Independence for England

[raysparx]

Now that Scotland & Wales have there own assemblies,when can we stop there MPs having a vote in London ,and can England now claim to be independant, London seems to be run by scots can we deport them?

[Drisgirl]

In fairness ray - you did say London seemed to be run by Scots.It was a challenging Q to comprehend I give you that - but thankfully everyone had a good point to make:)

TCL - can nox apply for a Northern Irish Passport?If so then I want a Scottish one (stamping my feet - dummy out the pram - the lot!!!).I would appreciate if you would confirm this - cheers TCL:)

[THECORBYLOON]

Dris, folk born in Northern Ireland qualify for British and Republic of Ireland passports but there's no Northern Ireland passport. When Scotland becomes independent, I'll campaign for Corby to become a Scots territory......

[raysparx]

Hi Drisgirl , as I pointed out to CORBYLOON I meant London as the idiots in Government at westminster,I thank you all for answering,I hope I haven't offended anyone (apologies if I have) at least as Lonnie says you have an identity, if I say I am English it is normally associated as Rascist (probably because of the cross of st george and England football supporters) but would you really like a Scottish Passport? OK-OK put your dummy back in of course you can have one. PROVIDING you take Gordon Brown back and stick a haggis on your assembly building roof to stop the rain coming in..

Bye for Now, Cheers all

[Drisgirl]

I didnt know that TCL - think we'll stamp out feet and we will get one - LOL!!

ray - Gordon Brown is going to be the saviour of this great united country - well I think so!!We'll have the haggis tho -what a disaster:)That was one -if not the only -post re the subject raised which didnt go t!ts -up!

Night:)

[noxlumos]

Hi Corby, yeah I do have an Irish passport, but when people I speak to re\lise I am from the north they tend to consider me British rather than Irish and it's them i can't be bothered to get into debate with anymore.

Spacechimp, the situation with the varying countries that make up the UK is ever so much more complex than you've made it, especially the situation in the North of Ireland.I appreciate that you are only 14 and do not mean this to be condescending at all, but the whole situation in Ireland as a whole is not as simplsitic as you appear to think.The issue is not who "wants" to stay part of the UK or who wishes for re-unification, it's a question of how you fairly decide how to take a referendum vote on that. If you polled the whole of the Island of Ireland then you would get a unanimous vote for Ireland to be whole once once more. If you just poll the North where there is a Protestant majority subjugating a Catholic minority then you'll always get an overwhelming vote to stay part of the UK.The issue here is that Republicans do not recognise the existance of the North as part of the UK, whilst the loyalists would prefer to forget they are joined to Eire because it's predominantly Catholic.That in itself is an ultra simplistic explaination, but that's always been one of the sticking points to any accord.As far as I'm aware there is a strong nationalist element alive and well in Wales and Scotland as well.

[raysparx]

WEll noxlumos, you put that really well in an understanable way, Ireland as you say is very complicated,but at the end of the day all any of us want is a peaceful life, in Wales where I live there are a few Nationalists but they really are a minority,despite what they say, but can you or anyone else tell me why in this day and age,the majority of irish,welsh and scots hate england with a passion? we might have been bad in the past but most of us are pretty decent,and no matter who we play sport against you ALL want us to lose,whereas I want your teams to win apart from when you play us, anyway thanks for the postings all it has been really good,keep it going if you want!

[Drisgirl]

ray - I dont dislike anyone from England personally but as far as sport is concerned - I have only two things to say:

John Motson and 1966.

I support all English domestic teams and Liverpools victory in Europe was one of the most exciting games I have ever seen.

We can take the slagging about our sporadic successes in sport but I think people forget we have only 5m population as opposed to your 55m - hardly equates.

In saying all that - I wiil....not be supporting England in the World Cup finals.I would rather be forcibly kept awake with a dripping tap in the background than support your team - LOL!!!

The thought of 1966 being substituted with 2006 - thankfully I wont be here long enough for my life to be blighted for another 40yrs with that (well I hope not) :)

[raysparx]

Thanks Drisgirl, I know you don't hate us as people just don't like us as a country, I for one didn't mind Scotland beating us at Rugby the other week,you deserved it,in fact it made me laugh,because the England team were arrogant and it brought them down with a bang, anyway take care, If I wasn't married I'd ask you to marry me we could then have Kilt wearing cockney Kids NOW that would confuse people.

Ps Love your whiskey

[trish1234567]

Just write on the form 'English' , I usually do, unless I decide to igore the question completely. It isn't a punishable offence .... yet!

[raysparx]

AS you say trish YET !

[Drisgirl]

I would marry you too ray if I werent married - our kids would rule the world:)

Its whisky in Scotland and whiskey in Ireland - just a wee p.s.

Busy watching the Rugby World Champions getting beaten - I hope I,m not gonna have to eat my words but the media dont half set them up for a mighty fall.

