?

quote:

Originally posted by THE DECIDER:

quote:

Originally posted by Ewellguy:
As the SNP refuse to vote on bills that onyl affect England and Wales at Westminster I have a great deal of respect for them. That is what I call integrity.

Their only doing that because they want an english parliament which will lead to the break up of the UK, therefore mission accomplished for them! See through why their having these positions, its not on principla/integrity, its devious game playing.

As far as I understand it, it si a liong standing action that predates devolution. But I could be wrong.

Even if it is Ewell, I think its still a calculated move. I agree that they should go for a referendum on scotland and on european member ship soon after and lets put to bed these 2 issues for good but that would embolden rigth wing reckless idiots who seem to be in kamikazee moods generally about who should be in opower and how we go about things.

I don't get it?

50% of the time we have forum users who bleat on about Scotland being a "burden" on England, and bleeding them dry!

And the other 50% are utterly piffed off that the SNP have managed to Govern Scotland for this last year, and govern it well.

I don't understand why Scotland's gaining its' Independence should be so unthinkable for England..........what is it that they are afraid of?

Why don't England want Independence for themselves? after all, according to most of Englandshire, they have been "carrying" the rest of us since the beginning of time.

quote:

Originally posted by hardwon:
I don't get it?

50% of the time we have forum users who bleat on about Scotland being a "burden" on England, and bleeding them dry!

And the other 50% are utterly piffed off that the SNP have managed to Govern Scotland for this last year, and govern it well.

I don't understand why Scotland's gaining its' Independence should be so unthinkable for England..........what is it that they are afraid of?

Why don't England want Independence for themselves? after all, according to most of Englandshire, they have been "carrying" the rest of us since the beginning of time.

I have no problem with Scottish Idependence - and I don't think many on here do at all.

Can't see what England would lose or the imperitive of keeping the union. If Scotland became a tiger economy, then we could always copy it.

Seems to me that majority of the folk most concerned at the prospect are your fellow Scots.

Perhaps you should address this to them.

I think that many English are a lot less worried than you hink Hardwon. personalyl I would be sad to see Scotland go but those iNE ngland wishing for independence for Scotlandm, whilst still a minority, is growing.

Perhaps I am just very sensitive to some of the comments which have been made, and oft repeated, on here.

I agree that many of my compatriots are still not convinced Trevgo - but I think that number is dwindling also. The SNP has proved itself to be robust in Government, and to have the interests of Scots and Scotland at it's heart.

Perhaps more will be won round after another year in Government, the referendum is not intended until 2010 anyway....so the people who are sitting on the fence, will have had an opportunity to see how SNP perform. The more dogmatic may never change their minds, but as long as it is a majority vote, I think we can swing it

I don't think we English really think about it, more than if the Scots want it then that's up to them.

When are the SNP going to keep their election promise and re-regulate Scotland's buses? Surely a party of such integrity won't let Graham Souter's £500,000 donation change their minds?

quote:

Originally posted by Fil2:
When are the SNP going to keep their election promise and re-regulate Scotland's buses? Surely a party of such integrity won't let Graham Souter's £500,000 donation change their minds?

This wasn't an election promise from 2007 and formed no part of their manifesto. Charlie Gordon is supposedly introducing a private members' bill on the issue, but I think that's more to do with trying to make things difficult for the SNP - why didn't Labour do this when in power?

Where will the Queen go for her holidays when Balmoral is lost?

quote:

Originally posted by hardwon:

Prudent housekeeping. Instead of just throwing money at projects, the SNP look at how money can be saved, and spent on more worthwhile causes.

Either way, the money is not coming from you[via a Westminster Government] so I don't see why you are so aggressive about it?

So taking money from what some may consider worthwhile causes, and giving it to what others may consider more worthwhile causes is prudent housekeeping is it? So when you get to the stage, as they have in Wales, where certain cancer treatments aren't available, because of cost, you will be happily saying, no one in Scotland, be they sick and infirm, or a company director, has to pay prescription charges.

quote:

Originally posted by C.L.A.D:

quote:

Originally posted by hardwon:

Prudent housekeeping. Instead of just throwing money at projects, the SNP look at how money can be saved, and spent on more worthwhile causes.

Either way, the money is not coming from you[via a Westminster Government] so I don't see why you are so aggressive about it?

So taking money from what some may consider worthwhile causes, and giving it to what others may consider more worthwhile causes is prudent housekeeping is it? So when you get to the stage, as they have in Wales, where certain cancer treatments aren't available, because of cost, you will be happily saying, no one in Scotland, be they sick and infirm, or a company director, has to pay prescription charges.

Not at all! what is your beef with the way Scotland is run by the SNP?

Did you have the same issues when Jack McConnell and his lot were running Scotland, and failed to do anything to improve our lot?

Any prudent housekeeper knows that if you manage the budget well, you can afford ALL that you need.

Unless anything has changed in the last 5 minutes, certain cancer treatments ARE NOT available in England, and they still have prescription charges. How does that make that system better please tell?

quote:

Originally posted by Privates On Parade:
Where will the Queen go for her holidays when Balmoral is lost?

How will Balmoral be lost, it belongs to her.

Nobody is reclaiming property

quote:

Originally posted by hardwon:

quote:

Originally posted by Privates On Parade:
Where will the Queen go for her holidays when Balmoral is lost?

How will Balmoral be lost, it belongs to her.

Nobody is reclaiming property

She's the Queen of Scotland as well as England isn't she?

I'm sure our friends in Scotland aren't going to give her the boot as well as us commoners.

How many Scottish Labour seats are there in the British Parliament?

quote:

Originally posted by hardwon:

Not at all! what is your beef with the way Scotland is run by the SNP?

Did you have the same issues when Jack McConnell and his lot were running Scotland, and failed to do anything to improve our lot?

Any prudent housekeeper knows that if you manage the budget well, you can afford ALL that you need.

Unless anything has changed in the last 5 minutes, certain cancer treatments ARE NOT available in England, and they still have prescription charges. How does that make that system better please tell?

I have no 'beef' with the way how the SNP run Scotland. I don'tlive there, and have no intention of ever doing so. The Scottish people have made their choice, good luck to them. But I still remember the days when the SNP were referred to as Tartan Tories, I doubt that they have really changed that much. I would expect any administration to still be popular in their first year, just as the Labour/Lib Dems were. Give it a few more years and then a proper objective analysis can be made.

quote:

Originally posted by Giovanni L:
How many Scottish Labour seats are there in the British Parliament?

1 less after tonight I hope!