As We Rise Again Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Successful Scottish businessman John Boyle has warned a Yes vote in next year's referendum would create a barrier to business.He said: "I am unashamedly against an independent Scotland. I am Scottish, live here and love the country but I think it would be an economic and social catastrophe of epic proportions to disengage with England and the Union."He added: "If you put a barrier to people you are doing business with, that creates problems. It looks to me the chances of the majority people voting for [independence] are getting slimmer."His remarks, in an interview with The Herald, follow comments at the weekend when he dismissed the Scottish Government's bid for independence as a "bizarre experiment". He stressed, however, he respected individuals within the SNP.Mr Boyle is one of Scotland's most influential business figures. He built up Direct Holidays before selling to Airtours for £80 million and creating private equity vehicle Hamilton Portfolio, which has a number of business and property interests.A spokesman for the pro-UK Better Together campaign said: "Scottish firms sell more to England, Wales and Northern Ireland than they do to all of the other countries of the world combined."We are a single market and our companies don't need to worry about boundaries or borders. There is nothing to be gained by throwing up barriers within the United Kingdom. John Boyle is the latest business figure to make this point." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Freud Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Nicola Sturgeon has been actively encouraging #fraudulent activity. Is this the SNP's vision for a separate Scotland? http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/scottishnews/2848824/The-fraud-the-flawed-Nicola-Sturgeon-faces-quit-call.html#ixzz2LGhaROHd THat's nonsense. SHe is acting on behalf of a constituent. And frankly, the Sun is hardly going to be unbiased on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~~~ Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Why do unionists seem to think if we because independence it means we wouldn't be able to continue trade with England and vice versa? They also give the impression an independent Scotland would be a bitter little place towards England Do the USA & Canada suffer so much because of a border? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpungoMcGoo Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 THat's nonsense. SHe is acting on behalf of a constituent. And frankly, the Sun is hardly going to be unbiased on this. "Is"? That story is THREE YEARS old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
As We Rise Again Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Why do unionists seem to think if we because independence it means we wouldn't be able to continue trade with England and vice versa? They also give the impression an independent Scotland would be a bitter little place towards England Do the USA & Canada suffer so much because of a border? The place is already bitter towards England, it always has been. It's worse now because of wee fat Hitler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Freud Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Why do unionists seem to think if we because independence it means we wouldn't be able to continue trade with England and vice versa? They also give the impression an independent Scotland would be a bitter little place towards England Do the USA & Canada suffer so much because of a border? I don't think that's what business is scared of - it's two sets of beuraucracy, different forms, standards etc. That could be blown out of proportion, particularly since we already have different laws and regs, but it's certainly worth keeping an eye on. The company I work with is waiting and seeing about opening in Glasgow/Central belt - it will anyway, but it'll wait until it knows what it's likely to be dealing with. That's sensible IMO. THe market won;t decline, but it may change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Nicola Sturgeon has been actively encouraging #fraudulent activity. Is this the SNP's vision for a separate Scotland? http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/scottishnews/2848824/The-fraud-the-flawed-Nicola-Sturgeon-faces-quit-call.html#ixzz2LGhaROHd This was such a serious issue when it was raised in 2010 that it led to a massive Labour landslide and we are currently two years into a prosperous regime led by Iain gray.... oh, wait... no, we aren't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Freud Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 "Is"? That story is THREE YEARS old. I didn't notice that. Clearly, neither did the poster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 The place is already bitter towards England, it always has been. It's worse now because of wee fat Hitler. uh huh. I assume you can back that assertion up with some evidence..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~~~ Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 The place is already bitter towards England, it always has been. It's worse now because of wee fat Hitler. Don't talk shite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbl Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 This was such a serious issue when it was raised in 2010 that it led to a massive Labour landslide and we are currently two years into a prosperous regime led by Iain gray.... oh, wait... no, we aren't. Who? I miss Iain Gray. Whereas Johann Lamont is constantly unavailable for comment yet people seem to be able to recognise her, wee Iain was constantly in the papers, yet a survey of the Iain Gray household revealed that 75% of people were unable to recognise him from a photo with his name underneath it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
As We Rise Again Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Students at Strathclyde University put the SNP in their place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_B Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 AnnieslandSNP fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbl Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 So, we have the new Reynard then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colkitto Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 The place is already bitter towards England, it always has been. It's worse now because of wee fat Hitler. Well, that didn't take long... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherrif John Bunnell Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 I didn't notice that. Clearly, neither did the poster. At least 2010 is slightly more up to date than the standard Sevco reference point of 1690. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utdtillidie Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Im going to vote yes but Im not really too bothered about the result. Im happy the way things are but I want to be able to believe that my country would be able to stand on her own feet. I want to be able to tell my kids that when I had the chance of giving Scotland the opportunity of being an independent country I voted yes. FWIW, I think Scotland could become a successful independent country but I think the pessimistic Scottish psyche will win over unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 well, they could, if people want this level of service maintained in an independent Scotland. Taxes would go up, steeply, and it is fantasy to pretend otherwise. The big flaw in today's current shallow, image and headline-obsessed politics is that politicians are scared of telling the truth. If we want the current generous level of state provision continued we will have to pay for it. This idea that somehow a generous welfare state can be maintained whilst taxes are cut is total fantasy. If we ant a Scandinavian style system then we have to get used to paying Scandinavian levels of income tax. Red faced right wing perma-ragers in the south east are forever moaning about the NHS, public transport, the state of the roads, etc, but they suffer a near-total bowel prolapse if you point out that they should pay more tax to provide the levels of service they seem to expect. Experiments in government, around the world,since the eighties , have shown that privatisation and 'let the market decide' type politics have been a total failure, that have seen a greedy few enriched at the expense of everyone else. If Scotland goes independent, a new government should be very open and transparent; on line website should show up to date information on the collection of taxes and *exactly* where the money is going. It will be easier to track tax and spend policies in a smaller country and to hold politicians to account for the decisions they take, than it currently is from the UK Treasury. Whether we are a tax-and-welfare-state country post independence, or a low tax light regulation devil-take-the-hindmost-Stuart Dickson fantasy land is another important decision that voters in Scotland should take for themselves. Very well said - on all points. When Labour say there's no money left and Scotland can't have universal benefits, what they're really saying is that they won't make a commitment to these things because they now favour a low-tax environment. That is fine if that's their new policy. A lot of people will agree with them. But there is no "can't" here, only "won't." The people of Scotland have shown by voting SNP for Holyrood that they favour the welfare state, and that's why Labour are now in the position they're in. But you're also right that the SNP need to be honest about taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rational Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 There's one thing I will guarantee. If we vote yes, by 2016 you will be hard pressed to find someone who voted no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_B Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Yup. Try finding someone who said they were for the Iraq War at the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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