Jump to content

General Election 2010


Col
 Share

General Election 2010  

109 members have voted

  1. 1. Who will you vote for in the upcoming general election?

    • Labour
      23
    • Conservatives
      11
    • Liberal Democrats
      29
    • Scottish National Party (SNP)
      35
    • Green Party
      3
    • UK Independence Party (UKIP)
      1
    • British National Party (BNP)
      5
    • Respect
      0
    • Scottish Socialist Party (SSP)
      0
    • Scottish Socialist and Trade Union Alliance (Solidarity)
      1
    • Other/Independent
      1


Recommended Posts

One out of three Glaswegians of working age claim Incapacity Benefit. We are a world leader in cancer, disability and premature death.

 

Scotland is much too ill for independence.

 

Scotland is a big boy who should be allowed to stand on his own two feet. I do not want to be part of a dependency culture any more than I want Scotland's resources to be siphoned off to fund the London olympics or fighting illegal wars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Believe me Labour are the last people I would believe.

The only reason Ireland can currently offer lower buisness rates is because they are heavily subsidised by the EU. This money is drying up rapidly and Ireland could be in serious trouble soon (just look at their construction industry)

 

Phoenix, that's a simplistic view of the reality.

 

All EU Member States are governed by Competition and State Aid Law, the principles of which can be found hereThe Rules. These rules limit the maximum levels of subsidy which can be offered by any Member State.

 

The Regional aid map (see section in link above) governs the level of subsidy which can be offered by national governments to create/attract jobs to Regions (Regions classified as level 2 and 3). It's a plain fact that Ireland has more poor regions than Scotland has, which is why when Foreign Direct Investment to the UK was at its height in the late 80s and early 90s, Scotland often competed head to head with Ireland for mobile projects

In the late 90s the locus for these projects moved towards Central and Eastern Europe, because they have a higher concentration of poorer regions. And now its moving again towards the Balkans and Asia.

 

That's why it's better to grow indigenous businesses rather than relying on Foreign Direct Investment. Some foreign investors will stay remain in Scotland (e.g. BSkyB) and some will move, because the accountants decide there are locations with cheaper options in terms of labour costs and subsidies (e.g. Compaq, Freescale and whoever GrantB has been working for).

 

It's also another reason why Scotland would benefit from being an independent Member State in the EU - Ireland has direct control over how it can use these subsidies and can represent itself at the negotiations. Scottish Office still is beholden to the DTI representing its interests as a region of the UK.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But its not all about the economy.

 

I don't see why you can't be both a proud Scot and a believer in the Union. Its a Union, not an occupation.

 

I think its ridiculous to talk of splitting our little Island up. Why should we be so keen to form political deals with "Europe" if we can't even work and legislate with our neighbours?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But its not all about the economy.

 

I don't see why you can't be both a proud Scot and a believer in the Union. Its a Union, not an occupation.

 

I think its ridiculous to talk of splitting our little Island up. Why should we be so keen to form political deals with "Europe" if we can't even work and legislate with our neighbours?

 

Scotland had been a proud independent nation for a thousand years before we were sold out for land and titles in the treaty of union.

 

Since I feel that we are not an equal partner in said union, I think it is only right that as a proud Scot, I want my country to be independent and on an equal footing to England and Wales (who I also believe should have their independence).

 

Far from being devisive, I think that in the long term, relations with England will be strengthened by independence. I certainly have no anti English agenda and I despise nationalists who do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I certainly have no anti English agenda and I despise nationalists who do.

 

I didn't mean to imply you did (and you clearly don't).

 

Ironically I think it is more likely to be anti Scottish opinion in England that leads to Independence if it does come. I reckon a good proportion of the southern English population just percieve us as subsidy junkies and they may well be happy to get shot of us sooner or later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't mean to imply you did (and you clearly don't).

 

Ironically I think it is more likely to be anti Scottish opinion in England that leads to Independence if it does come. I reckon a good proportion of the southern English population just percieve us as subsidy junkies and they may well be happy to get shot of us sooner or later.

