[Closed] Referendum on English Independence?

Can we have the

Peoples Republic of Yorkshire

With our Geoffrey Boycott for President?

The PRY? Where there is always a surplus as they left their wallet at home?

If your taking the Sean Connery ex-pat position, I'm going for the more English Roger Moore one
No, its bad enough losing Scotland but if Wales goes England would turn into a nation of roadies, it would be like the French were running the shop again.

Divide up the UK on ethnic lines if you are going to at all. Saxons, Danes and Britons. Probably more meaningful than any other division.

If we divide up along those lines then the Scottish lowlands will be England's as those areas were settled by Saxons. Also Saxon and Dane DNA are indistinguishable from each other (according to Dr Robin McKie) so most of England and the Scottish Lowlands will be England's.
Strathclyde will belong to Wales (Strathclyde Welsh) and Scotland will be divided between Scots and Picts - once we've offered Norway their colony back.
Cornwall and Brittany can form a new Principality 🙂

That will solve the Scottish Question 🙂

It's a yes vote from me.

once we've offered Norway their colony back.

Would it not be easier just to count toes?

6 toes & wooly feet in one place

5 toes in the other

It would be a nation of toe halfs 🙂

Can we not just cut the south east adrift from the rest of the country, I think the rest of the UK would get along just fine then.

If we divide up along those lines then the Scottish lowlands will be England's as those areas were settled by Saxons. Also Saxon and Dane DNA are indistinguishable from each other (according to Dr Robin McKie) so most of England and the Scottish Lowlands will be England's.
Strathclyde will belong to Wales (Strathclyde Welsh) and Scotland will be divided between Scots and Picts - once we've offered Norway their colony back.
Cornwall and Brittany can form a new Principality

That will solve the Scottish Question

I think under this principle Cumbria would become part of Wales as well as Strathclyde too.

so let me get this right..Wales would get Carlisle and Glasgow.....

I'm Ooot

*yawn*

Classic / tedious middle English misunderstanding / lack of interest in issues affecting S, AND W & NI.

This kind of idiocy makes me want independence.

issues affecting S, AND W & NI.

Whinge, whinge, whine whine. Harden up, provinces!

give them their own currency, a parachute payment and tell them to get ****ed.

It's no different to the scots having a choice so yes, England should have a vote on independence. I'd be in the yes camp.
Failing that, I'd like the peoples republic of Bristol to be renamed boobieland.

The serious answer is actually yes England does have that right, all the individual nations in the UK do, although it only applies to the entire country so that means no peoples republic of Yorkshire and no hiving off of the South East either. The point for England is however fairly moot. As it is by far the largest part of the UK in terms of Economy, population, political influence etc then there is very little that England would gain from it so it would be less a case of saying to the rest of the UK "we want to govern ourselves", as it effectively already does, and more a case of "we don't want anything to do with you so we're kicking you out the club and keeping all the toys for ourselves".

Classic / tedious middle English misunderstanding / lack of interest in issues affecting S, AND W & NI.

Why should we have any interest in what happens in S, W, & NI? I'm pretty damn certain the weather in London isn't the first thing that crosses your average Welshman's mind of a morning.

Yawn yawn yawn, more tedious cynical trolling.

bigrich - well done! Worse than the op

Why should we have any interest in what happens in S, W, & NI?

2nd place. Funny I thought we were all part of the same country? You're proving my point better than I ever could.

As it is by far the largest part of the UK in terms of Economy, population, political influence etc then there is very little that England would gain from it

"we don't want anything to do with you so we're kicking you out the club and keeping all the toys for ourselves".

I think London should form it's own country, like the Vatican, and the Queen can be the Pope.

Am I the only one that is starting to find these threads and topics mildly concerning? Having English family and being born in Wales, I don't consider myself Welsh or English, but British. And I'm proud to be British, and sharing cultures with those from the rest of Britain (including Scotland).

Whilst I appreciate that England & Wales are unlikely to ever become independent from eachother, I'm beginning to feel that the 'British' identity is disappearing, and I'll have to choose between calling myself English or Welsh.

However, all being well, Scotland will vote No next year, it'll all be forgotten about in a couple of years, and we can continue as one big happy family 🙂

The Welsh, NI and Scots still get seats in parliament and have a say.

Well quite right too as not all powers are devolved so it is right that there is representation in Westminster. That being said I do think that the wider "west lothian" question should be addressed, however if you think that it will make any significant difference to what goes on in westminster I think you're kidding yourself.

cynic-al - Member

bigrich - well done! Worse than the op

your forum name is bit of a misnomer there chief.

I'd like the peoples republic of Bristol to be renamed boobieland.

Given England dominance of the Union I am not sure what they want independence from tbh. if that attitude of the pro UK union anto EU unionists are anything to go by they like Unions they dominate and dislike ones they are only an equal partner

I do find it hilarious that they are pro one and anti an another and just flip the argument depending on the one discussed.

wrecker - Member
.
Failing that, I'd like the peoples republic of Bristol to be renamed boobieland.

