You know it's perfectly acceptable to take the piss out of Christians - but other religions? No chance!
General Election 2015 Page 12
If the SNP are going to win in every seat in Scotland, as many are now predicting, maybe this election should be made null and void on the grounds that the UK officially ended sometime early this month.
Nicola Sturgeon is everywhere. I'm half expecting her to turn up tomorrow in the fantasy football lists. A guaranteed 40 plus points once I've brought her in to replace Ulloa. Hah, Horseradish wins after all.
Well there's talk now of a new independence referendum, perhaps as soon as next year.
Sounds just like the EU to me. They'll keep asking until they get the 'correct' answer.
Quote: Aaron @ 30th April 2015, 6:37 PM BSTWell there's talk now of a new independence referendum, perhaps as soon as next year.
Sounds just like the EU to me. They'll keep asking until they get the 'correct' answer.
Yes.
When Scotland becomes independent in 2016, it won't officially be in the EU so there will need to be a checkpoint across the entire boundary. Then in 2017, England will probably be leaving the EU so at that point the checkpoint can go. In 2018, Scotland will rejoin the EU so the checkpoint will have to be up again. Finally in 2020 when Chuka Umunna leads Labour to victory on the basis of a Mandelson-Blair manifesto proposing EU membership for England/Wales, the checkpoint can come back down.
Of course, by that time the national economy - however that will be defined - will be on a par with Mugabe's Zimbabwe following a complete lack of international confidence in these isles, the Battle of Berwick and probably even a bloodbath near Carlisle. Well, I suppose it is about time the rest of the world caught up with us. Most of the general public here lost confidence in the lot of them years ago.
An independent Scotland would never be allowed to join the EU.
Quote: Aaron @ 30th April 2015, 7:05 PM BSTAn independent Scotland would never be allowed to join the EU.
Not if you veto it personally.
I accept that completely. 
Quote: A Horseradish @ 30th April 2015, 6:49 PM BSTYes.
When Scotland becomes independent in 2016, it won't officially be in the EU so there will need to be a checkpoint across the entire boundary. Then in 2017, England will probably be leaving the EU so at that point the checkpoint can go. In 2018, Scotland will rejoin the EU so the checkpoint will have to be up again. Finally in 2020 when Chuka Umunna leads Labour to victory on the basis of a Mandelson-Blair manifesto proposing EU membership for England/Wales, the checkpoint can come back down.
Of course, by that time the national economy - however that will be defined - will be on a par with Mugabe's Zimbabwe following a complete lack of international confidence in these isles, the Battle of Berwick and probably even a bloodbath near Carlisle. Well, I suppose it is about time the rest of the world caught up with us. Most of the general public here lost confidence in the lot of them years ago.
A bloodbath near Carlisle?
Are you alleging I might get up to no good? 
And Aaron's right (yes, Aaron. I did say that).
There is no chance in hell of an independent Scotland getting back into the EU.
Belgium and Spain would immediately veto, for fear of it encouraging their own separatists.
Several other countries might also not be too keen, including France.
So, no. The claim that Scotland would easily rejoin the EU is nothing but pie in the sky.
Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 30th April 2015, 8:51 PM BSTA bloodbath near Carlisle?
Are you alleging I might get up to no good?And Aaron's right (yes, Aaron. I did say that).
There is no chance in hell of an independent Scotland getting back into the EU.
Belgium and Spain would immediately veto, for fear of it encouraging their own separatists.
Several other countries might also not be too keen, including France.So, no. The claim that Scotland would easily rejoin the EU is nothing but pie in the sky.
I didn't realise you lived on the front line. 
Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 30th April 2015, 8:51 PM BSTA bloodbath near Carlisle?
Are you alleging I might get up to no good?And Aaron's right (yes, Aaron. I did say that).
There is no chance in hell of an independent Scotland getting back into the EU.
Belgium and Spain would immediately veto, for fear of it encouraging their own separatists.