 

It's actually that they're sick of having a disproportionate number of Scots running the country, considering that much of the power they have doesn't affect Scotland. Though I guess you're right, that only makes sense if they themselves don't support the union, as if they did those Scots would also be British...

 

Now, however, there are no Scots in the cabinet, so I guess my point is null and void. I do agree with you though, that Scotland is also viewed as being full of subsidy junkies, though so is the whole of the north of England if you believe some of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't mean to imply you did (and you clearly don't).

 

Ironically I think it is more likely to be anti Scottish opinion in England that leads to Independence if it does come. I reckon a good proportion of the southern English population just percieve us as subsidy junkies and they may well be happy to get shot of us sooner or later.

 

Bring it on, and the sooner the better, in my view.

 

Ask yourself who currently subsidises the Olympics? The new Wembley Stadium? And who will subsidise England 2018 if they are awarded it?

 

Meantime, the Greater Glasgow population 'enjoys' a transport system that lacks any kind os modern infrastructure due to chronic underfunding by the Westminster Government for decades, yes decades before the Holyrood Parliament came into existence.

 

Too many Scots fail to see the bigger picture and the benefits to be gained by standing up and speaking for ourselves rather than by licensing our voice to Westminster appointed representatives and being duly unrepresented on the bigger stage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now, however, there are no Scots in the cabinet, so I guess my point is null and void. I do agree with you though, that Scotland is also viewed as being full of subsidy junkies, though so is the whole of the north of England if you believe some of them.

 

Apart from Danny Alexander, Michael Gove, Liam Fox and Lord Strathclyde ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bring it on, and the sooner the better, in my view.

 

Ask yourself who currently subsidises the Olympics? The new Wembley Stadium? And who will subsidise England 2018 if they are awarded it?

 

who, not scotland as far as i am aware, scotland gets in more cash than they take in in taxes ( cant remember where i read and am happy to be proved wrong)and that dosent even take in paying for our armed forces.

 

Meantime, the Greater Glasgow population 'enjoys' a transport system that lacks any kind os modern infrastructure due to chronic underfunding by the Westminster Government for decades, yes decades before the Holyrood Parliament came into existence.

 

Too many Scots fail to see the bigger picture and the benefits to be gained by standing up and speaking for ourselves rather than by licensing our voice to Westminster appointed representatives and being duly unrepresented on the bigger stage.

 

nope, seen the bigger picture and have seen nothing to prove we would be better off

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Too many Scots fail to see the bigger picture and the benefits to be gained by standing up and speaking for ourselves rather than by licensing our voice to Westminster appointed representatives and being duly unrepresented on the bigger stage.

 

Complete nonsense. The idea we are somehow funding the Olympics is mind boggilingly wrong.

 

Most Scots do see the bigger picture which is why we aren't all navel gazing Nats. Scotland still sends in cabinet ministers to bat for Britain, and who wouldn't be proud of the British Army : ;):P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Complete nonsense. The idea we are somehow funding the Olympics is mind boggilingly wrong.

 

Most Scots do see the bigger picture which is why we aren't all navel gazing Nats. Scotland still sends in cabinet ministers to bat for Britain, and who wouldn't be proud of the British Army : ;):P

 

Really? Why is most of the lottery funding being diverted to London 2012 for just one example. Can you tell me how my life is being made better by the Olympics being held in the East End of London?

 

I'm no navel gazer, I just believe in my country more than you do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really? Why is most of the lottery funding being diverted to London 2012 for just one example. Can you tell me how my life is being made better by the Olympics being held in the East End of London?

 

I'm no navel gazer, I just believe in my country more than you do.

 

Well, how are the lives of Londoners improved through subsidising Scotland through their Income Tax?

 

I've walked all over this land and apart from the natural beauty there is by and large nothing there to believe in.

 

Its all about attitude, and I'll say it again; you get the one third of Glaswegians who can't/won't work to work and then we can look at this stuff seriously.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, how are the lives of Londoners improved through subsidising Scotland through their Income Tax?

