102 Comments

• DanOLoingsigh | Nov 06, 2012, 03:32 AM EST

  Seano - So no evidence on removal of Irish Linen mills then???

• seanomelb | Nov 05, 2012, 01:45 AM EST

  Cat got your tongue Dano or !!!

• DanOLoingsigh | Nov 04, 2012, 01:06 PM EST

  Curtis can’t get his head around the concept of an Irish Catholic middle class in the 1840’s and 1850’s…so who does he think funded the massive church and cathedral building programme?

• seanomelb | Nov 03, 2012, 05:01 AM EDT

  Just to take you up to speed dano moron I was referring to the Allman COTTON MILL IN Cork because TARIFFS WERE LIFTED. Do your home work Dano instead of wallowing in blind pettiness.

• curtisjohnson | Nov 02, 2012, 08:06 PM EDT

  The standard of living for the indigenous Irish was better during the stone age than under the penal rule of the british terror state.

• seanomelb | Nov 02, 2012, 06:54 PM EDT

  I do know the difference between flax and cotton read the article correctly moron.

• DanOLoingsigh | Nov 02, 2012, 02:49 PM EDT

  You’re all over the place with your arguments again, Seano…you ludicrously claim that linen mills were ‘removed to England’ when they expanded hugely…now you’re rambling on about a shortage of cotton…here’s some news; Linen production requires Flax NOT cotton…and the figures prove that linen production grew over the first 100 years of the union…try engaging that thing between your lugs next time, before writing more nonsense…

• seanomelb | Nov 01, 2012, 06:40 PM EDT

  The removal of tariffs and the demise of the Irish pound(in circulation since 1180)saw a influx of cheap English goods saw the end of Irish manufacturing. Ireland became an exporter of cheap raw materials for England.This union coupled with a deliberate mass starvation devastated Ireland and took over 100 years to recover. "Fashion saw the demise of mills" what a load of poppycock. The US civil war was the catalyst ending cotton production as no raw material was unavailable.

• DanOLoingsigh | Nov 01, 2012, 04:24 AM EDT

  You're confusing facts with opinions...again.

• curtisjohnson | Oct 31, 2012, 08:37 PM EDT

  Whatever lies help you sleep at night, Dano.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 31, 2012, 08:16 PM EDT

  Reassuring to see how 'switched on' CJ and Seano are though...not at all by the looks of things...

• curtisjohnson | Oct 31, 2012, 04:56 PM EDT

  Sorry misread scotsman for scotchman.

• curtisjohnson | Oct 31, 2012, 04:55 PM EDT

  What person of Scottish descent refers to themselves as a "scotsman?" - A british troll, that who. The timeframe for the breakup of this proto-bolshevist "britain" monstrosity has unfortunatey been moved back by the recent economic turmoil. Hopefully, it's back in the ascendent soon - consider how much progress has been made over the last several decades in eroding the british terror state and the phony british identity/ethnicity.

• bill struth | Oct 31, 2012, 03:58 PM EDT

  I only read the first page and could not believe the rubbish i read. Firstly Gerry Adams the disgraced leader of Sinn Fein who tried to cover up his brothers abuse of his daughter in case it damaged his party. The same party that came 7th when they contested local elections in the ROI. You have to ask though why any one in Ulster would want to join the ROI and their redundant "celtic tiger economy" given the fact that the country is in debt to LLoyds bank to the tune of 7 billion pounds sterling (that kind of makes them England bitch by the way) . As for Alex Salmond. As a scotsman i look on this free loading cretin in total disbelief. Seems he enjoyed a 5 night stay at the rider cup in a 5 star 2500 a night per head with his wife while the rest of the country wallows in the current economic downturn. Had a right laugh at his tartan trousers too! As the article says he only has 35% backing. but rather romantically it also suggests without any foundation that Alex muster more support over the next two years. I can assure you that he wont. His credibility wanes by the hour over here. His lies that he had saught legal council over EU membership have crippled him beyond repair.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 31, 2012, 08:24 AM EDT

  More rubbish from Seano on the history of the linen industry - In 1850 there were 62 mills in Ulster, employing 19,000 workers - 1871, 78 mills employing 43,000 workers - 1921 over 70,000 workers…it was changing fashions that ended mass linen manufacture, NOT THE UNION

• seanomelb | Oct 30, 2012, 10:50 PM EDT

  He's not switched on enough CJ the lights are dimmed(permanently)

• curtisjohnson | Oct 30, 2012, 08:26 PM EDT

  "it was the forced political "union" of England and Scotland that began the centuries of rape and pillage on that island" fixed that for you, Dano - see Culloden, the Highland clearances, etc.

