tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16518767.post2421560131750797794..comments2024-03-10T17:40:19.660+00:00Comments on Part Five: The Nightmare ScenarioSteph/venhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04426600866018393167noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16518767.post-59826707643707309452014-08-21T09:25:20.937+01:002014-08-21T09:25:20.937+01:00It shouldn't be any different. And you're ...It shouldn't be any different. And you're right that it doesn't make any sense to punish Scotland for having the vote, if it's been shown that the majority want to remain in the UK.<br /><br />So when the topic has been mentioned before, it was safe enough to dismiss it as being from the lunatic fringe. However, when it comes from the Telegraph and the Guardian (and, incidentally, the Times as well), our supposed 'quality' newspapers, it becomes a bit more credible.<br /><br />(That said, on the topic of the Independence Referendum, even our best media are shockingly, sometimes irrationally, poor.)<br /><br />I don't know how likely this is to happen - as you say, it doesn't make any great sense. I <i>do</i> know that both the main parties are on record as wanting to replace the Barnett Formula with something else, which <i>probably</i> means less (because of austerity everywhere else). But how far they'd go... eh, I don't know.<br /><br />Bottom line: as the headline says, that's my nightmare scenario.Steph/venhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04426600866018393167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16518767.post-44471229944758233402014-08-21T08:40:40.183+01:002014-08-21T08:40:40.183+01:00I don't understand this argument at all. What...I don't understand this argument at all. What on earth would the Westminster government get out of "punishing" Scotland for a no vote?<br /><br />That would only solidify anti-Westminster sentiment and put in place the certainty of a future vote with a significantly increased chance of a yes. Even if you remove the powers from the Scottish parliament, public outrage could force it on Westminster.<br /><br />They don't get anything out of it.<br /><br />Furthermore, it's entirely without precedent. We've voted on independence before and afterwards both sides have been praised for the dignity with which they handled themselves and the sense of unity with which politics was resumed.<br /><br />The precedent is for good relations to resume. Why would it be any different this time?Captain Richttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09187861974667581158noreply@blogger.com