 

I've walked all over this land and apart from the natural beauty there is by and large nothing there to believe in.

 

Its all about attitude, and I'll say it again; you get the one third of Glaswegians who can't/won't work to work and then we can look at this stuff seriously.

 

I'd love to see the figures for Londoners subsidising us through income tax. You really shouldn't believe all you are told by Boris Johnston.

 

You are bang on, it is all about attitude. I firmly believe in the ability of Scots to run Scotland. Your argument about Glaswegians on benefits could be applied to Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and other English cities.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Complete nonsense. The idea we are somehow funding the Olympics is mind boggilingly wrong.

 

Most Scots do see the bigger picture which is why we aren't all navel gazing Nats. Scotland still sends in cabinet ministers to bat for Britain, and who wouldn't be proud of the British Army : ;):P

 

The United Kingdom is a political and economic union that no longer has tangible benefits for the regions outwith the South of England.

 

The amount of funding going to projects in the South East is disproportionate and is done so at the expense of the development of the infrastructure in other areas of the country, and in particular the UK REGION called Scotland.

 

The bigger picture is that as a full EU MEMBER STATE, Scotland's cabinet ministers would be be able to ask for, and receive, infrastructure funding on its own account, without relying on the steadily decreasing handouts from Westminster. The main priority should be the interests of Scotland, and not promoting the profile and interests of the South East.

 

The former Baltic States, The Czech Rupublic and Slovakia have provided the example of how to become established on the wider European stage. However, Scotland hasn't yet found the courage to exit a marriage that has long since ceased to work for us.

Edited by Barney Rubble
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The United Kingdom is a political and economic union that no longer has tangible benefits for the regions outwith the South of England.

 

The amount of funding going to projects in the South East is disproportionate and is done so at the expense of the development of the infrastructure in other areas of the country, and in particular the UK REGION called Scotland.

 

The bigger picture is that as a full EU MEMBER STATE, Scotland's cabinet ministers would be be able to ask for, and receive, infrastructure funding on its own account, without relying on the steadily decreasing handouts from Westminster. The main priority should be the interests of Scotland, and not promoting the profile and interests of the South East.

 

The former Baltic States, The Czech Rupublic and Slovakia have provided the example of how to become established on the wider European stage. However, Scotland hasn't yet found the courage to exit a marriage that has long since ceased to work for us.

 

"Money may be limited, our ambition is not" - Nick Clegg, 20th May 2010.

 

:P

 

 

 

 

 

ps, apologies for the overly aggressive tone of last nights post (was supposed to be tongue in cheek)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never thought I'd see the day when Dianne Abbot stood for Labour Leadership.

 

If she can do it, anyone can.

 

Mon the Blackpool Jags, seize the moment and step up to the plate :):D

 

Em, don't think I could muster the requisite 34 MPs' nominations.... 20-odds would probably my limit. :(

 

Anyway, I'm too busy with life outside Parliament, honest. :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Em, don't think I could muster the requisite 34 MPs' nominations.... 20-odds would probably my limit. :(

 

Anyway, I'm too busy with life outside Parliament, honest. :rolleyes:

 

 

go on, i might even vote labour :thinking:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

nahhh :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With Glove and Fox being MPs for constituencies in England, and the other two not sitting at the 'big table' within the Cabinet.

 

You just said "Scots" though ;)

 

The Cabinet is just one big table, and a furnishing nightmare... head of the Scotland Office is still a potentially crucial role.

 

Sounds like a quaint English pub name.

 

Glove and Alexander could both be potential PM's IMO.

 

Gove is a really smart guy and by Tory standards, quite centrist and actually more liberal than Cameron. Definitely future Conservative leader material.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You just said "Scots" though ;)

 

Gove is a really smart guy and by Tory standards, quite centrist and actually more liberal than Cameron. Definitely future Conservative leader material.

 

With hindsight that interview he did when he said categorically, no bull, that he'd give up his cabinet seat for a Lib Dem was the turning point of the whole election ;).

 

We'll be seeing more of him thats for sure..........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...