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This map shows all the countries that have declared their independence from the United Kingdom...

by TLTheLiberator
19 replies
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The voters of Scotland will go to the polls on Thursday to vote on a referendum that will make Scotland an independent nation. The 307-year-old United Kingdom may not be so united anymore.

I have no opinion as to what these folks should do.

I heard they will continue to use the pound if they move to independence.


  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    It's enough to make you think there must have been a "British Empire" at some time in the past?

    Originally Posted by TLTheLiberator View Post

    I heard they will continue to use the pound if they move to independence.
    They hope to. The Governor of the Bank of England, on the other hand, has announced that currency union without shared sovereignty and fiscal policies "doesn't work". (And sure enough, looking at the economic situations of some of the EU member-states who share the "Euro" currency, it certainly does seem to raise some problems? Then again, Ecuador seems to be happy enough, using the US$?).

    The opinion polls at the moment are at the moment slightly shifted back in favor of a "no" vote, on Thursday.

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  • Profile picture of the author rondo
    A little-known piece of trivia: Australia didn't really gain full independence from the UK until 1986!

    "The Australia Act eliminated the remaining possibilities for the UK to legislate with effect in Australia, for the UK to be involved in Australian government, and for an appeal from any Australian court to a British court."
    Australia Act 1986 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


    Andrew
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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      Originally Posted by rondo View Post

      ... and for an appeal from any Australian court to a British court."
      Many Commonwealth countries still retain that now, regarding the appeal courts. In many countries, the UK's "Privy Council" (that's just the UK Appeal Court/Supreme Court judges, in London, sitting under another name) is the highest court of appeal. A lot of those countries want independence but without completely giving up the court services.

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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Wowser. I knew the British Empire was huge at one time but had no idea it was that large.

    Poor Iraq should have stayed where it was.

    Whatever Scotland does, I wish them the best of a future.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      I knew the British Empire was huge at one time but had no idea it was that large.
      That was back in the days when they had a real navy.

      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      Whatever Scotland does, I wish them the best of a future.
      Me also; I've been to Edinburgh and liked it very much (it's only about 3-4 hours from me, on a high-speed intercity train). I hope they vote "no", actually. But if I lived up there, I think I'd probably be rather tempted to vote "yes". The referendum is tomorrow!

      The (many) polls apparently vary from 49%/51% to 51%/49%, so it couldn't be closer or less predictable.

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  • Profile picture of the author alistair
    I really hope Scotland vote yes, but unfortunately they won't.
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    • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
      I too hope Scotland will vote yes -
      for some reason I keep seeing the image of Mel Gibson in Braveheart shouting "FREEDOM!"
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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        Originally Posted by Karen Blundell View Post

        for some reason I keep seeing the image of Mel Gibson in Braveheart shouting "FREEDOM!"
        Oooh, I haven't even seen it.

        I keep thinking of Sean Connery (many of us do, of course ).

        But he's been a very prominent supporter of Scottish independence, though I think he probably doesn't have a vote anyway: he lives in the Bahamas, or somewhere, doesn't he?

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        • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
          Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

          Oooh, I haven't even seen it.

          I keep thinking of Sean Connery (many of us do, of course ).

          But he's been a very prominent supporter of Scottish independence, though I think he probably doesn't have a vote anyway: he lives in the Bahamas, or somewhere, doesn't he?

          .
          oh my, Braveheart , in my opinion, was Mel Gibson's best performance as a lead actor. I think you will like it.

          Sean Connery has a few homes last I read so you are probably right that he may not get a vote as an ex-pat -
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          • Profile picture of the author alistair
            Originally Posted by Karen Blundell View Post

            oh my, Braveheart , in my opinion, was Mel Gibson's best performance as a lead actor. I think you will like it.

            Billy Connolly, Scottish " Comedian" -
            Braveheart is pure Australian shite…William Wallace was a spy, a thief, a blackmailer – a c**t basically. And people are swallowing it. It’s part of a new Scottish racism, which I loath – this thing that everything horrible is English. It’s conducted by the great unread and the conceited w***ers at the SNP, those dreary little pricks in Parliament who rely on bigotry for support
            To be honest Braveheart wasn't a bad film purely for entertainment value, and I've never really gone much on Billy Connolly but I think he makes a valid point about the SNP.

            Sean Connery has a few homes last I read so you are probably right that he may not get a vote as an ex-pat -
            I don't understand why Scots love Connery so much? I read an article earlier on why he's not showing up to show his support.

            I read a joke a while back which went something along the lines of "Sean Connery said the only way he'd leave the Bahamas and move back to Scotland is if they ever gain independence. Right now he must be sh!tt!ng himself".
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            • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
              To think that in 24 hours time Great Britain may cease to exist because of a handful of imbeciles stirring up Jingoistic nonsense. (SNP)

              You would have thought something this momentous would require a clear majority vote not just 50.1%

              Dan
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              • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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                Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

                To think that in 24 hours time Great Britain may cease to exist because of a handful of imbeciles stirring up Jingoistic nonsense. (SNP)
                "Great Britain" will continue to exist, regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's vote.

                "Great Britain" is a geographical description, not a political/sovereign one. It's a collection of islands in the North Sea: they'll all still be here. It's "The United Kingdom" which might not exist in quite the same form.

                Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

                You would have thought something this momentous would require a clear majority vote not just 50.1%
                Well, those were the agreed terms.

                There are all sorts of anomalies in them.

                Scots servicemen and women currently serving the UK overseas are not even allowed a vote.

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            • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
              Originally Posted by alistair View Post

              Billy Connolly, Scottish " Comedian" - To be honest Braveheart wasn't a bad film purely for entertainment value, and I've never really gone much on Billy Connolly but I think he makes a valid point about the SNP.

              I don't understand why Scots love Connery so much? I read an article earlier on why he's not showing up to show his support.

              I read a joke a while back which went something along the lines of "Sean Connery said the only way he'd leave the Bahamas and move back to Scotland is if they ever gain independence. Right now he must be sh!tt!ng himself".
              shite or not, Braveheart was a good movie, in my opinion. But after re-reading some of England and Scotland's history, I can see why Connelly wrote what he did - Wallace's story, embellished or not though, made for some great entertainment.

              There is no doubt that there was bad blood between Scotland and England and many battles were fought in centuries past, so I can't imagine that has ever been forgotten. It should be interesting to watch it all enfold.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sebastian Jeffrey
      Originally Posted by alistair View Post

      I really hope Scotland vote yes, but unfortunately they won't.
      Quite a self-assured response. Yet, as a scot with a vote to cast. It will essentially be a "no" from myself...
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  • Profile picture of the author DWaters
    Wikipedia says Sean Connery has a villa in Greece, It also mentions that a poll named him the Greatest Living Scott.

    I am a big fan of many of his movies.
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  • Profile picture of the author TLTheLiberator
    I heard this as a young boy in a movie and have loved it ever since.


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  • Profile picture of the author helpandinfo
    Oh well Scotland decided they wanted to stay with us Sassenachs after all!

    Best decision they ever made!
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