Why doesn't Cameron want Scottish Independence?

Jennifer_Jane

Generali - perhaps the great Scottish saviour, 'Dr' Donald Trump could come up with a nice motorway to help all those Americans wanting to visit Trump International Golf Course near Aberdeen all year.

FTBFun - I also watched the Trump programme (last night actually). I was horrified by the way his people behaved, and by the Scottish police as well. I realise it may well have been biased, and I've read comments on the programme, but why are the Scottish saviours (Trump; Connery*; Mel Gibson) such bullies?

*Accused of beating up his wife, Diane Cilento, many decades ago.

Gracchus_Babeuf

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

*(Yes, I do know that our lovely Queen is descended from Mary Queen of Scots, and the various Stewarts.). But someone has to pay for her. How will it work?

Excuse me while I cringe painfully.

And you are wrong. The Windsors (actually Saxe-Coburg Gothas) are not the direct descendants of the Stuarts. The direct descendant was 'Bonnie Prince Charlie', but, being Catholic, he was prevented from becoming king, so they brought in a bunch of distantly related Germans from Hanover instead.

Generali

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

I see lots of short-term business coming into England and Wales for new driving licenses, passports, and the other bits and pieces of people's lives. Or will Westminster be generous and say you can keep your current driving licences?

I bet the patriotic Scots will want their own passports, and indeed, surely they will have to have them.

I think the Nationalist assumption is that the UK that remains will be generous. I see no reason for that to be the case. As the 3 'English' parties are Unionist, the SNP can be sure they will be negotiating with a political foe.

There's the data that DVLA (or whatever they're called now) holds about Scottish drivers like points totals, when bans are due to end etc. That's British data not Scottish data.

Passports are printed by De La Rue I think so that isn't necessarily a problem but coming up with a new, hard to forge, US approved design will not be free.

sss555s

Generali wrote: »

Apparently a mile of motorway costs an average of £30,000,000 to build (link) plus bridges, tunnels etc and according to Google Maps it's 127 miles from Edinburgh to Aberdeen so that's the best part of 4 billion British Quids for the motorway.

That is just a drop in the ocean for a oil rich country.

Generali wrote: »

This is all moot as Scotland is highly unlikely to become independent but arguing the toss is quite fun.

Me too

IveSeenTheLight

FTBFun wrote: »

A few points:
- the Midlands is somewhat denser populated: 420 people per sq km http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-trends/region-and-country-profiles/key-statistics-and-profiles---august-2012/key-statistics---west-midlands--august-2012.html
- a little older but Dundee is 85 people per sq km: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/08/changing_uk/radio/html/dundee.stm

This would indicate that road building is more worthwhile in the denser populated Midlands.

The M6 toll was privately funded and built by a subsidiary of the Macquarie Group.

Since 2006, transport in Scotland has been a devolved power. Maybe instead of overriding Aberdeenshire residents' concerns over development projects on sites of scientific special interest, some road-building could have been given the greenlight instead?

My point was that the Birmingham bypass had a cost and it's transpired as an unnecessary one (by use terms).

Certainly there is a distinct lack of connection between the North and the South from the "UK" governments of the previous years.

Interestingly the AWPR (Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route) has just been approved, so certainly since becoming devolved the infrastructure appears to be slowly improving.

I'm sure you understand things take time, but hopefully we are seeing the benefits of a devolved government and the potential of an independant nation

zagubov

Generali wrote: »

I've gotta be honest, quitting the United Kingdom so you don't get any more Tory Governments is crazy, absolute madness. It really seems to be the only really good argument in favour of going it alone.

Certainly the economic and political benefits will be non-existent or worse. As for the Aberdeen road, do many people drive from Edinburgh to Aberdeen?

It's weird that the only two settlements completely linked by motorway in Scotland are (formerly tory) Edinburgh and tory Perth. Another union dividend. :beer:

As regards linking the cities; there's only really four so it's hardly a big ask; yet the unionist governments couldn't do it.
Scotland's only about 2% built up. I'd be surprised if a Edinburgh-Dundee-Aberdeen motorway would cost as much as in the midlands as regards land and labour costs.

Generali

zagubov wrote: »

Scotland's only about 2% built up. I'd be surprised if a Edinburgh-Dundee-Aberdeen motorway would cost as much as in the midlands as regards land and labour costs.

True but I suspect that crossing the Forth will cost rather more than crossing some Midlands farmland.

sss555s

Generali wrote: »

True but I suspect that crossing the Forth will cost rather more than crossing some Midlands farmland.

The new bridge is already being built.

Looks a bargain :beer:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/transport/construction-begins-on-new-forth-bridge.

robmatic

FTBFun wrote: »

A few points:
- the Midlands is somewhat denser populated: 420 people per sq km http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-trends/region-and-country-profiles/key-statistics-and-profiles---august-2012/key-statistics---west-midlands--august-2012.html
- a little older but Dundee is 85 people per sq km: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/08/changing_uk/radio/html/dundee.stm

This would indicate that road building is more worthwhile in the denser populated Midlands.

The M6 toll was privately funded and built by a subsidiary of the Macquarie Group.

Since 2006, transport in Scotland has been a devolved power. Maybe instead of overriding Aberdeenshire residents' concerns over development projects on sites of scientific special interest, some road-building could have been given the greenlight instead?

Indeed.

There's definitely money in Scotland to be spent on transport: Edinburgh council is in the process of spending the best part of a billion quid (which equals a fair amount of intercity motorway) on half of a viable tram line.

Mind you, that's probably the fault of Westminster as well.

chewmylegoff

i suppose if you start planning a motorway from edinburgh to aberdeeen now, it should be built just about in time for when north sea oil runs out. is the business case for the motorway therefore that it will be required to transport the population of post-oil aberdeen to other areas of scotland?