Breakup of the UK

In the next few days, the most successful partnership in modern times could come apart.

The Brits, a joining together of fantastic people within the relatively tiny space of UK, were responsible for the first ever Industrial Revolution, the greatest technological advance in recent history.

On the back of the industrial revolution, this tiny collection of Nations carved out for itself the largest global empire ever known and ruled it for over 200 years.

The Brits were second to none in their contribution to the world of literature, art and music and so much more.

And yet all of that could fall apart within the next few days if the Scots decide to go on their separate ways.

The most astonishing thing is that according to all of the indications, the nation of Scotland is evenly divided in this one time choice with almost the same number of people against breaking up the UK as are for that choice.

Should an irrecoverable decision, of indescribable importance, not be taken with the consent of a lot more than just half of the people who live there?

 

Sarahk wrote "Can't really be that successful if there is even a need for this referendum!"

Well UK did produce stuff that literally changed the world, from the Magna Carta to Westminster the Mother of Parliaments, from the Scotland Yard to the Civil Legal Code, from the Steam Engine, the Computer the Hovercraft to the Television, the list is so long that it beggars belief that all of that came out of this small island nation.

This tiny place smaller than Texas, is also the birth place of Alan Turing and Tim Berners-lee, of Captain Cook and Herschel, of Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin, of William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer of the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill, of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and........

I would say that it has been successful would you not?

I think that it is clear that the Great Britain was not really called great because of its geographical expanse

 

While we're tubthumping, you might like to mention also that a single college in England, yes just ONE college, has had more Nobel prize winners than every other country in the world bar 4. Only France, Germany, UK and the US have had more Nobel prize winners than Trinity College, Cambridge. Depends how you measure success, I guess.

 

Cambridge is a university, a federal university comprising some 30-odd colleges. I was simply adding an oft overlooked fact to the list of our friend above. Re-interpreting history on the basis of what-ifs isn't my idea of fun so I have no clue how successful Cambridge would have been had England and Scotland never united. It seems that once the Scots and English stopped spending their time bashing each other over the heads with blunt objects and focused on more productive pursuits a lot happened in the world.

Haven't been following the story too intensely but from what I have read it seems like there are too many half-baked ideas put forward by the yes campaign. For example, if there is a break, what currency will Scotland use, and who will oversee it? The pound is the UK currency, overseen by the Bank of England - how independent are you if a neighboring country manages your currency?

 

So, any predictions as to the results tonight? The polls have closed.

I have enjoyed my many visits to England and have made it a couple of times to Scotland, as well. Had a scary engagement with Customs Security in Lockerbie (I think that they thought a drug smuggling ring was on the plane) 20 years ago, but have enjoyed all of my visits (except the time I was sick with the flu in a London hotel.)

I like haggis in Scotland. I like steak and kidney pie in England. I will pass, however, on Black Pudding and Marmite.

I hope it all works out, one way or the other, as I find the Brits and the Scots to be friendly and good people.

 

I was in the UK twenty-five years ago on and off with the most recent visit being less than two years ago. I do not believe that I would meet the cumulative time requirement. My visits were short for business. Here are the relevant American Red Cross rules that would disqualify someone from ever donating:

<snip>
From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK), or
From January 1, 1980, to present, you had a blood transfusion in any country(ies) in the (UK) or France.
<snip>

I was travelling to the UK from 1985 - 1996 and my guess is that I would have accumulated 6-8 weeks, at most, and perhaps less than that. But I am not sure that I like being that close to a negative metric like that.

 

There will come a time when it is past the gestation period, so if you have survived that long, you don't have it and can donate blood again.

 

Well, it is all over but the shouting (as my Dad used to say.) Scotland will remain in the U.K. for now, anyway. Thoughts or comments?

 

The UK's retribution? Political dissidents love to drag their countries into a chaos. But as the proverb I've just made up says: "Do not rebel against the tit that feeds you" I believe there will be some serious political repercussions in the months to come.

 

Though it will need to be tempered by the fact that they will also be punishing the 55% who voted to stay.

 

The amazing thing was that every one in the UK almost found themselves almost sleepwalking into some thing that would have been a disaster for all concerned.
There would have been major problems with the financial system for both the nations for years to come.

The nuclear deterrent currently in Scotland would have bben "expelled" as per the promise by Scottish Nation Party creating uncertainty for UK and its allies including the US.

The political system would have been in a hell of a mess due to complicated arrangements for changes promised by the SNP.

Even the Union Jack, the British flag, which is a combination of the red cross on white of the St. George and the blue cross on white of the Scottish Saltire would have been changed!

The thing was that no one in the political system in the UK thought that there was any chance that the Scots would want to breakup Great Britain!

It was a very close shave.

The pound soared against the Dollar at the news of the NO vote.

That was not good for me but it was worth it