So....If I've understood correctly, if Scotland votes for independence this September, it becomes independent in March of 2016. (I think that's right.)

Now.....As there's an election scheduled for the 'whole of' the UK in 2015.....What happens to all the Scottish seats in Westminster ?
Are these 'voided' from the 2015 UK election ?...Or do the prospective Scottish MPs get to sit in Westminster until Scotland becomes independent, and then 'kicked out' as their seats no longer represent part of the UK.
Are there other options ?
Anyone know ?

Cheers - Phil

Phil the only thing known is nothing - isn't this the "Mid-Lothian" question, and insoluble.

Only thing I do know is that if Wales tries for independence the "Free Flint" movement will appear, demanding annexation by England.

IanS

"Free Flint" ? Sounds like a neolithic protest group 

 

Understandable when you consider the Flint accent sounds almost scouse.

From a BBC interview about the white paper :

"Sovereignty will be fully exercised by the people of Scotland from the point Scotland becomes independent on 24 March 2016," it explained.

"Until that point, the people of Scotland must be represented politically at the UK level. Scotland will therefore elect MPs to Westminster to represent Scotland up until the date of independence."

So according to this it claims that we should keep seats in the house, but come 24th March Scottish seat holders will pretty much stand up and walk over the border...

Quote from: Ric on 10 June 2014, 10:20:53 AM
From a BBC interview about the white paper :

"Sovereignty will be fully exercised by the people of Scotland from the point Scotland becomes independent on 24 March 2016," it explained.

"Until that point, the people of Scotland must be represented politically at the UK level. Scotland will therefore elect MPs to Westminster to represent Scotland up until the date of independence."

So according to this it claims that we should keep seats in the house, but come 24th March Scottish seat holders will pretty much stand up and walk over the border...

That should be a sight to see.

Quotebut come 24th March Scottish seat holders will pretty much stand up and walk over the border

Don't be silly, they'll go first class by train to Carlisle or Berwick upon Tweed and after that.....

Who cares, with the union in tatters and King Eric on his thrones it's every nation for itself 

Quote from: DanJ on 10 June 2014, 11:02:28 AM
Don't be silly, they'll go first class by train to Carlisle or Berwick upon Tweed and after that.....

Who cares, with the union in tatters and King Eric on his thrones it's every nation for itself 

King Eric??

Personally I don't see independence happening as things stand, despite the Better Together campaign doing their damndest to alienate the Scottish voters and bring about independence!!

Mark my words...if England win the world cup, we will be independent, haha! :p

Quote from: Ric on 10 June 2014, 10:20:53 AM
From a BBC interview about the white paper :
"Sovereignty will be fully exercised by the people of Scotland from the point Scotland becomes independent on 24 March 2016," it explained.
"Until that point, the people of Scotland must be represented politically at the UK level. Scotland will therefore elect MPs to Westminster to represent Scotland up until the date of independence."
So according to this it claims that we should keep seats in the house, but come 24th March Scottish seat holders will pretty much stand up and walk over the border...

Thanks Ric....
So.....If we end up with some sort of coalition, or Government, in Westminster that depends on some of the MPs North of the border, we'll probably have another election in 2016 ?
Oh....the fun !

Quote from: Ithoriel on 10 June 2014, 11:07:24 AM
......., despite the Better Together campaign doing their damndest to alienate the Scottish voters and bring about independence!!

I'm so glad somebody else thinks that.


Cheers - Phil

I predict
  2016, Scotland becomes independent
  2017 England votes under Prime Minister Farrage (or Cameron) to come out of Europe
   2018 Scotland still hasn't been accepted as a member of the EU so
   2020 The UK of GB and NI is reunited. 

QuoteKing Eric??

Eric, Alex.....

They all look the same to me 

Now I think I need to go and lie down

Quote from: DanJ on 10 June 2014, 02:15:33 PM
Eric, Alex.....

They all look the same to me 

Now I think I need to go and lie down

See, that's the sort of comment pushing Scots towards independence

No certainty that Salmond would lead an independent Scotland, of course. It's likely he would but we would have to elect a Scottish government after independence was agreed. Who knows what new parties might arise or what old ones might appeal to an newly independent electorate.

Personally I think the "Better Together" campaign was a big mistake, wee fat Alec is doing his damndest to make sure the vote fails. On the other hand its definitly in the Tories favour to get rid of Scotland, there would never be another Labour government in Westminster.

I hope people DO wake up and vote for Independence (48/52 atm for status quo).

Scotland as such is financially better off for itself, that is a fact. Most of Northern England already wants to join (joke aside). The problem is not a British or Scottish one.

We have a bunch of representatives that only fill their own pockets and those of their friends. We need to take back what is rightfully ours, our countries.

Concerning EU membership I would beg to differ.

Yes it does "cost" a truckload of money BUT consider this before opting out:

You need agreements for tax-free trade - which you are unlikely to get (for pissing off the Europeans we WILL get punished).

All foreign workers will need work permits - unlikely to happen under Tory/UKIP and all our plumbers and lots of paramedics are not British (fact!). Same as above. Why would anyone give us what we want if we ain't paying our share? So have fun if that crap gets through.

