Empey goes a wee bit over the top on Scottish Independance.

[oxterSniffer]

Doubt it.

Bit difficult for something to disappear when it never existed in the first place.

It's all a lie I tell you - the earth is flat!!!

[Young Ned]

So the sea is just going to rise up and the British Isles are just going to disappear?!!!! I think you have the whole global warming thing blown out of proportion!

The delusions of an Irish Republican in denial of his own Britishness (well, given that you're actually an American plastic, I can understand your lack of understanding)

The only "shift" that is occurring is that towards a fully federal British Isles - this is a shift that is to be welcomed, as the lob-sided London and SE England nature of the UK could do with some more balance.

PS: The Guardian is hardly representative of "the British press" (they even gave the bearded dear leader a regular slot FFS) and the Scotsman is Scots Nationalist Central. Then there's also the case that sensationalism sells and often it is in the best interest of sales figures not to be realistic.

Methinks the plastic Brit doth protest too much. If you don't see a shift that's fine, but it's hardly just me suggesting it's happening.

[Johnny Boy]

He has said it could reignite the Troubles. Scaremongering was how Paisley built his career, Reg is a bit long in the tooth to start playing card now.

BBC News - Empey fears Scottish independence could reignite NI Troubles

I have no strong feelings either way on Scottish independence, but I find this slightly hysterical hyperbole from some unionists rather amusing.
I worked with a Scottish guy years ago who was a rather bigoted Celtic supporte,r of 100% Irish stock, who used to claim that the SNP was run by the Orange Order, which was why he was opposed to Scottish independence. Nothing is ever straightforward, is it?

[PaddyO'Neill]

Does this constitute a kind of threat from Reg? I remember something of a similar nature from Alex Kane a while back regarding the effect of a 50%+1 situation on the border. Thinly veiled but a threat nonetheless.

[Global Justice]

Does this constitute a kind of threat from Reg? I remember something of a similar nature from Alex Kane a while back regarding the effect of a 50%+1 situation on the border. Thinly veiled but a threat nonetheless.

it is simply unionist politics - engaging in their fake siege mentality, trying to stir sh1t, manufacture tension and manipulate their community into becoming hateful and bigoted morons. it's not thinly veiled, it's blatant support and 'justification' for loyalist and british state terrorism.

[Ren84]

I haven't seen any mention of the Scotish unionists yet. And that would be those of an Irish Catholic background too, as well as the true blue Rangers supporters and Orange Orders. There are a lot of Scots who don't want independence.
George Galloway, (who I'm not a fan of at all) speaks very passionately for the union, and says that working class people in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee have more in common with their counterparts in Liverpool, Birmingham and London than they do with their own rich capitalist class. Which is true.

But Scottish independence would be a blow to the rest of the union IMO. I hope it doesn't come to that.
We have so many scots in England, and many times more English live in Scotland, that I can't see how making both sets of people ''foreigners'' or immigrants to the country they live in as being a good thing.

Irish Nationalism has also a road still yet to travel before it becomes truly decontaminated.
It's still far too overbearing - with people like Ren84 expecting all new immigrants to the Irish republic to bend the knee to Irish nationalism, in a way he didn't do towards British national or cultural identity when he was living in England.

The English just let communites do their own thing, where as Irish nationalism seems a bit more like French nationalism where they expect new citizens to become culturally French. And where they ban the niquab face covering for muslim women etc.
Whilst in Birmingham they do no such thing and just leave people to do as they please.

Do you deliberately go out of your way to talk complete and utter bollox?! Scots becoming "foreigners" in England after the breakup of the UK? You really do not have a clue what you're blithering on about.

Scottish people living in England post independence will carry on as normal as will English people in Scotland. They won't be automatically considered persona non gratis and deported the day Scotland leaves your precious union FFS. How do I know this? Because we have a precedent for this in the form of Irish independence.

Another bout of stupidity from Damo. Don't you have some loyalist estate to walk through and admire?

[Ren84]

Does this constitute a kind of threat from Reg? I remember something of a similar nature from Alex Kane a while back regarding the effect of a 50%+1 situation on the border. Thinly veiled but a threat nonetheless.

It's not uncommon for unionists to drop thinly veiled threats every so often. Nationalists are evil for fighting violence with violence. But when unionists are presented with a situation arrived at by democratic means (Home Rule bill in the British parliament, Sunningdale, Anglo Irish agreement, possible Scottish independence) they react by threatening violence.

But sure, it's only them Kaflicks that are violent, eh?

[Johnny Boy]

I haven't seen any mention of the Scotish unionists yet. And that would be those of an Irish Catholic background too, as well as the true blue Rangers supporters and Orange Orders. There are a lot of Scots who don't want independence.
George Galloway, (who I'm not a fan of at all) speaks very passionately for the union, and says that working class people in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee have more in common with their counterparts in Liverpool, Birmingham and London than they do with their own rich capitalist class. Which is true.

But Scottish independence would be a blow to the rest of the union IMO. I hope it doesn't come to that.
We have so many scots in England, and many times more English live in Scotland, that I can't see how making both sets of people ''foreigners'' or immigrants to the country they live in as being a good thing.

Irish Nationalism has also a road still yet to travel before it becomes truly decontaminated.
It's still far too overbearing - with people like Ren84 expecting all new immigrants to the Irish republic to bend the knee to Irish nationalism, in a way he didn't do towards British national or cultural identity when he was living in England.

The English just let communites do their own thing, where as Irish nationalism seems a bit more like French nationalism where they expect new citizens to become culturally French. And where they ban the niquab face covering for muslim women etc.
Whilst in Birmingham they do no such thing and just leave people to do as they please.

It actually not true to suggest that Britain lets people do their own thing nowadays. And it is not a bad thing to encourage immigrants to embrace your culture, The USA have done it successfully, and have avoided the kind of problems that Britain experienced on 7/7, wich is why the British government have implemented changes.

[Mr. Garlic]

The USA have done it successfully

From what I can tell, this sort of isn't true. They've partially done that and partially haven't - consider how many "Irish-Americans", "German-Americans" and so on there are over there. Canada certainly hasn't done this.

[Mr. Garlic]

Scots becoming "foreigners" in England after the breakup of the UK? You really do not have a clue what you're blithering on about.

Scottish people would technically be foreigners (i.e. not having the same nationality as the country they live in) in the rump UK after Scottish independence. Just like Poles living here would be considered foreigners (by the UK authorities) if the UK left the EU. Scots wouldn't be deported (just like Poles would not be), of course, but would still not be considered rump British overnight. So damon is right here.

And also Scotland - depending on what course independence takes - will still be in the EU so won't be considered 'foreigners' in a true sense (rather than not having the same, British, nationality) anyhow. Just as Poles aren't officially considered 'foreigners' (by the EU) in the UK or Ireland.

It's complicated.