Independence for the south east of England!!!! Is there any way it could be physically separated and towed out to sea? I reckon the rest of us could bump along quite nicely then 🙂

Well if STW is anything to go by plenty of tits live there

Is it too late for a Ninja Edit

Wooosh, I did not get it at all 😳

Seriously the answer is expansion and integrating more with the rest of Europe.
What clout do you think Scotland will have with China or Russia?
We need a big strong healthy Europe.
It could be a great country. The Arctic north, the sun kissed Med and the Alps.
Beautiful.

'I think under this principle Cumbria would become part of Wales as well as Strathclyde too. so let me get this right..Wales would get Carlisle and Glasgow'

Careful now, similar ethnicity, separate kingdoms separted linguistically and culturally. Thinking about you betrayed us as well as the scots. It's a good job we build the nuclear submarines so we can have military supremacy.Dunmail, We will avenge yoooouuuuuuuuu!

Am I the only one that is starting to find these threads and topics mildly concerning?

No, not at all. I tend to view the whole thing with a degree of sadness. However, the reflexive bitterness from English people who simply don't get that Scottish national aspirations are a real thing is rather less forgiveable than the nastier expressions of those aspirations. So on balance I'm more than happy to let the referendum run its course.

When it has done so, [i]whatever the outcome[/i], there is a pretty clear need for greater devolution of powers within the UK. the really surprising thing in all of this is that large group of English people recognising Scottish concerns about a distant and uncaring Westminster government as their own.

Its true I think the Union would and could only survive if it were to take a more federal approach [ germany for example].

Clearly westminster politicians, despite their rhetoric, dont want to give away power to the regions

Classic / tedious middle English misunderstanding / lack of interest in issues affecting S, AND W & NI.

Please educate us Al.

An irishman once said something about patriotism, 'a virtue of the vicious' or something

If Scotland votes for independence can we redraw the border rather further south than it is currently, so the North East gets to take part?

*yawn*

Classic / tedious middle English misunderstanding / lack of interest in issues affecting S, AND W & NI.

This kind of idiocy makes me want independence.

+1 and I'm not even Scottish.

Deliberately obtuse pub bore arguments like this are just a distraction from the issue.

However, the reflexive bitterness from English people who simply don't get that Scottish national aspirations are a real thing is rather less forgiveable than the nastier expressions of those aspirations.

I think indifference rather than bitterness. I don't know anyone, outside of Scotland, who really gives a monkeys what Scotland does.

yes that is certainly what this thread, the politicians reaction in the UK parliament, the no campaign and the threads on this issue show 😕

The most anti-independence people I know are all Scottish!

I'm confused as to how proposing a referendum on English independence portrays whether or not someone gives a monkey's about Scotland.

binners - Member

Independence for the south east of England!!!! Is there any way it could be physically separated and towed out to sea? I reckon the rest of us could bump along quite nicely then

As a South-Easterner I'd go along with that. You lot can go back to eating coal or whatever it is you do and we can continue forthright on the path to glory with King Boris 😀

I think London should form it's own country, like the Vatican, and the Queen can be the Pope.

She sort of already is, isn't she?

Can I vote for a re-establishment of Northumbria as a soveriegn state?

We'd get The County, The Moors, half of The Lakes, Glentress and Inners. It'd be top!

Independence for the south east of England!!!! Is there any way it could be physically separated and towed out to sea? I reckon the rest of us could bump along quite nicely then

You might not be aware that SE England is sinking into the sea:

[img] [/img]

Sadly, so is Bristol so it looks like it's back to Lancashire for me...

The most anti-independence people I know are all Scottish!

I'd be seriously worried about my economic prospects if I were Scottish right now! I'd consider moving.

Ransos, I saw that map and wondered what kind of political statistic it could be possibly be portraying, til I read the post! 🙂

we should set charges along the borders, blow the conquered nations away and slowly float Englandshire further south so we can have a proper summer.

Sadly, so is Bristol so it looks like it's back to Lancashire for me...

I'd be seriously worried about my economic prospects if I were Scottish right now! I'd consider moving

I thought the expats were flocking home so they could vote YES! 😉

So.. I work in IT. How many big companies that needs lots of IT work are headquartered in Scotland? RBS is one of course, any others?

(Serious question, not trolling, wondering what the economic profile of Scotland would be like post independence)

I suspect most are head quartered in capital cities as that is where the most demand is and this is true for many/most industries.
I would imagine they are more likely to have a Scottish office, probably in Edinburgh, just like IBM have a British and European ones despite being head quartered in the US.

I doubt there will be an exodus or an influx but there may well be some change for some folk.

If Scotland votes to stay in the Union, shouldn't we be able to vote to decide whether or not we want them to stay.

If they don't get automatic entrance into the European Union does that mean we would have to erect temporary boarder crossings?

Also I believe we in the Midlands will now crack on with the official 'Keep the buggers out' fence build, ready for the inevitable sea level rise.

If Scotland votes to stay in the Union, shouldn't we be able to vote to decide whether or not we want them to stay.

No that would be silly and if it were possible the SE would have been voted out by everyone else that make up these islands by now. However you are free to start your own independence movement.

the really surprising thing in all of this is that large group of English people recognising Scottish concerns about a distant and uncaring Westminster government as their own.

