The nightmare scenario.....

zagubov

BobQ wrote: »

Generali, thank you.

I agree the Parliament should decide. But if I or one of my parents were born in Scotland and I considered myself a Scotsman I would be pretty hacked off if I was living elsewhere in the UK (my country) and was denied a vote. That said I cannot see how they can easily include people not living in Scotland.

You're describing my situation. born there, moved away and not eligible to vote. But accepted that as that's the international norm for such referenda.

BobQ wrote: »

zagubov wrote: »

If you've any constructive suggestions to make that don't involve the insults poor, wee or stupid- which you managed to namecheck in your post, feel free to post again.

Otherwise, why bother?[/QUOTE]

I have no idea what you are accusing me of saying.

I do think it would be stupid for Scotland to vote for independence, for them and for the rest of the UK. We are stronger together than apart. If the word "stupid" offends you happy to say "unwise".

It's unusual to find a post about independence which doesn't include one of these three cliched accusations.
What you never get is a positive case where someone describes what's so great about keeping things as they are, or promotiong change short of indepndence. I live in hope for such a positive argument but so far see mostly negative insults with nothing to offer.

John_Pierpoint

Some Ex-pats. can vote in National Elections.
If you are moving away from the UK, you will still be entitled to vote in elections. Provided you have been included on an electoral register within the past 15 years (reduced from a previous 20), you will still be entitled to cast your vote. If you remain away from the UK for any more than the 15 years, you will then automatically lose your right to vote in British elections. More information on this subject can be found through the Electoral Commission’s main website: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/
Surely it cannot be that difficult for "over the border" Scots to send in their birth certificates and register to vote?.
Will all the over the border English "white settlers" automatically become Scottish?
What happened when "Eire" gained its independence?

CLAPTON

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

Ex-pats. can vote in National Elections.
Surely it cannot be that difficult for "over the border" Scots to send in their birth certificates and register to vote?.
Will all the over the border English "white settlers" automatically become Scottish?
What happened when "Eire" gained its independence?

when eire 'gained' their independance they promptly had a civil war.

zagubov

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

Some Ex-pats. can vote in National Elections.
If you are moving away from the UK, you will still be entitled to vote in elections. Provided you have been included on an electoral register within the past 15 years (reduced from a previous 20), you will still be entitled to cast your vote. If you remain away from the UK for any more than the 15 years, you will then automatically lose your right to vote in British elections. More information on this subject can be found through the Electoral Commission’s main website: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/
Surely it cannot be that difficult for "over the border" Scots to send in their birth certificates and register to vote?.
Will all the over the border English "white settlers" automatically become Scottish?
What happened when "Eire" gained its independence?

It's not an election. it's a decision about which soverign state the residents of a territory will belong to. Absentees aren't consulted. The English present, like everybody else would take part in the decision and have residency and citizenship.

No idea about Ireland but I thought it was an occupied country using arms to repel an occupying force, rather than a member of a voluntary political union democratically and peacefully deciding to end it.

John_Pierpoint

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Civil_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_War_of_Independence

and in Scotland the financially trashed Rangers v Celtic ?

zagubov

martinthebandit wrote: »

What I cannot understand is that the Scottish referendum is actual a vote on the breakup of the union of the countries of the UK, so why is it only Scottish residents who are getting a vote?

I assume it's Scottish residents and not just Scottish by birth?

In fact just who gets to vote in the referendum is a whole can of worms that nobody seems to have opened yet.

Because in a voluntary union neither partner gets to hold the other against their will. So all it takes is either partner to stop recognising and maintaining the union for it to no longer exist.