Until travel relaxations are confirmed or established you will need a bloody visa for any kind of travel. You really think leaving Eu is asucha  great idea?

Being Anti-EU and employing a German national as his office manager makes Farage a bigot! The fact that she is his (second) wife makes him a nepotistic bigot and snuggling with his "campaign manager" makes him a potentially cheating, nepotistic bigot. And for such people I would be ashamed to vote.

Britain, like a potentially independent Scotland, Germany or ANY other country that wants to enjoy the benefits of a common European movement (and market) must pay their share, period!

I understand it is in fashion to "want the money back" but first of all Britain already pays less than they should (which btw pisses off everybody in the EU). Secondly everybody pays and does not solely aim to get the benefits without the duties. Especially the Torys should stfu about getting something for nothing.

I also understand politics is a topic people can get really stroppy with one another but party politics aside what do YOU call a government celebrating itself for recovering 7 million in benefit fraud (where the truth was that this sum was named "unjustly awarded" and repaid mostly without objection) while spending 150+ million on investigating that very "fraud"? Economically I wonder if we were better off shutting up, not investigating that much and just be productive? There has been and will always be people playing the system. But the real culprits are those in the positions where they abuse the system to the point we see nowadays. I am speaking of bankers, politicians and companies - it is NOT "the foreigners" or the EU that rips you off - it is the very people that incite you to attack these groups.

Coming back to Scottish independence: With economic policies that do not work (historic fact) I say Scotland rather breaks off and does for itself. If we fail, it is our fault. If we thrive, it is our glory. Final question: IF Scotland is really unable to survive without being subsidised by rest-UK then why is Westminster so keen on keeping the scroungers? If someone pickpocketting me wants to stop doing that I would be glad and not beg them to keep doing it. but then again I am German and all my ranting above does not necessarily have to make sense.

QuoteMost of Northern England already wants to join

I live in the North of England and I don't want to join an independant Scotland, nor do any of my fiends and relatives.

I suspect that if Scotland gets it's independance and please could someone explain EXACTLY what that would mean, there would be a shift of capital away from Scotland to England, specifically to London.

I also think the EU is a good idea, if for no other reason than it amy have been instrumental in keeping the peace in Europe for the past 70 years.

The problem with the EU is that it either doesn't go far enough or it goes to far.  Currently we're caught in a situation where there is a huge and expensive beaurocracy but the actual European Parliement doesn't have real responsibilities or power.  I'd like to scale it down to a free market border free zone OR a fully federated state, although given that national politicians would have to give up power that's never going to happen.

I know quite a few people who think Wee Eck is the best thing to happen to Scottish politics for three hundred years and who see the Better Together campaign as the latest incarnation of what Rabbie Burns called the "parcel of rogues." I'm grateful they are not (yet!) a majority.

We did an informal poll on the notice board at my work a few weeks ago (tally marks yes/no) , we have 262 employees, 248 replys, and 203 voted yes... Its a working class environment, so I'd say represents a good portion of the voting public in  Scotland. The bigger issue was the second question on our poll - 'will you be voting?' - it only had 104 tallys...  So almost half the people who would vote yes, won't actually bother to vote. It really could go either way on the day.

Quote from: DanJ on 10 June 2014, 04:02:56 PM
I live in the North of England and I don't want to join an independant Scotland, nor do any of my fiends and relatives.

I suspect that if Scotland gets it's independance and please could someone explain EXACTLY what that would mean, there would be a shift of capital away from Scotland to England, specifically to London.

I also think the EU is a good idea, if for no other reason than it amy have been instrumental in keeping the peace in Europe for the past 70 years.

The problem with the EU is that it either doesn't go far enough or it goes to far.  Currently we're caught in a situation where there is a huge and expensive beaurocracy but the actual European Parliement doesn't have real responsibilities or power.  I'd like to scale it down to a free market border free zone OR a fully federated state, although given that national politicians would have to give up power that's never going to happen.

You may not be representative. Neither may I be representative.

Concerning companies and investment moving from Scotland to London:

You mean the Standard Life fool that was quickly corrected by majority vote ? Or the BP non-entity (American) CEO that was told they would lose their drilling rights if they indeed move and his board told him what a stupid idea he blabed out? That crap -and there really is no other word for it- is a myth sown by better together. It certainly is not the truth. I did not believe any side but got my own facts from white papers and other freely available information.

No one sane in their mind will abandon a new market! No one in their right mind would NOT want a currency union. Scotland will tell SNP what we want. THEN we negotiate and find solutions. Scotland is entitled to its share of assets (and debt). That is the position we have put across and it is what SNP has said all along. Why would we not get a fair deal? Why do we bomb people to Liberty in Iraq and Afghanistan but do not allow some people at home to run their own affairs? Why do we want to leave EU but at home we are better together?

What would REALLY happen is that Scotland is accountable for their own financial affairs - nothing else. No more "subsidy scrounging". Scotland per capita is the 14 wealthiest country (UK is 18th btw) and taking out Glasgow we would be the 6th richest!

So the question persists:  

Why would England (rUK, rGB...) WANT to send money to Scotland IF Scotland asks to NOT have that money anymore? One wonders about the real flows of money - which also can be checked quite easily.