Several other countries might also not be too keen, including France.So, no. The claim that Scotland would easily rejoin the EU is nothing but pie in the sky.
Why are we even talking about this!!! There will be NO independence referendum in 2016. It's the year of elections to the Scottish Parliament, when we may or may not discover whether the SNP have another referendum in mind. Then there are various legal hurdles and the whole business of organising it.
I don't believe for a minute that the SNP will win all these seats next week. The projection is based on overall percentages but these will actually vary from one constituency to another. I also suspect a lot of people, at the last minute, will revert to their normal voting patterns. You've all been listening to the usual scaremongering from the 2 main parties who don't want anybody disrupting their joint monopoly.
Quote: keewik @ 30th April 2015, 9:31 PM BSTWhy are we even talking about this!!! There will be NO independence referendum in 2016. It's the year of elections to the Scottish Parliament, when we may or may not discover whether the SNP have another referendum in mind. Then there are various legal hurdles and the whole business of organising it.
I don't believe for a minute that the SNP will win all these seats next week. The projection is based on overall percentages but these will actually vary from one constituency to another. I also suspect a lot of people, at the last minute, will revert to their normal voting patterns. You've all been listening to the usual scaremongering from the 2 main parties who don't want anybody disrupting their joint monopoly.
I suppose I started it so it isn't really the fault of Gussie. If I was in Scotland, I would have a dilemma because I'd prefer SNP policy in quite a few areas but wouldn't want independence. The more I see of Cameron and Miliband, the more I think the next five years are going to be diabolical for ordinary folk in one way or another whoever gets in. Also, the SNP won't be what they claim even though they probably think they will be as they are tied into the idea of EU membership and EU is tied to the US.
Quote: A Horseradish @ 30th April 2015, 9:07 PM BSTI didn't realise you lived on the front line.
In Carlisle Castle there are still two heavy cannon in the main battery.
They still point toward the bridge over the river leading north. Just in case.
But - listen up, I'm about to say something controversial (again).
All this talk of nationalism is utter nonsense.
I grew up abroad. I have experienced other countries and nationalities first hand.
Britain is a nation. Scotland, England, Wales. They effectively are regions.
Yup. Regions.
Countries on paper, but in reality they're all just different versions of he same thing.
Same language. We all eat fish and chips. Lots of brick terraces.
On either side of all these so-called 'borders'.
The Scots differ from the southern English in much the same way the Westfalians differ from the Bavarians in Germany.
Just as the above might eat different sausages, so do the Scots have their haggis. It's a difference. But nothing that would represent a grievous national, cultural divide.
The British 'regions' simply do not differ from each other in the way the Spaniards differ from the French, of the Italians, or the Greeks. Those are true national differences.
Everyone over here seems to be focusing on what are in effect tiny differences between areas which clearly are part of a greater whole.
As for me, technically I'm English. - Technically.
I don't feel it. Never been Morris dancing in my life. Never played cricket.
But I am British. I share much more with folks in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland - and yes, the Cornish - than I do with the French or the Portuguese.
I thought twenty years ago that Britain's obsession with its minute differences might one day end in tears. What can I say? One grows more and more concerned.
Ok, now tell me that I'm wrong.
I'm still waiting for the controversial part, Gussie!
Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 30th April 2015, 9:40 PM BSTIn Carlisle Castle there are still two heavy cannon in the main battery.
They still point toward the bridge over the river leading north. Just in case.But - listen up, I'm about to say something controversial (again).
All this talk of nationalism is utter nonsense.I grew up abroad. I have experienced other countries and nationalities first hand.
Britain is a nation. Scotland, England, Wales. They effectively are regions.
Yup. Regions.
Countries on paper, but in reality they're all just different versions of he same thing.Same language. We all eat fish and chips. Lots of brick terraces.