The problem is not the union, the problem is how the union is governed.

Spot on dmorts.

I've solved it.

Why don't we split the Country up along our shared cultural identities the TV regions?

[img] [/img]

molgrips - Member
Please educate us Al.

See:

Chakaping - Member

Deliberately obtuse pub bore arguments like this are just a distraction from the issue.

I said educate us, Al. You've just quoted someone else not explaining what the issues really are.

As much as I applaud the plucky English desire for FREEEEDDOOOOMMM, I think that without the Scottish oil and gas resources they probably can't afford it.

molgrips - Member

Divide up the UK on ethnic lines if you are going to at all. Saxons, Danes and Britons

Are you not going to end up having to give most of England to the Germans then? Makes sense, we have one as Queen after all.

molgrips - Member
I said educate us, Al. You've just quoted someone else not explaining what the issues really are.

The issue is middle English types thinking independence/devolution etc is a joke, effectively having the same opinion as richmtb, but not seeing it, and showing no empathy (or even attempt at such) as to how governance from Westminster has effected E, W & NI.

If the English can muster up enough votes to get the issue of English independence through parliament(what scotland did), no one is stopping you, go ahead have a vote.

Here btw, would you like this toy back? I think it fell out your pram.

dmorts - Member
The problem is not the union, the problem is how the union is governed.

Which shows no sign of changing.

Northwind - Member
As much as I applaud the plucky English desire for FREEEEDDOOOOMMM, I think that without the Scottish oil and gas resources they probably can't afford it

The [b]County Palatine of Lancashire[/b] can well afford "Devo Max" or "independence" as the Morecambe Bay gas field and shale gas reserves will easily keep the lights on 😉

The County Palatine of Lancashire can well afford "Devo Max" or "independence" as the Morecambe Bay gas field and shale gas reserves will easily keep the lights on

Comes ashore in Cumbria, pal. You'll have to fight us for it!

We'll just wait til Cumbria floods again, then knock down all the bridges 😛

Comes ashore in Cumbria, pal. You'll have to fight us for it!

you need to check the boundaries of the County Palatine of Lancashire

That's as may be but it's Cumbria now!

cynic-al - Member
The issue is middle English types thinking independence/devolution etc is a joke,

Judging by many of the 667 pages published this week, the SNP could be accused of the same offence?

teamhurtmore - Member

cynic-al - Member
The issue is middle English types thinking independence/devolution etc is a joke,

Judging by many of the 667 pages published this week, the SNP could be accused of the same offence?

et al

Here they come, rolling thunder, ready to pour p1ssboring, dour bickering all over everyones fun.

Why don't you just open one thread where you can tear each other a new one in peace?

Point proven, if the SNP get pulled up for talking crap it's negativity, and then folk can't even take a wee joke about an English referendum. And you wonder why these threads flourish? There will be one about the offensive use of the term "Jock" next.....

Chill, it's Friday afternoon.

Blimey, Scotland was the home of comedy geniuses like Connelly and other less comic ones such as Boyle. Where is the SOH?

So.. I work in IT. How many big companies that needs lots of IT work are headquartered in Scotland? RBS is one of course, any others?

(Serious question, not trolling, wondering what the economic profile of Scotland would be like post independence)

Well there are one or two rather large oil companies that have serious IT requirements and also has rather large offices in Scotland. Companies like Shell and bp. Then of course there are a load of other large companies that you will probably never have heard of like Slumberger, Subsea 7 and many many more. All of them with very large operations in Scotland.

Errrr...oh never mind

then folk can't even take a wee joke about an English referendum.

Why is it a joke?
The reasons for Scottish independence are valid for England.

However you are free to start your own independence movement.

:(Slightly saddened by the whole thread and disappointed in the sentiments of the OP. Everyone here searching for the differences rather than common ground. We will end up broken down into parochial regions where the people of one town believing the inhabitants of the next town are a**e holes. I would not wish to see Cornwall or Orkney and Shetland for that matter to break away.

Agree. Unity is good.

If they vote yes I'll blame Westminster though for not reaching out. This has been on the cards for years and nothing was done.

:(Slightly saddened by the whole thread and disappointed in the sentiments of the OP.

That's ok mike. If a joke though, I worry it will bring those on board with a good riddance see you later attitude to the table. This is then used as ammunition by people keen to use the jubjugation of a nation line. I am sick fed up of the rhetoric of both.

What clout do you think Scotland will have with China or Russia?

But that's okay - it would be a small country on the edge of Europe. It wouldn't be a bad thing to focus on running its own business instead if getting involved in everyone else's.

mikewsmith - Member

It was called a joke.

After independence, those south of the border will no longer be able to use the Edinburgh Defence!

Aren't the English trying to get their own referendum anyway? To get out of the union with Europe?

I think the United Kingdom would have been more cohesive if there had been a separate English parliament and a national govt based somewhere central to all concerned (eg Carlisle)

Instead the national parliament has become seen (rightly or wrongly) as primarily serving SE England's interests and hence the dissatisfaction from the regions and other kingdoms.

Perhaps if the Thames barrage was removed and we all contributed a bit more to global warming the problem would just go away... 🙂