FAO No Voters

[Tryfield]

Its probably up to who owns the power station.

Can a devolved Scottish government tell them what to burn? Libby is the one to ask.

It's all about profits.

Local economies and green issues are non runners I'm afraid. It's just the way it is, but politicians spin it another way.

[Big Rider]

My job comes first, before the right to shout freedom.

Straw man or not, I ain't risking my employment.

Lucky you. You have a job for life that you can pass on to your kids. I don't. I'm still voting Yes.

[Blaven]

It's all about profits.

Local economies and green issues are non runners I'm afraid. It's just the way it is, but politicians spin it another way.

Was this a SNP, a labour or a Holyrood decision to enforce the buying of imported coal?

Or a UK or private buisness decision?

If the power industry had not been privatized by the UK government, then I could have seen more control over what they burn.

This is the kind of thing that Libby will put us strait on.

But he wont want to.

[The_Kincardine]

Whose living memory? Only old man danger and I think he left Labour before MacDonald.

I ken for a fact that Youngsy was coach of Keir Hardie's school team and would have made a decent left back if he'd kept his nose out the books

[Crùbag]

Was this a SNP, a labour or a Holyrood decision to enforce the buying of imported coal?

Or a UK or private buisness decision?

If the power industry had not been privatized by the UK government, then I could have seen more control over what they burn.

This is the kind of thing that Libby will put us strait on.

But he wont want to.

I mind getting first-aid training in my work 20 years ago off a guy who'd previously been a miner at Bilston. He said that there was tons of coal underground but that the the Tory govt in London has started buying in cheap coal from South Africa.

Don't think green politics had anything to do with the mines being closed. All about profit and politics.

[Tio Pepe]

Serious question: did you live in the same Eighties that the rest of Scotland did?

Yes and also the 1970s and the enormous mess created by Labour.

[Crùbag]

Eejit. Or single person still living with momma, no kids and no mortgage/pension.

Bit judgemental, no?

FYI, I have a family and mortgage. My partner runs a firm dependent on overseas orders, though from EU nations. She's very pro-Yes mainly because independence brings power closer to home - something she values very much and also as a Tory/UKIP led campaign to take us out of the EU would be a disaster for her.

Maybe Ukip inspired actions would be good for your line of work. Not for ours though. And not for the wider interests of the community in general.

[Tryfield]

Was this a SNP, a labour or a Holyrood decision to enforce the buying of imported coal?

Or a UK or private buisness decision?

If the power industry had not been privatized by the UK government, then I could have seen more control over what they burn.

This is the kind of thing that Libby will put us strait on.

But he wont want to.

Market forces Blaven.

The UK energy market is a very complicated business. Have a nosy around and see what countries our power suppliers come from.

Privatisation, like the recent post office sell off, they all stem from Europe.

(Post Office sell off) >> http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/post/legislation/index_en.htm

The NHS will be next. Here's a wee snippet to make you wonder.

http://www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/ashman/nhs-must-be-exempted-from-useu-free-trade-agreement

If you are in a free market area, you can't monopolise by having a nationalised industry. Them's the rules.

[SodjesSixteenIncher]

Market forces Blaven.

The UK energy market is a very complicated business. Have a nosy around and see what countries our power suppliers come from.

Privatisation, like the recent post office sell off, they all stem from Europe.

(Post Office sell off) >> http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/post/legislation/index_en.htm

The NHS will be next. Here's a wee snippet to make you wonder.

http://www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/ashman/nhs-must-be-exempted-from-useu-free-trade-agreement

If you are in a free market area, you can't monopolise by having a nationalised industry. Them's the rules.

Them's really are not the rules.

How about the nationally owned rail companies in Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Belgium etc etc?

And don't bother coming back with "but there are private companies in those markets so told ye". I've picked countries where the public sector is the dominant rail network operator, as to make it a fair comparison to health care provision in Britain.

[Blaven]

Market forces Blaven.

The UK energy market is a very complicated business. Have a nosy around and see what countries our power suppliers come from.

Privatisation, like the recent post office sell off, they all stem from Europe.

(Post Office sell off) >> http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/post/legislation/index_en.htm

The NHS will be next. Here's a wee snippet to make you wonder.

http://www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/ashman/nhs-must-be-exempted-from-useu-free-trade-agreement

If you are in a free market area, you can't monopolise by having a nationalised industry. Them's the rules.

All brought about thanks to our UK Tory governments.

SNP want to reverse the post office give away.

Safeguard the NHS budget which is Barnet tied.

The french own Hunterston ( I think).

Uk government want us to help pay through our teeth for a new nuclear power station. Again owned by the French. ( guess where they will store the waste?)

No coal for that one either.

SNP want carbon capture power stations.

Think those use coal.

All Scotland have been powerless to stop and cant reverse whilst being part of UK.