[raysparx]

AYe your a right bright lassie,glad you noticed the deliberate mistake (tongue in cheek) i have gone red making such a silly mistake and the amount of malt I drink,I should know better, i'd better have another wee dram to settle me down, Seriously though good luck with the rugby. As for john motson you can have him.but leave our beloved Bobby Moore alone he is my hero 1966 was a good year for us,we don.t have many I am sure we shall chat again Drisgirl x

[geo0939]

Some of you may just recall a lady named Thatcher, whose Conservative government was in control of Scotland for many years. During the term of her government she did not have a political mandate in Scotland, where she only had a handful of Tory MPs. She famously used the Scots as guinea pigs for her Poll Tax and it wasn't thrown out until it reached England, when the English (rightly, I think) rioted in the streets. It gives me no pleasure to remember this, however, some of us have long memories and we can't really take these complaints of Scotland running England (or London) seriously.

[geo0939]

Lonnie, Of course there is an England. If not where would all the Tory voters come from???

[raysparx]

Not Scotland Geo, scots as in people from Scotland,there are loads of Scottish MPs making decisions on England, how many English are there in the Scottish assembly ? I know there is a difference between the assemblies and Westminster but where do the English fit in, as Lonnie says as far as forms are concerned you can be Welsh,Scotish or Irish but not English,seems a bit crazy to me!

[geo0939]

raysparx, Back again (typical Scotsman, won't let it lie). Just researched your last question and roughly one in nine MSPs is English born. This should give you some food for thought, when was the last time you heard a Scotsman complaining about these Englishmen running our country? We don't. I also notice you conveniently ignored the reference to the Thatcher question.

Regards G Robertson.

[raysparx]

Hi geo, wouldn't say ignored just would rather forget that awful woman, you can claim her as Scottish if you wish, Didn't know that about your MSPs though.

My point in the start was how far is it going with the assemblies,because as far as I can see the Scottish and Welsh assemblies are both Toothless Tigers -they have spent countless millions on these and I can't see what they achieve.Perhaps you can enlighten me also maybe you can tell me why you can be Scottish,Welsh or irish but we CANNOT be English on most forms. We have to be British white, I don't object to this because after all is said and d one we are ALL British !!!

[raysparx]

Hi Geo ,don't know if you are still there but I believe thee are 72 Scottish MPs and all were allowed to vote on the smoking ban in England,,what say did English MPs have in your vote?

Truce Today in memory of Dunblane, God bless them

[geo0939]

Hi raysparx, I'm enjoying this and keep checking for new postings. A number of points: I can totally understand your frustration with reference to form-filling. When I was in the BRITISH army in the early sixties, on all forms where nationality was required (and there were loads) we were allowed to write Brit/ Scot and it was always accepted. I don't know if this is still the case. Next, if you check your statistics again you'll find that Scottish MPs in Westminster were cut to 59 at the 2005 election, making roughly 1 in 11 as opposed to 1 in 9 English in Holyrood, and remember, Westminster is a BRITISH Parliament. On the same subject, we have a total smoking ban beginning at the end of this month and every MSP had a vote.

I agree that the amount of money spent on Holyrood was disgraceful, but as far as being toothless, not quite. At the end of this month everyone in Scotland over the age of 60 receives a FREE bus pass which covers the whole country (Scotland). and when the aged have to be taken into long-term care, their homes aren't sold off to pay for it. This is just a couple of things off the top of my head, I'm sure more will come given time. Give us a chance.

Thanks for thinking about Dunblane today. Everyone is supposed to remember where they were when Kennedy was assassinated, well I'll never forget where I was, and what I was doing; weeping.

[raysparx]

Hi Geo, Anything to do with children being harmed upsets me,and I just wonder sometimes,WHY?

As for what your assembly are doing that sounds great,glad they are achieveing something,it sounds as if they are unlike Wales, But can you accept that no matter however many Scottish or Welsh MPs there are should they have to abstain when it comes to matters like Education,Health and the Smoking ban in England?

Personally I am glad it was pushed through but that is my opinion, I also don't take an awful lot of interest ti politics as such,it just seems wierd to me that English people are now becoming the Minority in England,I will give you an Example.

An aunt of mine got on a bus in London about two weeks ago,and she was the ONLY white person on a packed bus,now this is what got me thinking,does it mean she was the only white person on the bus or was she the ethnic minority? When I go back to London in the street where i lived there are only two English families there now,I find it sad,, Has this sort of thing affected Scotland in the same way?

Sorry if I ramble on a bit,my wife thinks i'm crackers but I do think that British people (Not just us English) are being put on the back burner and the authorities only seem to be worried about upsetting Muslims,or other so called Minority groups,but as i said before are we the minority now?

Anyway it is good chatting with you, and you are very lucky to live in such a Beautiful country as i said i am thinking of Scotland today, a very sad time,as obviously every day is for the parents.

Regards Ray