What's So Great About The UK?

Seanus, don't want a row...lol

Its just sometimes I have to take nationalistic type statements and assumptions back down to earth....!

NI.....is just a puppet government, in hock to UK parliament...saying nothing about the Welsh!

As for the government down south...you're having a laff......only for tens of euro billions and USA support, it took 30 years...yes 30 years for the Celtic tiger to be born, not by planning but by chance!! There will NEVER be another European Celtic Tiger !!!!!!

Scotland can call their own excecutive a "government" if they wish, but the ultimate test is, raising their own taxes and absolutely determining how they are spent.

There many other tests Scotland would have to pass to be taken seriously...and you'll excuse me for saying but over the centuries there were several reasons why the Scottish got into bed with the English...one being, treachery within their own ranks!!!

Seanus...no row.....just observations...agreed?

The fact is, fiscal autonomy was not conferred upon us so it's merely conjecture how we'd fare. For power dynamics, look at subsidiarity. There has been a sizeable dilution of UK executive powers, ceding them to Brussels. Costa Vs ENEL and direct effect/application have watered them down. The English got into bed with the Scottish too for the same reasons sir. I'm part Irish, my family is from Enniscorthy, Wexford. As a person, I like to compromise. Let's look at commonalities, not divisions. Let's salute the virtues of Guinness and raise a glass to being Celts! Slainte mhaithe!!

You're not trying to curry favour from across the ol' North Channel here Seanus.........lol

...which means, they still hold the purse strings......



This is only for as long as its convenient, when it suits, UK will pull out, once there is a true crisis.......sure its conjecture on my behalf...but remember there have been 3 occasions in last 120 years where common currency areas existed in Europe, but none lasted longer than 20 odd years!



Yes, but who ruled?



I will forgive you.....for just being part.........I am pure bred Irish .......going back at least a generation and a half...lol

Commonalites are good, as long as things are going well, strong leadership, fiscally fluid and solvent....but...........


Theres always a hiccup..............

Seanus.....Ireland was a 2nd world country until they joined the EU in '73, it was a truly difficult period in all its history, almost as bad as the great Famine...but we survived, but paid a high price.

Ireland joined the EU in 1981 btw. Britain joined in 1972, taking effect as of Jan 1 1973

The Republic of Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 after unsuccessful attempts in 1961 and 1967.


http://www.usna.edu/EnglishDept/ilv/ire-eu.htm



Its ok Seanus........don't have to score points....:)

Just testing, it was Greece who joined in 1981. I am an EU major so I hopefully know my stuff. I studied it in my Honours year and my postgrad year. The point is that Scotland has a strong enough economy to sustain itself. Why does England hold onto us? The EU has curbed many of our powers of sovereignty. U imagine the English, sorry, British government to be omnipotent I think. We agree to disagree, agree?

Think of The UK as like a mini EU.

Seanus...you tempt me..........

You shuda just said you were wrong.........no further mention......but.....now its 3-0!!!




Hhhhhhhhmmmmmmm...is this really young Salmond whose talking?...:)......eeemmm....like the scottish economy built on sand...perhaps?



No, no...not at all...............



Oh, don't know about that.........letting you off so early in your carreer!

I do pretty much. My thesis was on subsidiarity and I read a lot of good stuff likening the UK to a smaller scale version. Read Professor Golub, he's good. My old Prof, Prof Beaumont is also a leading authority on the key issues. The great thing is the diversity in the UK. I remember having a debate in Izumo, Japan, with my mate from Birmingham and his Welsh girl. They started to go hammer and tongs about what it means to be British but we should stop nagging and accept the richness of our respective cultures, especially Scotland's (wink)

This statement is not geologically sound .

We've beaten u 11 times in the last 17 years in rugby Frank, u've beaten us only 7 times. There's one back. Our economy is based on North Sea Oil, not sand, 2 back. Career is spelt as I wrote it, 3 back. It's executive, not excecutive, I'm in front!! I called it a Parliament not a government, sorry, just rubbing salt in the wounds now Frankie boy

Nutin worse than a sore looser.......lol

uk is ****

... when they get uptight?


Arse doesn't get censored, so what could this be?

When I'm looser, I'm not sore. I just wouldn't like to be a sore loser like u sunshine!!

Quite legit...Arsene Wengers ......buddy name ..:)

Well, Ireland seems to be strong, plenty of mussels in Galway. Do u wear 2 condoms when shafting Frank? To be sure, 2 be sure!! Why is it that the Irish are often the butt of the Scotsman, Englishman and Irishman jokes? LOL

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..Seanus...you've not descended to the level of the English...have you....laffing at the Irish......who've had the last laff amongst the Celtic nations for some time.

Plz try not to let your sense of jealousy and inferiority( to whom I am sure you will tell) show through on the forum, it really is quite unbecoming!

Is that something I can see on your shoulder there?

I've just been provoking reactions from u Frank. Truth be told, it's hard for me to diss the Irish and mean it as I have an affinity for 'things Irish'. U2, Clannad, Enya and the Corrs on the singing front. Guinness is an institution. Irish pubs, I loved the one in Hiroshima, I often hung out there. U were so inept for a while, not taking arguments on but now u r alive. So, how are those spuds anyway?

Emmmm sly compliment...or a dig in the ribs, or worse kick in the criggs......not fussed....

Spuds......?......in that the Spud Murphys...or..............not sure I know who you're talking about.......:)

Takes a sly dog to know one, hehehe. Maybe like the Murphys, u r not bitter. R u gonna bring noimmigration out of hibernation?

Cheer up Shelley! Obviously people have different experiences of life and mine is that apart from bad behavior (lack of respect,anti-social behavior,scroungers etc-which can be put right over time) I feel many things are better now than they were in the 1970s.

hhhmmm,swap "Scotland" for "Ireland".....

Just what did the Romans ever do for us?.........

That would be the US Ford motor company then.....

And.....your point is.....seeing as Scotland continues to sup from the English nipple with no shame........?

I seem to remember at least the Irish took up arms...did some sorta fighting to gain their independence....whilst Scotland did what?

Maybe we have less interest in slaughtering people,I dont know,your point being?
Well ,Im not going any further with this,seem to remember that arguing with irish nationalists leads no where,I dont need the hassle of checking under my car every morning or removing all the litter bins from my local shopping center.....

I didn't realise you were that old.

What did Scotland do? Be a part of Britain - just as much to blame for what Britain does as England.
The Scots vote in British elections you may have noticed. Have you seen how many cabinet ministers over the last few years have been Scottish? Gordon Brown is... um... (amongst other things) Scottish.

Woohoo!
The first part of "divide and rule" is already taken care of. Now we only need a few more Poles in the UK and we'll have the first step to Poland's World domination behind.

Szczepan Brzęczyszczykiewicz for UK's Prime Minister!!!

There is a growing movement within Scotland towards independence. Sup from the nipple? Decent, educated folk seem to know that the relationship is mutually beneficial and England sucks our udders too!! I have no qualms with that. I'm not gonna be too critical about the IRA as that would be misplaced. There was no easy solution there.

No less than the English were to control, terrorise and intimidate local populaces over many centuries........on all continents and many countires......dont pull that one...!

Got no shame..??.and for your reference, was referring to the Irish War of Independence, or perhaps you would deny any country its right to self determination?

Britian was great...only in its own eyes.........