Pro-union Booklet in the Post

[Hedgecutter]

Recieving bumf through the post from individual political parties, Better Together or Yes Scotland can be annoying but you expect that during a political campaign. These are also individually funded entities and can spend their cash however they see fit.

Recieving one from HM Government only setting out one side of the debate is a bit disturbing. They should either be neutral or silent imo.

Seems pretty desperate to me and only further enforced my support for Yes.

...my thoughts on the Scottish Government doing it are exactly the same. I've no problem with the snp doing it under their name but to do it as the government, imo, isn't right.

I agree with this.

The difference with me was that I was undecided 50/50 but stuff like this is currently swaying me more to the Yes side.

If the Scottish Government does it then I'll be equally cheesed off though. However, if Cameron is essentially keeping away from the argument because it supposedly doesn't involve him, why aren't the government which he leads??? (or just highlighting his bullshit to avoid any slaughtering in a debate with Salmond).

[H_B]

This is almost word for word what I was going to write, although I'm still in the undecided camp (well... was, but now much more likely to vote Yes)

Until you found out the Scottish government is doing the same so now you can spare yourself Jacks fail.

[Hedgecutter]

Until you found out the Scottish government is doing the same so now you can spare yourself Jacks fail.

See edited version which you just beat me to.

[H_B]

However, if Cameron is essentially keeping away from the argument because it supposedly doesn't involve him, why aren't the government which he leads??? (or just highlighting his bullshit to avoid any slaughtering in a debate with Salmond).

That would be fair enough if the Scottish government wasn't planning to use public money to send out their propaganda.

It's not fair if one side has this "advantage" (debateable given the quality of the publication) and the other does not.

[Hedgecutter]

That would be fair enough if the Scottish government wasn't planning to use public money to send out their propaganda.

It's not fair if one side has this "advantage" (debateable given the quality of the publication) and the other does not.

To be 'fair', the Scottish Government will just have to now!

[H_B]

To be 'fair', the Scottish Government will just have to now!

Well, they haven't just decided to do this by the sounds of it.

And they've already used our money to produce the White Paper.

[Burma]

And they've already used our money to produce the White Paper.

Are you suggesting Govts should abandon White Papers as a means of testing Govt Policy pre-legislature?

Or is it just this one White Paper on Independence you object to?

[H_B]

Are you suggesting Govts should abandon White Papers as a means of testing Govt Policy pre-legislature?

Or is it just this one White Paper on Independence you object to?

I've got no problem with the government spending money on the White Paper.

Or the UK government and Scottish governments sending out these pamphlets.

[strichener]

Given that the SG will be spending money that was provided via the Barnett formula, I assume that we will be seeing the consequentials from the £750k (Ha Ha) that the WG spent on their Unionist propoganda?

[Ad Lib]

Given that the SG will be spending money that was provided via the Barnett formula, I assume that we will be seeing the consequentials from the £750k (Ha Ha) that the WG spent on their Unionist propoganda?

Why on earth would Westminster referendum expenditure be Barnettable? It isn't English spending.

If anything, it is English, Welsh and Northern Irish taxpayers that might legitimately be peeved by this, as unless the cost of producing these materials came out of the Scotland Office's ordinary departmental budget rather than from general additional funds allocated by the Treasury for the purpose of the referendum, non-Scottish UK taxpayers will have footed more than 90% of the bill!

[H_B]

Why on earth would Westminster referendum expenditure be Barnettable? It isn't English spending.

If anything, it is English, Welsh and Northern Irish taxpayers that might legitimately be peeved by this, as unless the cost of producing these materials came out of the Scotland Office's ordinary departmental budget rather than from general additional funds allocated by the Treasury for the purpose of the referendum, non-Scottish UK taxpayers will have footed more than 90% of the bill!

The Welsh certainly are.

They have complained to Cameron about it.

[Jim Leighton]

This whole thing is like the Pistorius trial - fast forward, get it over, obvious outcome.

[doulikefish]

This whole thing is like the Pistorius trial - fast forward, get it over, obvious outcome.

Thats pure smashing so it is

[Burma]

Why on earth would Westminster referendum expenditure be Barnettable? It isn't English spending.

If anything, it is English, Welsh and Northern Irish taxpayers that might legitimately be peeved by this, as unless the cost of producing these materials came out of the Scotland Office's ordinary departmental budget rather than from general additional funds allocated by the Treasury for the purpose of the referendum, non-Scottish UK taxpayers will have footed more than 90% of the bill!

Wow. Think it was a joke.

[Burma]

This whole thing is like the Pistorius trial.

Is it aye?

[Double Jack D]

Eh you stated that the UK government doing this reeked of desperation champ.

Just checking that unlike kilbowie before you, you will be along to castigate the SNP government for their desperation when they issue theirs.

You will won't you??

I said it seemed pretty desperate and I would be equally critical of the Scottish Government doing the same.

I'm not going to change from a Yes to a No vote though.

Are you in support of the pamphlets or are you just arguing with me because I'm going to vote yes?

[H_B]

I said it seemed pretty desperate and I would be equally critical of the Scottish Government doing the same.

I'm not going to change from a Yes to a No vote though.

Are you in support of the pamphlets or are you just arguing with me because I'm going to vote yes?

I'm just querying your 'this will make me more likely to vote Yes' chat considering your gripe can just as readily be thrown at the Scottish government...

I understand the pamphlets from both HMG and SG s point of view. But I think they are unnecessary given BT and Yes send out similar crap. Not too fussed about them though

[H_B]

And you can vote Yes if you like. I've never tried to change anyone's view on this. I think people should be respected whatever their views on the referendum

[Double Jack D]

Lost in all of these "illegal" wars the left wing love to go on about was the UK enjoying a successful period economically that left us almost immediately after he left office.

With the exception of the depressingly large number of hippies, Al Qaeda/Hamas sympathisers and Saddam Hussein fans in Scotland, Blair will go down as a fantastic prime minister and I hope that if we do achieve our independence some of our future Scottish leaders share domestic policies with Blair.

Aye, rock solid foundations that economic boom was built on.

How's Iraq getting on now that good old Tony fixed all their problems? Only cost us a few hundred soldiers lives and a cool £40bn so hopefully its a fine example of middle eastern democracy?

If it is it almost makes the fact it was done on the back of a lie about wmd's acceptable.

[Double Jack D]

I'm just querying your 'this will make me more likely to vote Yes' chat considering your gripe can just as readily be thrown at the Scottish government...

I understand the pamphlets from both HMG and SG s point of view. But I think they are unnecessary given BT and Yes send out similar crap. Not too fussed about them though

Well the SG haven't posted one through my door yet so I'll reserve judgement until that happens.

I think it's outrageous that one sided propaganda can come from the government. Imagine this was a parliamentary election and we were receiving one sided propaganda from the government?