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Should Scotland be allowed to keep the pound if they vote for Independence?

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    GirthGirth Posts: 12,403
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    Elyan wrote: »
    They should have a Scottish Pound.
    They could call it the 'poond'.
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    InspirationInspiration Posts: 62,731
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    As polls go this one is a landslide.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
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    daisiesfan wrote: »
    No they shouldn't. I do think they will vote YES to independence though.

    I don't think we will.
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    NilremNilrem Posts: 6,944
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    Joni M wrote: »
    Jersey etc have the £ why not Scotland?

    From memory Jersey accept that they have no control over the pound though, and the BOE does not underwrite Jersey's financial institutions (again from memory).

    Scotland (well the SNP/Salmond) want to use the pound, and have a say in the fiscal policies behind it, and from what I understand have the BOE act as the underwriter of it's banks etc.

    Basically Jersey uses the pound in the same way several countries use the dollar - they use it for convenience accepting that the country that "owns" it will make decisions based on what is good for the US, not them.
    The SNP wants to use the pound in a similar way to the Euro being used by France, Germany, Greece, Italy etc (but with bigger say in the policies behind it.

    You will note of course that the SNP used to want to be using the Euro and assumed they'd automatically become part of the Euro zone, but that seems to have changed a little since the Euro zone ran into issues because of the way different countries had different financial policies and ways of accounting.

    Basically using another countries currency either requires close financial ties that both sides agree to (all parties effectively make policy affecting it's value jointly), or that one party accepts that they have no control over the value of the currency.
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    MAWMAW Posts: 38,777
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    Joni M wrote: »
    Jersey etc have the £ why not Scotland?

    Scotland can use the pound on the same terms as Jersey, nobody can stop them. They'll just have no say in the consequences. If they want a currency union, then they can expect to follow UK tax rules, bail out Lloyds if it goes tits up again, etc. In return we'd have to bail out the Scottish banks. That would also mean we'd regulate their banks. I'm sure they'd love all that. The problem is, they have a fair bit of autonomy already, and the remaining bits they want are mostly to do with financial independence, which they can't have if they keep the pound, whether as a full monetary union, or using the pound as a matter of convenience.
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    Joni MJoni M Posts: 70,225
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    Thanks Nilrem and Maw, very interesting, I appreciate these replies.

    Now I need to read more about it a little later on.
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    UffaUffa Posts: 1,910
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    But what would happen to our Pound shops? :cry:
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    ScottishWoodyScottishWoody Posts: 23,250
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    If we want to be an independent country, then we should be an independent country. That means our own currency as well as everything else. Salmond wants us to go it alone but then knows the hard parts and doesn't want to have to deal with them. The Bank of England has every right to say no to a currency union. It may be a British currency, and yes, we have our own banknotes up here, but they are underwritten by BoE so ultimately they have the power.

    I know its going to be a close vote, and I can see a list of pros and cons, but personally I'm voting no. I love being Scottish, but equally, I love being British.
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    SULLASULLA Posts: 149,789
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    Joni M wrote: »
    Jersey etc have the £ why not Scotland?

    Jersey have not broken away from the UK.
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    valkayvalkay Posts: 15,742
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    The FBI wrote: »
    Not just ditch the pound but anything run outside Scotland. The dvla too. Sort your own out scotland and bugger off.

    You can't cherry pick

    Would the BBC stop broadcasting in Scotland or would they still pay the licence fee? Would the Meteorological Office still give weather reports for Scotland or would they have to get their own.? and many other shared services would have to be split.
    What happened when Ireland became independent?they had their own pound, punt,which was closely tied to the pound.
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    BunionsBunions Posts: 15,058
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    valkay wrote: »
    Would the BBC stop broadcasting in Scotland or would they still pay the licence fee? Would the Meteorological Office still give weather reports for Scotland or would they have to get their own.? and many other shared services would have to be split.
    What happened when Ireland became independent?they had their own pound, punt,which was closely tied to the pound.
    There are lots of questions.

    I think of things like medical treatment too as under the NHS for example, they don't pay for prescriptions or eye tests.
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    muntamunta Posts: 18,285
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    Interestingly the poll is currently split much like the population split. I wonder if those voting to keep the pound are Scots?
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 521
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    We can do whatever we like with the pound, it's as much ours as anyone elses. What's the worst that can happen, English shops don't take Scottish currency? Egads.

    This entire spiel of Osborne's is, to use the divorce analogy, another way of saying "If you leave you'll never see the kids again." Pathetic scare tactics.

    Meanwhile, "An independent Scotland would not need England’s permission to continue using the pound sterling, and in fact would be better off using the pound without such permission." From the Adam Smith Institute.

    It's not cherry picking if you already own part of it.
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    muntamunta Posts: 18,285
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    Seaborn wrote: »
    We can do whatever we like with the pound, it's as much ours as anyone elses. What's the worst that can happen, English shops don't take Scottish currency? Egads.

    This entire spiel of Osborne's is, to use the divorce analogy, another way of saying "If you leave you'll never see the kids again." Pathetic scare tactics.

    Meanwhile, "An independent Scotland would not need England’s permission to continue using the pound sterling, and in fact would be better off using the pound without such permission." From the Adam Smith Institute.

