PM David Cameron backs Rangers and Celtic move to Premier League

[The Real PapaBear 0]

and let's not forget the political element.

 

The Yes campaign is picking up ground month by month, bit by bit, step by step. The No campaign will do *anything* - and I mean *anything* - to stop Scottish independence, because without North Sea Oil revenues, England is fucked. They can do without the 0.3% more in tax that we pay than we receive. Scotland: 8.6% population provides 9.6% tax revenue and receives 9.3% of UK expenditure. So, next time you get called a scrounger, living off the English teat, bear that in mind. We put in far more than we get out.

 

Offer the carrot of playing in the English leagues and suddenly you have 100,000 No voters. Yes, it's simplistic, but for tens of thousands of people the welfare of their football club is of greater importance than the welfare of their country.

[bluebear54 0]

and let's not forget the political element.

 

The Yes campaign is picking up ground month by month, bit by bit, step by step. The No campaign will do *anything* - and I mean *anything* - to stop Scottish independence, because without North Sea Oil revenues, England is fucked. They can do without the 0.3% more in tax that we pay than we receive. Scotland: 8.6% population provides 9.6% tax revenue and receives 9.3% of UK expenditure. So, next time you get called a scrounger, living off the English teat, bear that in mind. We put in far more than we get out.

 

Offer the carrot of playing in the English leagues and suddenly you have 100,000 No voters. Yes, it's simplistic, but for tens of thousands of people the welfare of their football club is of greater importance than the welfare of their country.

Gawn yersel PapaBear! Where you getting these figures?

[The Real PapaBear 0]

Gawn yersel PapaBear! Where you getting these figures?

 

Her Majesty's Government.

[UCF2008 0]

and let's not forget the political element.

 

Of course not that's the whole point of the article. I don't have much time for politics in general but have always backed the union over the vague notion of independence. It's all fine and well to talk about them stealing our oil and over taxing, but when it comes down to it we're too intertwined with the English and have neither the infrastructure required to go it alone nor the money to build it.

 

Strangely enough it's through my support of Rangers that I've recently felt an increasing lack of support in return from the union, but it's still better than the alternative.

[The Real PapaBear 0]

Maybe one of the mods could put this in the Bluenose lounge?

 

Because I'd love to know a) what infrastructure we are lacking and b) how having more money would make it impossible for us to build.

[UCF2008 0]

Maybe one of the mods could put this in the Bluenose lounge?

 

Because I'd love to know a) what infrastructure we are lacking and b) how having more money would make it impossible for us to build.

 

Edinburgh used to be the financial capital of Europe. The financial crisis saw it demoted to 2nd spot behind London. We don't have a monetary system. The majority of business bigger than a corner shop in Scotland is owned or run by the English or 'others'. We have practically no industry to call our own. Our parliament has shown very little to earn confidence in their ability to sustain an economy never mind grow one. We have no media infrastructure... I could go on and on here. Our national identity is fast becoming something to cling on to as opposed to who we are.

 

Getting back to football, Rangers and Celtic are both owned by foreign majority shareholders and like the SFA and SPL are run by English CEO's.

[Zappa 0]

Maybe one of the mods could put this in the Bluenose lounge?

 

The thread is directly related to Rangers, so it's fine for it to stay in here. If it goes off topic into politics because it's related to that too, then so be it.

[bluebear54 0]

Edinburgh used to be the financial capital of Europe. The financial crisis saw it demoted to 2nd spot behind London. We don't have a monetary system. The majority of business bigger than a corner shop in Scotland is owned or run by the English or 'others'. We have practically no industry to call our own. Our parliament has shown very little to earn confidence in their ability to sustain an economy never mind grow one. We have no media infrastructure... I could go on and on here. Our national identity is fast becoming something to cling on to as opposed to who we are.

 

Getting back to football, Rangers and Celtic are both owned by foreign majority shareholders and like the SFA and SPL are run by English CEO's.

 

This is all despite the fact that our invention, intellectual capacity, humanism, industry, and general on-the-forefrontism has been a cut above the rest of Europe consistently for the past 300 years.

Or at least until recently.

The fact that someone tells me that we are betrothen to an English handout because of our inadequacy sticks in my craw. It couldn't be further from the truth. In all honesty people like IDS, Haig and Cameron would be quite happy to set us adrift if it saved a few bob. But it wouldn't. They need us much more that we need them.

