Options
Stop Press - Big Business Demands That We All Vote Conservative!
Would we be mug enough to vote Tory if business owners simply asserted that a Tory government would be better for their company and personal finances?
Probably not....
Why then are so many otherwise sensible people saying we should stand back and do nothing whilst big business attempts to bully the Scots into voting "no" in next week's referendum?
Off topic, for a bit of light relief on the referendum issue, take a look at this from the Irish press...
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/foolish-to-send-three-stooges-to-tell-scots-how-to-vote-30583904.html
Probably not....
Why then are so many otherwise sensible people saying we should stand back and do nothing whilst big business attempts to bully the Scots into voting "no" in next week's referendum?
Off topic, for a bit of light relief on the referendum issue, take a look at this from the Irish press...
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/foolish-to-send-three-stooges-to-tell-scots-how-to-vote-30583904.html
0
Comments
If Scotland votes 'yes', then there is no turning back.
Big decision or not, businesses should have to adapt to the will of the people not the other way round.
Keep their plans to move a secret until after the referendum and then yell "surprise!" from the removal vans as they head south?
Or tell lies...say they will be staying put while the removal vans are hidden in warehouses or under camouflage nets?
TBH I wasn't aware that the principles of capitalism had been suspended or abolished north of the border. That being the case business will locate itself in the places where it can make most profit at least risk.
Where are food prices and other retail prices highest - in central London actually cos rates, rents and wages are higher and retailers can get away with charging more!
It's the opposite of what is being claimed!
How does anyone in Ireland or little Norway afford to feed or clothe themselves I wonder?
What is being put about by these Tory voting bankers and corporate chief executives is nonsense - and disgraceful!
The simple truth is you cannot believe what vested interests have to say. They do not have the best interests of the public in view when they make these statements.
Would they lie? Of course they would!, that's what businesses do all the time.
Businesses are only interested in the bottom line. They are not interested in politics.
Food (and other) prices are higher not because retailers can get away with charging more but for the very reason you gave. Rates, rents and wages are higher.
You have no idea (and nor do I) who the bankers or chief executives vote for. If I was a banker, I'd be voting for Labour - I'd personally have done a damned sight better when they were in power compared to now.
What's really disgraceful is the idea that businesses - which as much a part of the community as you or I - are, according to some, not allowed to speak out.
That worked really well during the Cadbury/Mondelez (Kraft) takeover didn't it ;-)
I agree...and to be honest I wish they would do it more often...because politicians are damn quick to jump in with their misrepresentation/version of the "business opinion" at the drop of the hat.
That said I think we all know it's not so much the fact they are speaking out...so much as certain people being miffed they are not saying what they want them to say.
IMO we are just getting the hors d'oeuvres in Scotland to the entrée if we ever end up with an EU referendum...where I fully expect the Europhobes to be squealing like Salmond is right now.
I agree too.
For months now I've been thinking of starting a thread along the lines of "Are we empowering ignorance"? I haven't done it yet because I haven't got it clear in my own head - It's a very complicated issue - but the more I look around, the more I see examples (and it's far from being limited to the debate on Scotland).
I mention it because the absence of authoritative information in the referendum debate (which personally I believe has become a debate about Westminster) has created a vacuum into which a colossal amount of utter twaddle has poured and, worse still, put down roots. Unless they solve the issue of authoritative information, precisely the same will be happening again when an EU vote comes.
Could you imagine the uproar if they'd said nothing - then upped sticks if the yes vote wins
Not all UK business's and bankers are in favour of EU membership and further integration.
I think the EU debate will be more of a level playing field than the one we are currently seeing in Scotland.
How nice to agree...though I'd hold off on the thread...because "Are We Empowering Ignorance?" will pretty soon become "An Invitation To Display Ignorance" ;-)
There is that, too.
I think we'd probably agree on most things. It's that last yard.. ;-)
I don't believe I said that they were all in favour just pointing out that some of the same people who support what business leaders are saying now...when business are broadly supporting the pro-Union arguments....will find themselves in a bit of a bind when some of the same business leaders start saying things support another pro-union position...the Pro-EU one.
When some of the current "better together" individuals start chucking those badges in the bin in the rush to pick up the "better apart" ones.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/news/08/0822/scotbank.shtml
In 1997 they warned us that voting Yes for a Scottish Parliament would harm businesses...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/news/300897MAJ.shtml
In 1997 they warned us that devolution would impoverish Scotland. One prominent Tory likened a Yes vote to a Scottish Parliament to a 'jobs holocaust...'
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/same-old-tories-looking-back-3014315
In 1997 they warned us that Scotland with its own parliament would become a 'high-tax ghetto...'
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/same-old-tories-looking-back-3014315
In 1997 we were warned of the 'frightening financial consequences of devolution...'
http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/4th-september-1997/10/scots-warned-on-devolution
In 1997 big business and the CBI spoke out against devolution...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/news/280897CBI.shtml
In 1997 they warned that devolution would harm the climate for business in Scotland...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/news/09/0907/devolution.shtml
In 1997 they warned that Devolution would lead to job losses...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/election-97-lang-in-row-over-scottish-job-fears-1269117.html
In 1997 they warned us that devolution would harm fragile rural communities and undermine agriculture...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/news/250897.shtml
In 1997 they warned us that a devolved Scotland would be weaker and suffer from less inward investment...
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/1997/apr/24/past.electionspast1
And yes, even in 1997, big business threatened to leave if democracy prevailed…
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/election-97-lang-in-row-over-scottish-job-fears-1269117.html
Oh I'm quite happy to have ketchup on fries occasionally...if you can bring yourself try mayo occasionally ;-)
They will - they are entitled to have an opinion though and they are also entitled to go elsewhere if it doesnt suit them.
Their opinions do count to the extent that each and every company director who lives and works in Scotland gets to cast one vote (same as everyone else).
Same answer as I gave you on the other thread, with one addition.
You really should credit other people's work if you're just going to copy and paste. The above comes from here.
Forgive me for adding the opening para from that story.
The addition is that entire post you've copied doesn't present the result of those warnings / pledges etc. It doesn't even try to. Consequently, it's meaningless.
Far from obvious to me - perhaps you can put up the individual links that demonstrate all the warnings were wrong. Thanks.
i won't be doing that, it's plain as day that devolution has not harmed Scotland.
Could you provide links to the harmful effect devolution has had, maybe we can all decide if devolution was worth it.