This week’s Scotland on Sunday is full of the usual outpourings of fear and madness (our absolute favourite is a standout piece of howling-at-the-moon insanity from frothing Tory loonbag Gerald Warner, magnificently entitled “Feminism driving holocaust of abortion”), but one in particular caught our eye.
Headed “Independent Scotland at risk from bank crash“, the Tom Peterkin effort (based, in fairness, on an imminent UK government document) kicks straight off with an opening line that’s a top-shelf example of hysterical sub-Daily-Mail scaremongering. But it’s the second line that makes it special.
We got an email from our Prague correspondent last night, but that’s not the only thing the disgraceful pun in the headline refers to. As Michael Moore was kicked around the playground by Nicola Sturgeon in the first Scotland Tonight debate that same evening, the soggy security blanket he clung to more than anything else was the currency issue, which the No camp appears to believe is now its most powerful weapon.
It’s a two-pronged Trident, if you’ll forgive the even more tortured wordplay in that metaphor. Firstly there’s the scaremongering part containing the (empty) threat that the rUK would refuse to enter a currency union with an independent Scotland, forcing it to join the embattled Euro, and as back-up there’s the claim that if we DID get a currency union, Scotland would somehow end up getting less consideration from the Bank of England governors when it came to monetary policy than the none it gets now.
Let’s take the briefest look we can manage at both of those assertions.
We’re indebted to the alert reader who sent us a link to this last night:
If you don’t have time to sit through it all now, it’s an STV referendum debate – not about independence in 2014, but about devolution in 1997. In short, all the arguments and dire warnings we’re fed by Unionists now about independence were also deployed against devolution, which doesn’t in fact seem to have caused the sky to fall in.
It’s also interesting to note a BBC news story uncovered by National Collective this morning which reports a poll finding that “76% of businesses believe a double-yes vote in Thursday’s referendum would harm the climate for business in Scotland”.
While right-wing, conservative organisations like the CBI and FSB will doubtless never stop bleating about the terrible “uncertainty” of constitutional change, it’s good to see that there’s been at least some progress made in that field.
Hang on. The heart of the latest No campaign/media scare story is that the enormous pension deficit currently looming over the UK like a great big multi-billion-pound fiscal sword of Damocles (but which everyone is feverishly avoiding looking at) will become much more urgent in the event of Scottish independence, because according to EU rules “cross-border” pensions can’t just boot the problem into the long grass for years, and have to ensure any shortfall is funded immediately.
EU rules? But haven’t the Unionists spent most of the last six months telling us that an independent Scotland wouldn’t be an EU member, and would have to wait years at the back of the queue to join as a new country? Phew! Problem solved!
We’ve taken quite a lot of cold medication this week, readers, and it’s caused us to have a bit of an epiphany. We’ve realised that our constant advocacy of independence is a recklessly optimistic position which takes no account of the very real dangers of separating Scotland from the rest of the UK (and the world), and that in order to be responsible citizens we ought to present a more balanced picture.
We’ve decided, therefore, to use this page to keep track of the numerous and often serious potential consequences of a Yes vote in 2014, as helpfully pointed out by our concerned countrymen south of the border and the cooler heads in our own land.