• seanomelb | Oct 30, 2012, 06:31 PM EDT

  The english raped and pillaged Scotland with the help of the Lairds payed them off with wagon loads of money to secure the act of union. Dano you have no concept of the history of these islands. The act of union in Ireland saw the demise of the linen mills and they wre removed to England,Ireland had a commercial trading fleet of about 300 ships which also disappeared and the they gave us starvation. So little for your history acumen and so much for your ignorance.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 30, 2012, 08:39 AM EDT

  The armchair republican brigade like to claim that a united Ireland makes perfect sense in every way…and also that disuniting the neighbouring island also makes perfect sense in every way…can both of these propositions possibly be true, and if so, how??

• curtisjohnson | Oct 29, 2012, 07:46 PM EDT

  Very true, seanomelb - including the bloated London government and bureacracy.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 29, 2012, 07:13 PM EDT

  Seano indulging in his usual inaccurate hyperbole…it was the successful political union of England and Scotland that ended the centuries of rape and pillage on that island…compare and contrast the record there, and in mainland Europe, over the last 250 years…

• seanomelb | Oct 28, 2012, 10:39 PM EDT

  "It's wealthier than the other home nations" how true Tory Tory england has raped and pillaged the "other home nations" forcing them into a kind of servitude living on handouts whilst the profits go to London.

• Fergananim | Oct 27, 2012, 08:51 PM EDT

  "The smart money would have been on the Irish to have the first opportunity but it has, indeed, fallen to the Scots." Niall, most Irish people do not reside in the UK - you seem to forget that most of us live in the Republic of Ireland. You mean NORTHERN Ireland, where support for a united Ireland has being dropping for years.

• curtisjohnson | Oct 27, 2012, 07:25 PM EDT

  The videos speak for themselves whereas your "stats" are a contrived fraud.

• ToryTory | Oct 27, 2012, 12:43 PM EDT

  Curtis, you're talking utter bull - I've already provided the relevant stats, so why do you keep repeating verbatim your utter BS points?

• ToryTory | Oct 27, 2012, 12:42 PM EDT

  Ancavker - it doesn't matter, I provided a percentage. Evidently there would be an economy because at the moment it's tilted only as 26% of the economy; the fact of the matter is that the whole of the UK economy - being about 48& - is geared towards the public sector. It's a problem endemic to the whole of the UK, not just NI. England also subsidises Wales & Scotland - big deal, it's wealthier than the other Home Nations. And as for 'evidence' - spare me your anecdotes, I'm not interested.

• curtisjohnson | Oct 27, 2012, 11:15 AM EDT

  No problem - glad you enjoyed it. The truth hopefully overshadows all the brit propaganda.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 27, 2012, 04:15 AM EDT

  What a sad and embittered little life Curtis must lead…endlessly trawling the internet for affirmation of his poison and prejudices…ever heard of the phrase ‘get a life’?

• seanomelb | Oct 27, 2012, 12:41 AM EDT

  It was an interesting video Curtisjohnson thanks for the heads up

• curtisjohnson | Oct 26, 2012, 08:43 PM EDT

  For anyone with any doubts regarding the Scottish oil question and Scotland's subsidy of the rest of the UK, search "Truth, Lies, Oil and Scotland" on youtube. For a good synopsis of the dirty tricks campaign and lies of the british terror state to undermine Scottish nationalism, search "Diomhair."

