[mike777]

Reading in my local paper that there seems to be some seriousness to Scotland leaving the Union? I know there has been talk for decades but this seems to be heating up or just alot of hot air?

Paper says most in Scotland are in favor of breaking up the Union and most in England could care less?

Has Scotland grown too dependent on the redistribution of wealth from the south to the north for this ever to happen?

I know the rump Parliament up there is just full of windbags right now.

[the saint]

Well if someone could tell them to take everything from Birmingham upwards with them and those miserable Welshmen too when they do eventually b****r off, we would be grateful.

Signed

An Englishman

[Gerben42]

That's Europe for you. At one side the politicians are trying to unite everyone, on the other side the people want their own country (to do what exactly, that I don't know).

[sceptic]

This information was taken from an article by Robert the Bruce in the the Weekly Sporran published more than a few decades ago, we are still waiting for this to happen, despite the likes of Sean Connery taking it on as a personal crusade, I doubt it will ever happen

[sceptic]

Quote

That's Europe for you. At one side the politicians are trying to unite everyone, on the other side the people want their own country (to do what exactly, that I don't know).

maybe just to have a say in their own destiny

[hrothgar]

Gerben42, on Dec 9 2006, 07:09 PM, said:

That's Europe for you. At one side the politicians are trying to unite everyone, on the other side the people want their own country (to do what exactly, that I don't know).

One could argue that its the existence of the EU that permits this type of separatist movement within individual nation states.

EU membership provides many of the benefits that traditionally were reserved for members of the same country. EU members can free travel between one another's countries. For the most part EU members share the same currency. EU members can (typically) work in one anothers countries. EU membership provedes military protection.

At the same time, membership in the EU limits some of the traditional powers of its members. These limits are most visible when one considers elements like monetary policy (running deficts, printing money and the like) and trade agreements. Why should the Scots care if their ability to run their own montary policy is constrained because the UK is a member of the EU rather than Scotland being a member of the EU?

Personally, I see nothing much wrong with people taking pride in their local culture. If the Scots want to succeed from the EU thats fine with me. In a similar fashion, if the Northern League wants to break off from Italy or the Basques create their own homeland in Spain... more power to them.

However, all this pre-supposes that folks are mature enough to break away in a responsible manner. Wanted a homeland is one thing. ETA terrorist attacks are another.

[GeeGee]

Where to start....

as a passionate advocate of the People's Republic of Yorkshire, it may not be apposite for me to state that I do not worry about the Union, just as long as there is (seriously) a European Union. This strikes me as far more important than anything else. IMV, Hrothgar has it exactly right.

Still not happy that the UK is governed by all these b*****g Scots, though

Geoff

[the saint]

GeeGee, on Dec 12 2006, 07:54 AM, said:

as a passionate advocate of the People's Republic of Yorkshire

Are you? So am I, although I suspect for the opposite reasons to you!!

[GeeGee]

Lol

believe it or not, from time to time we do make allowances for you namby-pamby southerners,

but not often.

(I should not speak too loudly, as a Yorkshireman making his living in the rich pickings of London. Time will come soon when I will retire home with all my ill-gotten gains. 17 shillings and sixpence, with any luck)

Geoff

[mycroft]

Quote

17 shillings and sixpence, with any luck)

...which you can still spend in Yorkshire, much of which hasn't made it to 1971 yet.

Michael (Canadian, but of Geordie stock).

[GeeGee]

Just as a total aside.

Some years ago my brother, who is a musician, and at that time playing keyboards with the group SKY, was on a tour ending in Japan.

By way of a change, he decided to return to England, not directly, but using the Trans-Siberian railway, from Vladivostok to Moscow, then get a plane from there. Just for the experience.

He described all these places where they stopped on the way, in Siberia, or in the then USSR 'colonies', such as Irkutsk, as very reminiscent of Middlesbrough in the 1950's.

I know things have progressed a bit since then, but anyone who has been to the wonderful new Riverside stadium, must wonder about the surroundings. Just like the Middlesbrough I remember from the 1950's

Geoff

[GeeGee]

mycroft, on Dec 14 2006, 04:20 PM, said:

Michael (Canadian, but of Geordie stock).

Careful, Michael, we from Middlesbrough get touchy about being called Geordies.

Strange, because when an exile such as myself returns, it's very surprising just how Geordie the Middlesbrough accent is. It's not apparent when you are there, it is apparent when you are not.

The other point, of course, was that the favourite chant I remember from when I used to go to the old Ayresome Park stadium, was 'We hate Sunderland'

But Sunderland has made a far better effort at regeneration, than Middlesbrough.

Geoff, an exiled northerner with opinions and biases.

[mycroft]

No, no, GeeGee - I wasn't claiming Yorkshiremen were Geordies - I know better (ugh. Even to think!)

I was using that information (actually, I was lying a bit, as they are Wearsiders, not Tynesiders, but that's sort of like saying you're from Scarberia rather than Toronto to someone from Calgary) to explain why I felt I was allowed to slag Yorkshire (well, Middlesbrough, I guess).

And given your Ayresome Park story, I'm guessing I'm right. I am allowed.
Michael.

[GeeGee]

Ok, you are

Except those people we hate from Sunderland are on the Wear, we are on the Tees.

Can't speak for current times, but there wasn't much in in the past between us for pollution

Geoff

[sceptic]

yorkshire. middlesborough, newcastle or sunderland, none of them can play football. but I digress

[GeeGee]

Or cricket, for that matter.

But then, why should we be that much different from the rest of England.

Wayne, one thing you may find we from Middlesbrough are touchy about, is the spelling of Middlesbrough.

Geoff, living in London and watching the Middlesbrough team go down the drain.

[sceptic]

spilling was never my strong point

[GeeGee]

Whereas I spill things regularly

Geoff