(other than the carbon capture.)

[The_Kincardine]

My partner runs a firm dependent on overseas orders, though from EU nations. She's very pro-Yes mainly because independence brings power closer to home

OK this is a serious question so please give a serious answer. Please can you say exactly what 'powers' does independence 'bring closer to home'?

I am not trying to catch you out here but it would be useful for the rest of us if you could describe how your partner sees it as an advantage.

[Thumper]

Yes and also the 1970s and the enormous mess created by Labour.

Did the centre right "dig Scotland out of that hole" by putting near enough 20% of an entire generation permanently out of work? Is that the sort of "tough decision" you're afraid the SNP won't make?

As for Tryfield: genuine questions about the tariff question aside, can the Yes supporters here accept that there are things which a Yes vote won't improve? I don't see that improving the lot of Scotland's coal merchants particularly factors into the government's energy policy. As such, I'm not surprised that people in that industry would vote No, and wouldn't grudge them it in the absence of a concrete rebuttal to their concerns.

[Blaven]

Did the centre right "dig Scotland out of that hole" by putting near enough 20% of an entire generation permanently out of work? Is that the sort of "tough decision" you're afraid the SNP won't make?

As for Tryfield: genuine questions about the tariff question aside, can the Yes supporters here accept that there are things which a Yes vote won't improve? I don't see that improving the lot of Scotland's coal merchants particularly factors into the government's energy policy. As such, I'm not surprised that people in that industry would vote No, and wouldn't grudge them it in the absence of a concrete rebuttal to their concerns.

Their f*cked which ever way they vote at this stage, thats probably true.

Question will be- what scenario will give them better oppertunitys to find other employment?

What if an independant Scotland found the funding for carbon capture and decided that Scottish coal was the way to power that.

Creating the jobs and oppertunitys that they cant afford to fund at the moment?

[Tio Pepe]

Did the centre right "dig Scotland out of that hole" by putting near enough 20% of an entire generation permanently out of work? Is that the sort of "tough decision" you're afraid the SNP won't make?

As for Tryfield: genuine questions about the tariff question aside, can the Yes supporters here accept that there are things which a Yes vote won't improve? I don't see that improving the lot of Scotland's coal merchants particularly factors into the government's energy policy. As such, I'm not surprised that people in that industry would vote No, and wouldn't grudge them it in the absence of a concrete rebuttal to their concerns.

Yes. A longer term view had to be taken that complied with the requirement to adopt EU rules on competition, state aid, etc.

[AUFC90]

Yes. A longer term view had to be taken that complied with the requirement to adopt EU rules on competition, state aid, etc.

Every person who lived at the time in a village in Ayrshire will disagree with you. Thatcher totally decimated Ayrshire. Go and have a look.

[strichener]

Care to explain the reason why USA coal is cheaper than UK coal?

I know the reason. Do you?

You do realise that Energy is a reserved matter. The price of coal from the USA will not be affected one iota by Scotland's constitutional state.

[Thumper]

Every person who lived at the time in a village in Ayrshire will disagree with you. Thatcher totally decimated Ayrshire. Go and have a look.

Never mind the villages. There's very little industry whatsover left in Ayrshire. The county town now exists solely as a cheap commute from Glasgow, while the most prestigious jobs available for the present generation elsewhere are in Spar. Bear in mind that it was at one point one of the most hardcore Tory seats in the country. Even in the leafy enclaves of Alloway you rarely find people naive or callous enough to spit out rehearsed lines like that these days.

[Blaven]

Never mind the villages. There's very little industry whatsover left in Ayrshire. The county town now exists solely as a cheap commute from Glasgow, while the most prestigious jobs available for the present generation elsewhere are in Spar. Bear in mind that it was at one point one of the most hardcore Tory seats in the country. Even in the leafy enclaves of Alloway you rarely find people naive or callous enough to spit out rehearsed lines like that these days.

There is more to Ayrshire than Ayr you know.

[doulikefish]

Lets look on the bright side at least tryfield didnt blame europe for something for once

[Crùbag]

OK this is a serious question so please give a serious answer. Please can you say exactly what 'powers' does independence 'bring closer to home'?

I am not trying to catch you out here but it would be useful for the rest of us if you could describe how your partner sees it as an advantage.

All powers. Edinburgh is a tad closer to us than London is. I refuse to accept that we can run some things ourselves under the Act of Union, a few more things under Devo but cannot be trusted with the 'important' things like defence and foreign affairs which we have to leave to the care of William Hague et al?

My partner runs her own business. She deals with other small EU nations as well a large one and one that's outwith the EU. She sees a progressive pro-Euro Scotland as being conducive to her business. She really isn't looking forward to millions of Euro-sceptic cum xenophobic voters in Middle England voting us out of the EU whether we like it or not.