• seanomelb | Oct 26, 2012, 07:06 PM EDT

  Kilsally needs to lift that orange veil covering her mind and step into the real world.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 26, 2012, 06:23 PM EDT

  ancavker – The majority of nationalists North or South never did support the methods of the Provos, although many agreed their aims…support was always confined to certain areas, and a Diaspora that didn’t have to live with the consequences …and yes, they are responsible for most, but by no means all, of the grief. They wanted to consign NI to history…as I guess most Irish Americans still do? While that’s a reasonable aspiration for anyone to have, and sometimes it seems to be akin to a manifest destiny, it cannot be squared with the desire of the majority living there to stay in the union…a desire that they have belatedly acknowledged

• ancavker | Oct 26, 2012, 01:30 PM EDT

  kilsally: The north's industrail base has been in decline since the end of WW 2; long before the provo's disatrous bombing campaign. Also had the British government implemented Sunningdales back in 1973, much of the destruction could have been revented, and most Irish nationalists/catholics would have been content with the arrangement. The difference between myself and you and other unionist supporters here is that you refuse to take any responsibiltiy for what happened in the six counties, and blame the provo's for all of it's ills down through the years.

• ancavker | Oct 26, 2012, 01:25 PM EDT

  Tory Tory: What is your point in all of this. Stattistics are fine, but do not change any thing. Scotland has approximatley five million inhabitants, compared to the norths 1.5 million. In addition Scotland has a fully functioning economy, in addition to it's public sector. There would be no economy in the north without the government sector. And that is paid for by the English taxpayer. Theefore the north is a welfare state. And I acknowledge much of the UK economy is government sector, as opposed to almost ALL of the north's. Not a god recipe for either. As far as evidence what would you like? The decesion of my own American company which is in the south? roundtable discussions with other comapnies for expansion opportunities in Europe. The topic of locating and investing in the north came up many times, and the response was cold. And the overall conclusion was that it is a backwater. Why locate there, when one could get the same English speaking and in many cases better educated work force south of the border. In a country that has, and I say had some fleeting cachet.

• ToryTory | Oct 26, 2012, 11:23 AM EDT

  IrelandNorth: that seems sophistical to me; the fact of the matter is that a seceded Scotland would still yield a unitary state of NI & England.

• ToryTory | Oct 26, 2012, 11:09 AM EDT

  Avavker, are you being simple for effect? I provided a percentage, not a number. If Scotland had a population of 200 with 20 people state employees then that'd be 10% of the population employed in the public sector; in contrast, England with a population of 100, equaling 10 people in the public sector would, likewise, constitute 10% - that's the difference between a statistical representation of a figure and an actual base number. That's why people, you know, use stats. To be frank Ancavker, much of the UK economy is 'government sector' - it equates to about 46% of the UK economy. And yes, you haven't provided any evidence for you American assertion. Yeah, looking forward to that Irish comeback, what with 15% unemployment and debt 111% of GDP.

• Kilsally | Oct 26, 2012, 10:41 AM EDT

  ankaver: Ulster and Belfast in particular was the industrial powerhouse of Ireland with it`s strong manufacturing base - was far from a backwater - the collapse of heavy industry (to cheaper countries like China) in NI and rest of the UK - was never fully recovered from in NI especially because of the IRA bombing campaign. Unemployment in NI is well below the Republic and only marginally higher than the rest of the UK

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 26, 2012, 10:06 AM EDT

  IrelandNorth – Sorry but I can find no reference to any 1776 act of this nature…The Act of Settlement 1701 settled the question of succession to the English crown…it later settled the question in Scotland as part of the Treaty of Union…as to the legality of the union with Ireland…that debate has two sides…one could question almost any 18th or 19th century legislation…neither parliament had a popular mandate by today’s standards...

• ancavker | Oct 26, 2012, 09:54 AM EDT

  ToryTory: It is simple really. If a country has a larger population it stands to reason taht more of it's residents would be employed in the government sector due to the fact that the population is larger, therefore more services etc. How difficult is it to understand. The economy in northern Ireland is the governement sector period, so comapring it's so called economy to the south is simply wrong. And I know for a fact that American companies did not wnat to locate in northern Ireland because it was and still is socially backwards. The south (at one time) had a certain cachet Celtic Tiger and all of that. If the Irish in the 26 counties get their act together they might be able to make an economic come back. The north is going nowhere.