If the English have decided to use Rangers as a political pawn then shame on them.

It's not the first time in their history that they have played the divide and rule card.

[The Real PapaBear 0]

Edinburgh used to be the financial capital of Europe. The financial crisis saw it demoted to 2nd spot behind London.

 

mate, that is so devoid of any reality, I don't know where to start.

Edinburgh was never anywhere near the financial capital of Europe. London is 'the' world financial centre and has been for decades. It's like comparing Stoke City to Man Utd.

 

in 2007 - before the crisis - Edinburgh was ranked 15th in the world, 6th in Europe and 2nd in the UK.

in 2012 - after the crisis - Edinburgh was ranked 15th in the world, 6th in Europe and 2nd in the UK.

 

London was first in the world.

 

We don't have a monetary system.

Of course we don't - because we're not independent yet. You can't have a monetary system with a moneary system. That's like saying we can't be independent because we don't yet have our own embassies or armed forces.

 

The majority of business bigger than a corner shop in Scotland is owned or run by the English or 'others'.

 

Actually, they're not. A great number of the big businesses in Scotland are Scottish owned.

But even if they were, you're saying that our businesses are all foreign or English owned and this is a reason to *stay* in the union that caused this?

 

We have practically no industry to call our own.

 

Our industrial base has been decimated and this is a reason to *stay* in the union that decimated it?

 

 

Our parliament has shown very little to earn confidence in their ability to sustain an economy never mind grow one.

 

Quite the reverse. The worst effects of the recession were avoided in Scotland because the Scottish government followed as different an economic course from Westminster as it could. The SG invested heavily in public infrastructure projects, keeping people in work and minimising public sector job losses where possible. Contrast and compare with torys in Westminster.

 

We have no media infrastructure...

 

The Herald, Scotsman, SMG?

 

I could go on and on here. Our national identity is fast becoming something to cling on to as opposed to who we are.

 

And this erosion of national identity is a reason to stay in the union that is causing it?

 

Getting back to football, Rangers and Celtic are both owned by foreign majority shareholders and like the SFA and SPL are run by English CEO's.

So are all of Englands biggest clubs - and we have seen what a sorry state the SPL and SFA are in.

 

 

So, if I can summarise your case for remaining in the union it is this: Everything in Scotland is shit: we're controlled and owned by English and foreigners: we're powerless and subjugated .....and the best thing for us to do is to stay in this union that has resulted in the way things are today.

 

Here are a few *facts* to keep you going.

We contribute more to the exchequer than we receive - we subsidise the UK.

Scotch whisky alone accounts for 25% of *total* UK food and drink exports

Scotland accounts for 50% of european oil production

Oil has another 40 years at least to go before it runs out

We will account for 20% of total european renewable energy production by the mid 2020s

We have Europes 6th largest financial services industry.

[UCF2008 0]

mate, that is so devoid of any reality, I don't know where to start.

Edinburgh was never anywhere near the financial capital of Europe. London is 'the' world financial centre and has been for decades. It's like comparing Stoke City to Man Utd.

 

in 2007 - before the crisis - Edinburgh was ranked 15th in the world, 6th in Europe and 2nd in the UK.

in 2012 - after the crisis - Edinburgh was ranked 15th in the world, 6th in Europe and 2nd in the UK.

 

I can assure you the information I have on that front was given some time ago by a reliable source. What information you can get on the issue now is sketchy to say the least, but since you name The Scotsman as being scottish media (which it still is ...for now) a quick look reveals Glasgow as having overtaken Edinburgh as a financial centre despite the both of them being in decline

 

Glasgow beats Edinburgh as financial centre

 

Published on Tuesday 26 March 2013 08:58

 

GLASGOW has overtaken Edinburgh as Scotland’s most important financial centre – despite both cities falling down the latest ranking of the world’s economic hotspots.

 

The biannual Global Financial Centres Index saw Glasgow drop 11 places to 50 – but it still overtook the Capital after Edinburgh fell 17 places to 54.

 

The fall was attributed to the turmoil in the Scottish banking centre, and means Glasgow is now the second most important financial centre in the UK, behind London.

 

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “The impact of the financial crisis has been severe.”