Everyone Vote in Scotland Independance

[Noel]

Another interesting 'unknown' flagged up over the weekend was regarding mobile providers. Scotland would need to set up its own equivalent to Ofcom. What is the legal situation of these companies and their contracts in any limbo period ? Would they have to rebid? Would, in fact, they want to rebid? The topography of Scotland is not ideal for mobile signals and hence very expensive to cover/maintain coverage. The countries demographics with an ageing population mean that potential call charges to offset the extra cost of providing a service won't come anywhere close.

One only has to take a look at the RoI where O2 have pulled out for more profitable markets. The topography and demographics of the RoI is very similar to Scotland.

The more you look into it, it seems to me that the Yes campaign is run very much on wishful thinking.

Nonsense: http://www.o2online.ie/o2/

 

[Silverbirch]

The more you look into it, it seems to me that the Yes campaign is run very much on wishful thinking.

I don`t know about mobile phones, but in general terms, this has been obvious right from the start.

On a more positive note, according to the Sunday Times, if Scotland becomes independent, the average rainfall for the rest of theUK will decrease, once Scotland`s contribution is taken out of the equation.
So, every cloud has a silver lining. :wink:
Ian

 

[RogerS]

Another interesting 'unknown' flagged up over the weekend was regarding mobile providers. Scotland would need to set up its own equivalent to Ofcom. What is the legal situation of these companies and their contracts in any limbo period ? Would they have to rebid? Would, in fact, they want to rebid? The topography of Scotland is not ideal for mobile signals and hence very expensive to cover/maintain coverage. The countries demographics with an ageing population mean that potential call charges to offset the extra cost of providing a service won't come anywhere close.

One only has to take a look at the RoI where O2 have pulled out for more profitable markets. The topography and demographics of the RoI is very similar to Scotland.

The more you look into it, it seems to me that the Yes campaign is run very much on wishful thinking.

Nonsense: http://www.o2online.ie/o2/

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! Look who owns O2 Ireland. Three !! http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sect ... -1.1887387

 

[theartfulbodger]

On a more positive note, according to the Sunday Times, if Scotland becomes independent, the average rainfall for the rest of theUK will decrease, once Scotland`s contribution is taken out of the equation.

As a (new) nation, we'll live longer, be thinner and more healthy as well :mrgreen:

 

[Noel]

Another interesting 'unknown' flagged up over the weekend was regarding mobile providers. Scotland would need to set up its own equivalent to Ofcom. What is the legal situation of these companies and their contracts in any limbo period ? Would they have to rebid? Would, in fact, they want to rebid? The topography of Scotland is not ideal for mobile signals and hence very expensive to cover/maintain coverage. The countries demographics with an ageing population mean that potential call charges to offset the extra cost of providing a service won't come anywhere close.

One only has to take a look at the RoI where O2 have pulled out for more profitable markets. The topography and demographics of the RoI is very similar to Scotland.

The more you look into it, it seems to me that the Yes campaign is run very much on wishful thinking.

Nonsense: http://www.o2online.ie/o2/

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! Look who owns O2 Ireland. Three !! http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sect ... -1.1887387

Didn't know that. At least I made your day. I can imagine you jumping up and down shouting "he's wrong, he's wrong, woopeee!!!"
But it's still a poor comment in context, so one Spanish owned company sells it's Irish off shoot to a Hongkong based company. They certainly got a good price for it and 3 plan to spend a further 300m on the network, so about 1b all in.
I think a large number of major companies in your part of the world are owned by overseas corporations.

 

[RogerS]

.....

Nonsense: http://www.o2online.ie/o2/

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! Look who owns O2 Ireland. Three !! http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sect ... -1.1887387

Didn't know that. At least I made your day. I can imagine you jumping up and down shouting "he's wrong, he's wrong, woopeee!!!"

Not at all, Noel. Not at all. Being a little paranoid today?

But it's still a poor comment in context, so one Spanish owned company sells it's Irish off shoot to a Hongkong based company. They certainly got a good price for it and 3 plan to spend a further 300m on the network, so about 1b all in.

Not a poor comment at all. Fits perfectly in the context of another unknown for the Independence vote. The key fact you have overlooked is that O2 - a seasoned player - did not view Ireland worth keeping as a market.

From Business Irish...
Irish mobile operators have seen average monthly revenue figures falling by 50pc in the last six years. Previously lucrative services such as roaming fees and SMS texting charges have fallen dramatically as increased European regulation and new technology from services such as Whatsapp have eaten away operator profits.

Despite the fall in telecoms revenue, European competition commissioner Joaquin Almunia said that Ireland's telecoms market needed to be protected from a decline in competition here.

"A relatively high proportion of Irish inhabitants live in rural areas, raising challenges for the rollout of mobile telecoms networks," he said.

I think a large number of major companies in your part of the world are owned by overseas corporations.

That's irrelevant to the point in question.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Jack Dee summed it all up nicely the other day.