• IrelandNorth | Oct 26, 2012, 08:30 AM EDT

  Tá na táscairí sin in am an rectitude fioscach, chorparáide is mó a downsize agus a réasúnú ar a n-chaillteanas fiontair a dhéanamh. An rud céanna nó comhchosúil bhaineann le cumhachtaí impiriúla iar. An Lady Iarann ​​Dhiúltaigh chun pas a fháil ar fhóirdheontais AE Tuaisceart Éireann ar ais sna 1980í mar gheall ar "... táimid ag [an Béarla] a go". Roinnt unonist! Saothair PM Harold Wilson ar a dtugtar Uladh aontachtach "spongers" sna 1970í. Hardly an-flattering. An dá riarachán reatha polaitiúla ar Oileáin seach Breataine agus na hÉireann a bhfuil tionchar ag an Rialtas Cónaidhme ar an mórthír le cad is féidir leo nó nach féidir a dhéanamh. Maidir le cad is féidir leo agus nach féidir a chaitheamh. Imperial aontachas bhí an lá. BEIDH A Éire aontaithe a tharlaíonn laistigh den deich mbliana de chomóradh (1912 - '22), ar aon chúis eile seachas tá sé ina riachtanas maicreacnamaíochta i gcomhthéacs na hiomaíochta domhanda agus chóineasú. Deighiltí costais airgead. Deonach aontas priontaí sé. Ní mór aontachtaithe Uladh a thuiscint go bhfuil provincially cónaidhme aontaithe na hÉireann i comhaontas le confederated uathrialach / déabhlóidithe / neamhspleách sa Bhreatain Mhór (Sasana / An Bhreatain Bheag / Albain) an comhartha ar an todhchaí. Agus ba chóir ar ais in Éirinn i gComhlathas na Náisiún assuage na nUltach sealadach cuí.

• IrelandNorth | Oct 26, 2012, 07:46 AM EDT

  RedBranch! At least if Stormont Castle became a Ann Somers super outlet, I'd know where to go to get my kinky lingere for my weekend cross dressings.

• IrelandNorth | Oct 26, 2012, 07:42 AM EDT

  DanOLoingsigh - with respect! The Act of Succession was about kings. The Act of Settlement about kingdoms. The Act of Settlement, 1776 between the kingdoms of England and Scotland is notable in that it preceded the American Declaration of Independence by a year. The Act of Union between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, is definately 1800/'01, the one the great Catholic Emancipator Daniel O'Connell spent most of his parliamentary career trying to repeal. The one that unconstitutionally abolished the Gratten (Irish) Parliament. The dubious cornerstone upon which the current union with NI rests.

• IrelandNorth | Oct 26, 2012, 07:32 AM EDT

  ToryTory - On a point of information! Since poor little old Wales seems to have been constitutionally extinguished very early, the Act of Settlement, 1776 surreptitiously merged the dual kingdoms of England and Scotland. Followed by the constitutional annexation of the then kingdom of Ireland. Most literature of the period refers to a three kingdom hypothesis. Since the neo-province of Northern Ireland is not now nor ever has been a full blown kingdom in its own right but merely a part of a former one (not unlike Wales), how can there be a united kingdom of England and NI post an independent Scotland?

• ToryTory | Oct 26, 2012, 06:41 AM EDT

  Errrrr, no it hasn't Curits. Talking out your backside again.

• ToryTory | Oct 26, 2012, 06:41 AM EDT

  No, Sean, North Sea oil & gas contributed to the BRITISH exchequer; barring the fluctuations in oil price, the only regions in the whole of the UK that actually produce a surplus is London and the south east.

• curtisjohnson | Oct 25, 2012, 11:10 PM EDT

  The uncontroverted numbers demonstrate that Scotland has subsidized the remainder of the british terror state. It would have been much better off as an independent state along the lines of Norway.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 25, 2012, 07:00 PM EDT

  Seano has a view on Scottish oil…but what about Texas oil or South Australian copper?…Countries that are in a union have to have a policy of give and take…it’s a consensual relationship…and a very successful one over 300 years.

• seanomelb | Oct 25, 2012, 06:19 PM EDT

  Scottish oil contributed billions to the english exchequer,an independent Scotland would be free of this fiscal rape by england.