Aidan on Vibecoding A Better World: “So the plan is for a small group of retirees to go to the UN and ask them to somehow…” Nov 9, 07:26
Hatey McHateface on Vibecoding A Better World: “Excellent point, Alf. I guess the UN can chuck the UK out of the UN once they’ve been told the…” Nov 8, 23:00
Alf Baird on Vibecoding A Better World: “As James Che rightly points out below, there is no reason to hold a referendum on leaving a ‘United Kingdom’…” Nov 8, 21:47
CatalogueTrewsers on Vibecoding A Better World: “John Main is a Shitebag ! An his Maw was a Shitebag anaw !! He gets paid to. I don’t” Nov 8, 21:42
Hatey McHateface on Vibecoding A Better World: “But he didn’t lose, or even loose, his shit, did he? The two of them debated seriously and respectfully and…” Nov 8, 21:20
CatalogueTrewsers on Vibecoding A Better World: “When a cool cucumber like Robin looses his shit during a discussion. It tells me more about him,than it does…” Nov 8, 19:52
Hatey McHateface on Vibecoding A Better World: ““you’ve got them worried” Be reasonable, 100%, it’s to be expected that Scots want to know when the UN is…” Nov 8, 19:18
Aidan on Vibecoding A Better World: “lol “rigged” take off your tin foil hat. If the 2014 referendum was rigged, then any future referendum will also…” Nov 8, 19:10
100%Yes on Vibecoding A Better World: “Alf, you and Salvo keep up the good work, you’ve got them worried.” Nov 8, 18:53
James on Vibecoding A Better World: “So, Adrian, the legitimate route, according to your ‘wisdom’ is via another rigged UK referendum? What a surprise.” Nov 8, 18:21
Northcode on Vibecoding A Better World: ““…had been annexed decades and in many instances centuries before [1945].” My comment was about the legality of annexation before…” Nov 8, 17:51
Alf Baird on Vibecoding A Better World: ““It was only after 1945 that Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibited annexation by force under international law.” The…” Nov 8, 15:03
Hatey McHateface on Vibecoding A Better World: “Ah, c’moan noo, Willie. We a’ ken it’s Tel Aviv.” Nov 8, 14:31
Hatey McHateface on Vibecoding A Better World: ““The issue is annexation which is unlawful and without consent” Ooo, tough shit, Alf. Any reasonable observer is gonna interpret…” Nov 8, 14:28
Hatey McHateface on Vibecoding A Better World: ““Scotland is a catalyst Country to the freedom of just about every other Country” Havers. Ukr**ne is a catalyst country…” Nov 8, 14:20
Northcode on Vibecoding A Better World: “Even if Scotland had been annexed pre-1945 (it wasn’t), it wouldn’t have been illegal under international law. Before 1945, annexation…” Nov 8, 14:16
Willie on Vibecoding A Better World: “Who is taking down comments Rev, the second they are posted. Gremlins on the line?” Nov 8, 14:02
Willie on Vibecoding A Better World: “Looks like Tommy Robinson of the English Defence League is having fun in Ireland. ” I’m just about love bro,…” Nov 8, 14:00
Alf Baird on Vibecoding A Better World: “““Independence without consent” The issue is annexation which is unlawful and without consent.” Nov 8, 13:43
Northcode on Vibecoding A Better World: ““… you and your tribe plan for Scotland to be steam rollered into Independence…” Perhaps the mission statement for both…” Nov 8, 13:19
James Che on Vibecoding A Better World: “We have to think of a larger picture before becoming independent as much as we would pay attention to details…” Nov 8, 12:10
Aidan on Vibecoding A Better World: “It is 180 degrees the other way 100% yes. The “Westminster” route did produce a pathway to independence in 2014…” Nov 8, 11:51
James Che on Vibecoding A Better World: “When Scotland is recognised as independent it will effect and have a affect on every other Country around the world…” Nov 8, 11:50
James Che on Vibecoding A Better World: “The approach from the Countries of Ireland and Wales towards the influx of migration and high taxes from Englands parliament…” Nov 8, 11:35
Hatey McHateface on Vibecoding A Better World: “You write an enormous screed to explain why the obvious solution is impossible, 100%. Found a plebiscitary party, establish plausible…” Nov 8, 11:27
James Che on Vibecoding A Better World: “It would be of Great advantage to other nations and populations around the world to ensure that Scotland is recognised…” Nov 8, 11:20
Hatey McHateface on Vibecoding A Better World: “That’s your opinion, Alf, and that of a few supporters. It’s almost as if you don’t know us Scots at…” Nov 8, 11:11
James Che on Vibecoding A Better World: “100% yes. Your reasoning is sound up to the point where you suggest that we can perhaps do UDI, or…” Nov 8, 10:51
Alf Baird on Vibecoding A Better World: “Excellent summary. The role of independence leaders is to unveil their oppression to the people. The SNP elite has never…” Nov 8, 10:29