If the Scots vote yes, then Scotland and England will become like North and South Korea. In a few years time, those of us on the English side of the border will be peering across the barbed wire and no-man's land between the two countries with binoculars, looking at the poor, benighted wretches on the Northern side all forced to have Alex Salmond haircuts.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

An odd thought - in the UK as it currently exists one can have a postal vote for 15 years after you have left the UK/been registered to vote. This means that Brits retiring to Spain, Florida etc etc can continue to vote.

Similar rules were not applied to the independence vote. Alex Salmond has been very astute and Cameron and co. somewhat deficient or naive in extending the vote only to residents of Scotland. If applied in an independent Scotland how would this likely affect the outcome of future Scottish elections and what may have been the impact on he referendum.

The high YES figures may be due (I suspect) to the above and additional voter registrations in Scotland among those who have previously never voted as they were apathetic thinking their vote would have no effect in Westminster. Now they have a chance to make a point - which they may regret!

 

[NickWelford]

So, the leaders of the three major parties in our sovereign parliament are all trying to bribe the Scots to vote NO on Thursday, promising to continue the deeply unfair Bartlett Formula, at the expense of the vast majority of English voters and taxpayers. Also, the Scots will pick up even more powers to determine their own affairs, whilst the English have to suffer from Scottish MPs voting on purely English matters, for which they have no electoral mandate whatsoever. This smacks hugely of bribery and corruption at the highest level. I am actually for the continuance of the Union, but not at any cost, and the cost is becoming too high, so, farewell Scotland, it was good to know you, but it's time for you to go your own way, and let's see how you manage when all of the Salmond lies come home to roost.

 

[kdampney]

In the event of a No vote, I'm increasingly in favour of a federal system where there are Scottish, Welsh, English and N.Irish parliaments with full tax-raising and spending powers, and then a UK parliament for things like defence and foreign aid. Then Scotland could be self-financing, as the SNP says they are.

The only problem would be that Wales (and I suspect Scotland) would still need some form of subsidy as they are more economically deprived. I'm sure there would be other problems on which people can enlighten me

 

[RogerS]

In the event of a No vote, I'm increasingly in favour of a federal system where there are Scottish, Welsh, English and N.Irish parliaments with full tax-raising and spending powers, and then a UK parliament for things like defence and foreign aid. Then Scotland could be self-financing, as the SNP says they are.

The only problem would be that Wales (and I suspect Scotland) would still need some form of subsidy as they are more economically deprived. I'm sure there would be other problems on which people can enlighten me

But both Wales and Scotland already get subsidies. Consensus certainly for Scotland is that it gets more out of the union than it puts in. At least that's what a quick google throws up.

 

[wizard]

If they go independent they can spent their money on themselves and not on going to war or foreign aid the royal family and other things

 

[Silverbirch]

I would remind people that, as things stand, Scotland is as much part of the UK as England, Wales or N.I., and many of us (at least half, according to the polls) would like it to continue that way, so talking of "them" and "us" is rather premature.
Alex Salmond has been very successful in promoting these feelings in Scotland, but he does not by any means speak for all of us, and not even, it can be argued, for the majority of Scottish voters.
Any talk of "them" and "us" should wait until Friday, when the results will be known.

Ian

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I looked earlier at a link in a comment on an article in The Times, that gave a Scottish newspaper saying that Milliband, Clegg and Cameron had promised that in the event of a "no" vote the Scots would have a free hand in what they spent on "their" NHS. Unfortunately I didn't think to save it.
I think the national Press were wise not to make too much of that in England.

 

[Jacob]

It's revealing that the parties have nothing much positive to say about voting NO - just threats, vague bribes, dire warnings and pessimistic forecasts if it goes the other way.
Milliband, Clegg and Cameron just haven't twigged that most of the country is utterly p|ssed off with them and the establishment as a whole, and would be glad to have a chance to express this.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

One problem the "no"s have of course is that it's difficult to make an unwelcome fact sound any other than a threat "You do realise that you won't automatically be a member of the eu" - You do realise that n amount of jobs will be repatriated by HMRC" - "You do realise that naval bases will close" - "You do realise that you won't automatically have a currency union" and so on...
I actually heard one woman say she was looking forward to independence, as it would mean full employment again and that the new government would be pressurised to open all the Clydebank shipyards again. It hadn't dawned on her that they shut because they couldn't compete on the international market - otherwise she'd have known they wouldn't stand a cat in ****'s chance once their overheads were even higher. I heard a girl on the radio say of course, it'll take a while for Scotland to get it's own airforce... Irrespective of politics, some of these people do not inhabit the real world.

 

[Jacob]

.... Irrespective of politics, some of these people do not inhabit the real world.

Ditto Milliband, Clegg and Cameron.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

100%. Never thought I'd ever say that, did you?

 

[NickWelford]

It could all come down to a handful of votes, even one. Pretty stupid that the referendum wasn't set up with the need for a 66.6% majority for such a monumental change.

 

[lanemaux]

As a Canadian I have no opinion to add on this thread save one. In my lifetime there have been a number of referendums and a national and provincial political party formed around the possible separation of my francophone brethren from our confederation. My point is that even if separation does not occur , separatists are tenacious. Don't expect this to be over if they lose. Sorry if this is bad news to some , but that is the nature of the beast as I see it.