Scottish Independence referendum part 2

It is no coincidence that the parts of the UK with the highest level EU immigration voted to leave, there are exceptions of course

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36616028

Most EU immigration is in London ( some 36% plus of all migrants ) and cities, I'm not sure the majority is not an exception. The correlation seems to be with the less densely populated areas. If you actually look at the votes cast rather than the % then I think the opposite will be true.

I'm a Scot - lived and worked in Scotland all my days and no plans to change.

I have voted in every British General election since 1979. Until around 5 years ago i voted Labour. I didn't always agree with all their policies but accepted they cared more about the weak & disadvantaged than the "devil take the hindmost Tories". I guess that made me a de facto unionist although I never really (and still don't) define my philosophy as "unionist" or "nationalist".

I've watched down the years as the inequalities (health / income / social mobility / housing etc ) increased as a direct result of policies implemented by Conservative government's in Westminster - a party routinely trounced in Scotland. First by Labour then the SNP. In short, Scotland was enduring the actions of a political party driven to oblivion North of the Border. I thought that unjust - and still do.

I therefore became a reluctant Scottish nationalist - because I feel the life chances of myself and my family ( I have 2 daughters in their 20s) will in time improve under a more egalitarian and progressive administration.

My ideal outcome would be to live in a country run along Scandinavian lines - where high levels of taxation provide excellent levels of public services - and where there is a general buy-in from all stratas of society that gross inequalities of income are socially corrosive.

I don't propose to enter into the economic arguments - and I'm not stupid enough to disregard real challenges in the short to medium term. In the longer term - with significant natural assets - I'm sure we'd rub along just fine.

I abhor racism, sectarianism, bigotry of any sort and have many dear friends, relatives and colleagues who hail from South of the Tweed. The problem for me is that - taken as a whole - England has a most unfortunate habit of voting Conservative!

For what it's worth I think it's almost impossible for the SNP to win next time. Sturgeon will walk and issue will disappear for 10 years minimum. (By the way i predicted correctly the Brexit result 5 months before the plebiscite!) Call me Nostradamus!

Hard hat on - preparing for incoming!

Well, Nostradamus, you must be somewhat unique among Scots in wanting to live in a high tax society; carry on espousing such views publicly and the men in white coats will appear at your front door!

I agree with you regarding the SNP's electoral outlook: their day has passed and whilst they took almost every Westminster seat, they don't now have a majority at Holyrood and rely on the Greens to keep them in power. Their youngest MP - aged just 22 - says she wants to give-up politics as she finds it too much like hard work!! I think that speaks volumes about that party!

May's plan is nothing of the sort - remember she was campaigning to remain?

And, how do you know that family is Romanian? And how do you account for the rise in racially motivated attacks on ethnic minorities, including Indians, Pakistanis and Filipino nurses in Birmingham on June 25th?

The Polish community in our town have brought huge benefits - in fact the only parents who came forward to join the PTA last year were from Poland, Romania and India and me. The unemployed British parents were scared to miss Pointless or The Chaser.

Wow!

The Indians are mostly highly skilled for a start. Usually doctors, self employed or computer technicians. They don't live together, as you suggest. They live in small towns. Usually shunned and ignored by bigots(sorry, but I'm not pussyfooting around on this). I have friends in my community from Tunisia, Poland, Romania, India and Pakistan. My previous girlfriend, met at work, was Iranian. A very good friend of mine was from Cameroon - he gave me my first job. Couldn't wish to meet a more warm hearted and generous person, sadly no longer in the country having bumped into a group of kids with small minds and low courage.

You claim the economy doesn't affect you - do you live in a cave? Or are you a multi millionaire? Anything in between and the economy will affect you, I'd be fascinated if you could elaborate on your statement.

You always retort with flippant personal statements and attempts to degrade an opinion that doesn't match your own!

The SNP are the only opposition to the Tories at present. Mhairi Black thinks Westminster is a waste of time, I haven't heard any claims that she is quitting because it's hard work. I ask you to provide a link so that I can read it.

There were places in South Wales who voted to leave where the population was 98% British! London voted to remain, is their EU population more or less than that of Ebbw Vale?

In June I had an unenlightening conversation with my uncle.

"I'm voting to leave" he said "I'm sick of all the Poles".

"Do you know any Polish people?" I asked

"No"

"Do you work with any Polish people?" I asked

"No"

"Do you live close to any Polish people?" I asked

"No"

"Have you even met any Polish people?" I asked

"No"

"So why do you have a problem with Polish people?"

No answer. Markham, however, ensures me that all people who voted to leave knew exactly what they were voting for. All bar one I'm afraid!

I knew they were Romanian because they were shouting their damn heads off at each other, I had the misfortune to work there last year so I knew immediately where they were from, they didn't have a ROM 1 number plate on the supermarket trolley or anything

Yes, I'd have preferred the chase too rather than listening to a load of Polish parents banging on, no brainer really.

I'm sure there were very many places in the UK that voted to leave where the population is mainly British, I know that because I live in one

My point being that many immigrants contribute to local communities, probably more so than British people. Maybe you're still upset after Romania dumped England out of the Euros in 2000 . Ganea's penalty in the last minute was well celebrated in our house.

So, you're countering your own point! I thought it would be an exaggeration to suggest that you could start an argument in a phone box.

Perhaps one of them had married a Brit? Is that then ok?

You do talk some complete and utter nonsense, are you playing with a full deck, lift go all the way up to the top??

Most of the 1.5 million Indians in the UK doctors are there? You tend to nothing but exaggerate wildly.

I've worked in over 80 different countries, I know exactly what the people are like from working alongside them for long periods of time, the vast majority have failed to impress I'm afraid.

Enjoy your foreign friends young man, maybe you can give them a lift to the airport when the economy crashes

The economy will have no effect on my humble lifestyle if there is a downturn, might mean a bank a little less each month, that will be about it, and if it does have a derogatory effect I will just carry on regardless, I am British after all.

When I've worked in Bulgaria they even bang on how bad the Romanians are, they hate them.

I cannot remember as far back as the year 2000, sorry, all I know about the year 2000 is that I spent most of it out of the country with my foreign friends

The probability of that is very low young man, I hope you realise that

Countering my own point, did I or did I not state that there are exceptions?????

We are leaving the EU, better get used to it eh

Join your Polish friends and have a good moan about it, feel free to go back to Poland, Cameroon or Romania with them too if you think so much of them, lovely places..................not

Get over yourself! I was being jocular hence the emoticon at the end of the paragraph.