On either side of all these so-called 'borders'.The Scots differ from the southern English in much the same way the Westfalians differ from the Bavarians in Germany.
Just as the above might eat different sausages, so do the Scots have their haggis. It's a difference. But nothing that would represent a grievous national, cultural divide.
The British 'regions' simply do not differ from each other in the way the Spaniards differ from the French, of the Italians, or the Greeks. Those are true national differences.
Everyone over here seems to be focusing on what are in effect tiny differences between areas which clearly are part of a greater whole.
As for me, technically I'm English. - Technically.
I don't feel it. Never been Morris dancing in my life. Never played cricket.But I am British. I share much more with folks in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland - and yes, the Cornish - than I do with the French or the Portuguese.
I thought twenty years ago that Britain's obsession with its minute differences might one day end in tears. What can I say? One grows more and more concerned.
Ok, now tell me that I'm wrong.
Right, can we just establish this point before going on.
Are you:
a - Rory Stewart
b - Hunter Davies
c - A relative of the late Alfred Wainwright
d - Something to do with Wordsworth or
e - My ex politics teacher Adrian?
And don't give us an Eric Robson line because I won't believe it.
So you don't answer, fusty, fair enough but here is a question. Where did I have my one and only taste of haggis? Carlisle. It was served up with egg and bacon in a B and B. I didn't know what it was until I asked them and I had to apologise for leaving it on my plate because it was inedible. There is a fair chance that had I been in Dumfries, it would have gone down like a treat. So there is just one example of how small differences matter. From memory, there is at least one survey which found that a majority of citizens in Carlisle would want to join an independent Scotland. Do you want to know the reason they gave? I will tell you. This is the absolute truth. They hoped that they would no longer have to watch ITV Border, previously Border Television. It's crazy but that's how people are these days. Microscopic on trivial detail. People in your road would don kilts if there was just a few quid in it.
Quote: Aaron @ 30th April 2015, 9:43 PM BSTI'm still waiting for the controversial part, Gussie!
There may just be a danger of agreement breaking out between us here, Aaron.
Well, we will always have 'Bluestone 42'.
Quote: A Horseradish @ 30th April 2015, 10:00 PM BSTFrom memory, there is at least one survey which found that a majority of citizens in Carlisle would want to join an independent Scotland. Do you want to know the reason they gave? I will tell you. This is the absolute truth. They hoped that they would no longer have to watch ITV Border, previously Border Television. It's crazy but that's how people are these days. Microscopic on trivial detail. People in your road would don kilts if there was just a few quid in it.
That one surprises me.
From my experience, this is very much a 'we-are-English' stronghold.
Those ten miles between here and 'the border' really seem to matter a great deal.
That said, ITV Border for a long time was almost the embodiment of badness.
But recently that seems to have been superseded by 'Car share'....
Quote: Gussie Fink Nottle @ 30th April 2015, 10:17 PM BSTThere may just be a danger of agreement breaking out between us here, Aaron.
Well, we will always have 'Bluestone 42'.
That one surprises me.
From my experience, this is very much a 'we-are-English' stronghold.
Those ten miles between here and 'the border' really seem to matter a great deal.That said, ITV Border for a long time was almost the embodiment of badness.
But recently that seems to have been superseded by 'Car share'....
It's true. I have tried to locate the article which was in your local press - I spread my net widely - but unfortunately it hasn't been possible. This all goes back to modern conservatism, neo-conservatism and conservative globalisation. People are becoming increasingly parochial. The black flags now over Penzance and other parts of Cornwall have the appearance of militaristic patriotism in Ukraine, whatever the leftish claims of Mebyon Kernow. None of it would have happened under Macmillan.
When you think about it, it is an obvious corollary. If you stretch the space between richest and poorest too far, the cord will break in some way. As it can't be directly economic - everything is institutionally bagged in and hammered down, especially internationally - it has to be political. I don't like it but the people who are moaning most are the ones who willingly vote for the current system.