    It's not cherry picking if you already own part of it.
    I think the poll is talking about monitory union rather than just using the pound. At least that's what I though when I answered.

    As such, Scotland cannot just print it's own money as a bank note is an IOU and an IOU needs a bank to honour that. Without its own bank Scotland cannot print money. Well, they could but the money would be worthless.
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    Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
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    I was wondering about things TV etc, Scotland would still be able to receive broadcasts so will they still need a UK TV License?
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    NilremNilrem Posts: 6,944
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    valkay wrote: »
    Would the BBC stop broadcasting in Scotland or would they still pay the licence fee? Would the Meteorological Office still give weather reports for Scotland or would they have to get their own.? and many other shared services would have to be split.
    What happened when Ireland became independent?they had their own pound, punt,which was closely tied to the pound.

    IIRC Salmond has said that the Scotland will still get BBC programmes, but not mentioned how* - as the TVL and the BBC is for the UK/Britain, Scotland as an independent country would not get it by default, and the new Scottish Parliament would have to negotiate terms to receive either the BBC as is, or the BBC's programming.

    Which could be fun, as an independent Scottish broadcaster would legally have to bid for the content on the same terms as any other countries broadcasters, and a lot of contracts for content could prove problematic if the BBC only had the default rights for broadcast/distribution in the UK (of which Scotland would no longer be a part of), so potentially Scottish themed programmes from the back catalogue could end up being no longer available to Scottish viewers (rights for TV, film, and music are "fun" things with all sorts of restrictions on where and when they can be used).


    *Like a lot of things the SNP is keep to say "yes this will stay the same", but don't seem to have cottoned on to the fact that they're not the only ones who will be involved in the decision, and that in some cases there could be some hefty legal, or logistical issues involved (for example if Scotland is now independent, it could be classed as "foreign" for the purposes of a lot of contracts that stated the UK, and not "England, Scotland and Wales")
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    gulliverfoylegulliverfoyle Posts: 6,318
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    we should call their bluff

    this is DevoMax by the back door

    its actually what Salmond wants (he realises they cant exist on there own)

    I think he will narrowly lose the vote and then push for devomax
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    muntamunta Posts: 18,285
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    I was wondering about things TV etc, Scotland would still be able to receive broadcasts so will they still need a UK TV License?

    No they wouldn't need a TV licence but UK broadcasters have some control over who can watch broadcasts.

    1 - rUK TV could be removed from Scottish transmitters. Those on the border would still be able to tune to rUK transmitters
    2 - rUK broadcasters could tell SKY to remove channels from Scottish customers
    3 - rUK broadcasters could localise online content much like BBC iPlayer currently does so that Scottish ISPs cannot stream content.
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    spookyLXspookyLX Posts: 11,730
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    No, If Scotland wants to leave the union then it must Leave . No cherry picking the good bits,

    The whole point of Independence is being Independent,

    maybe Alex salmond ought to buy a dictionary and look the word up as he is coming across as a bit thick
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    wallsterwallster Posts: 17,609
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    I did the same thread and poll as this on the politics forum a couple of weeks back.

    http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1937247

    Why have a duplicate thread?????
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    muntamunta Posts: 18,285
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    wallster wrote: »
    I did the same thread and poll as this on the politics forum a couple of weeks back.

    http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1937247

    Why have a duplicate thread?????

    Maybe because that poll is closed and todays news is more current ;)
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    Eater SundaeEater Sundae Posts: 10,000
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    Seaborn wrote: »
    We can do whatever we like with the pound, it's as much ours as anyone elses. What's the worst that can happen, English shops don't take Scottish currency? Egads.

    This entire spiel of Osborne's is, to use the divorce analogy, another way of saying "If you leave you'll never see the kids again." Pathetic scare tactics.

    Meanwhile, "An independent Scotland would not need England’s permission to continue using the pound sterling, and in fact would be better off using the pound without such permission." From the Adam Smith Institute.

    It's not cherry picking if you already own part of it.

    If Scotland leaves the club, it can no longer decide how the club operates.

    An independent Scotland can continue to use the pound. However, it will not be able to make any decisions regarding that pound.
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    RubricalRubrical Posts: 2,715
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    I practically feel like Scotland has it's own currency already what with the looks I get south of the border when they see a Scottish bank note :D
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    Gordie1Gordie1 Posts: 6,993
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    The fact is , if scotland goes independent, they will keep the pound, it is in both scotlands and the whats left of the uk to stay close allies.

    What is hapenning now is the uk government dont was scottish independence, but are required to allow it to happen, so they will try and make it as difficult for the yes vote as they can, claiming they will refuse to co-operate, and that scotland wont survive, its in their own interests to sabotage the referendum, so that is what they are doing, sabotaging it.

    If it does actually happen, scotland will use the pound, the UK government just dont want to say that, they would rather sow the seeds of doubt in the electorates mind.

    They must be careful though, make it too obvious what you are doing and the government may be accused of sidestepping democracy to get what they want.
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    jjwalesjjwales Posts: 48,616
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    Girth wrote: »
    They could call it the 'poond'.

    The pund is what they used to have as currency!
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