Time for England to have a referendum!

[eldar]

johnxjsc1985 said:

we are also all hypocrites. Buying a TV for £300 from China against a TV made in this country for 3 times that and then we wonder why we do not make TV's anymore. we all want the UK to manufacture stuff but we don't want to pay for it.

The old argument from the 1970s justifying yet more subsidy for BL and its lovely cars.

[imagineifyeswill]

After witnessing the trouble and discord resulting from the Scottish referendum I would question the idea of any of the countries of the union holding referendums, but fully agree that in the case of decisions that only affect the one country off the union then only that countries MPs should be voting on it.

[anonymous-user]

Any country can knock out TV's, we cannot compete because of the labour rate so we don't try. Where we do excell is making small volume but high added value products and the knowledge economy. The knowledge economy allows us to stay ahead of the competition but we aren't very good at turning our ideas into products, how many James Dyson's are there out there? Not enough if you ask me.

[XJ Flyer]

imagineifyeswill said:

After witnessing the trouble and discord resulting from the Scottish referendum I would question the idea of any of the countries of the union holding referendums, but fully agree that in the case of decisions that only affect the one country off the union then only that countries MPs should be voting on it.

As I remember it the breakup of the former Yugoslavia caused a lot more 'trouble' and 'discord' but that didn't stop the seceding parts of that federation getting the wholehearted support of the UK government on the grounds of the right to self determination and national sovereignty.

So why the big difference in the case of the UK federation in which it seems obvious that the vote regarding Scottish independence was swayed in favour of union by promises of economic sweeteners and scare tactics and blatantly biased media pressure in favour of a no vote.Then followed by the federalist cause obviously now calling for the refusal of any further right of secession from the union.Just as would probably be the case in the event of calls for an EU referendum.

[XJ Flyer]

gottans said:

Any country can knock out TV's, we cannot compete because of the labour rate so we don't try. Where we do excell is making small volume but high added value products and the knowledge economy. The knowledge economy allows us to stay ahead of the competition but we aren't very good at turning our ideas into products, how many James Dyson's are there out there? Not enough if you ask me.

The fact is this country won't be able to support its population in the long term unless it forgets all about the idea of supporting the 'UK' and gets its industrial base back up and running if needs be using trade barriers to protect income levels relative to prices.Or prices are deflated to match cheap labour rates as applying in the global free market economy.Anything else is a case of re arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

[xjsdriver]

johnxjsc1985 said:

I think it pisses off people in England that Prescription charges and Education are free elsewhere in the UK but we have to pay .It should be the same for all or not at all.

FFS John, do we really need to go over this again? These charges are not free - we pay for them out of our taxes in Scotland. Our government just chooses differently to Westminster, as how to spend the money we are allocated. If it boils your piss that much - complain to Westminster.....

[XJ Flyer]

xjsdriver said:

johnxjsc1985 said:

I think it pisses off people in England that Prescription charges and Education are free elsewhere in the UK but we have to pay .It should be the same for all or not at all.

FFS John, do we really need to go over this again? These charges are not free - we pay for them out of our taxes in Scotland. Our government just chooses differently to Westminster, as how to spend the money we are allocated. If it boils your piss that much - complain to Westminster.....

The fact is regardless of how the cost is paid for the Scottish receive more per head of population from the UK's public spending budget than the English do.In addition to the fact that the South East is the only main net contributor to the UK budget together with some of the highest levels of poverty.Hopefully the English will be the ones who get to finish what Salmond started being that we are the ones who are being stitched up the most both politically and economically by keeping the UK going.The question being why was Farage so keen on joining Gordon Brown in that agenda and then complaining about the implications in that regard afterwards.

[fluffnik]

king arthur said:

It's not pathetic though, to ask why Scottish MPs should get to vote on legislation that pertains only to England, when English MPs cannot do so for Scottish-only laws.

That's why SNP MPs never vote on legislation with no Scottish impact.

[fluffnik]

lamboman100 said:

The UK badly needs to grow up. It is starting to look pathetic.

Nah, it's old and feeble and needs put out of its misery.