• ToryTory | Oct 25, 2012, 05:43 PM EDT

  Optimal word being 'small number' - secessionists are minority, that's a statistical fact. North sea oil reserves are two thirds depleted - and that's the optimistic assumption; basing independence on this much fabled oil wealth is economically flawed, as has been highlighted by Oil & Gas UK.

• ToryTory | Oct 25, 2012, 05:20 PM EDT

  I have looked at the latest stats, that's why I commented. What are you jabbering on about 'larger population'? I provided a percentage, not a number. Evidence that the reason American companies HAVEN'T invested in NI is due to it being, in your words, 'socially backwards'? Good luck justifying your bigotry. Finally, stating that NI is in 'better economic condition than the ROI' is no joke: it's an economic fact.

• ancavker | Oct 25, 2012, 05:12 PM EDT

  If Scotland's revenues from it's oil are included, than the numbers are positive in Scotland's favor, as in contibuting more, and getting less back. The British government does not include those numbers as they are deemed to be part of the UK as whole. I am sure it just kills some unionists here that there are more than a few Scots who think Scotland can make it on it's own like other small European countries. And if the Scots ultimatley go this route, they will do a far better job, than the failed Irish government in the 26 counties, and it's failed sister state in the north.

• ancavker | Oct 25, 2012, 05:08 PM EDT

  Tory: look at the latest BBC figures for unemployment for the the north, the highest in the UK; that is a fact. Scotland has a larger population, and it would make sense that more people are employed in government than in the north. Northern Ireland is a backwater, and the Republic has come a long way from it's days of being dominated by the RC church. American companies don't like to invest in socially backward areas like the north, where people are still parading around with silliness about some battle 400 hundred years ago. No doubt the south screwed up, and ids paying heavily for it, but to say the north is in a better position is a joke. It is a giant welfare state, it produces and contributes nothing.

• ancavker | Oct 25, 2012, 05:03 PM EDT

  Red Branch: It is not a question of pleasing me or looking at the big picture. It is the fact that the six county state is an economic drain on the English tax payer.

• RedBranch | Oct 25, 2012, 02:33 PM EDT

  There's no pleasing you ancavker, you won't look at the big picture, you look at today's balance sheet rather than the potentail. Total govt. debt in the South was described today as 170 bn Euro and a multitude more if personal debt included. Those figures are enough to drive someone over the edge. Yet the potential for something stronger, really much stronger exists if you look on the positive side.Lets work together on this one.

• ToryTory | Oct 25, 2012, 12:51 PM EDT

  Talking out your backside Ancavker; unemployment in NI is no greater than the rest of the UK, in-fact, it's below the Scottish average. 28% of the workforce is in the public sector in NI; it's 26% in Wales & 24% in Scotland - the difference is nominal and is indicative the structural imbalances throughout the whole of the UK. As for calling NI a 'backwater', well that's just a bigoted slur; Ireland, for much of the 20th century, really was a backwater: an economy predicated on agriculture, only by joining the Euro with artificially low interest rates and lowering corp. tax could they induce an ill-fated economic boom; and yet, in the current milieu, NI is in a far better position.

• ancavker | Oct 25, 2012, 12:21 PM EDT

  kilsally: Unemployment in the north is higher than anywhere else in the UK, and it would be even higher if not for all of the government jobs. Yes the bombing campaign did not help. But more than that, multi-mationals did not want to invest in a backwards place like the north, and I know that for a fact. Also the Republic was more attractive, corp tax rate wise, and of course an English speaking population. In addition before the provo campaign, the north was still a subsidized backwater. The north had 50 years to build a productive, propserous inclusive society and they failed. They are still failing.

• Kilsally | Oct 25, 2012, 10:32 AM EDT

  The Tories aren`t the ruling party per se - it is a coalition government between the Tories and the Liberal Democrats who have reps in Scotland including Westminster`s Scottish Secretary Michael Moore and whilst the first past the post system only gives the Tories 1 MP, the Scottish Parliament uses a for of proportional representation giving the Scottish Tories a number of MSP`s (rather like the UUP & SDLP in Northern Ireland)

• Kilsally | Oct 25, 2012, 10:29 AM EDT

  ankavker - NI unemployment is much lower than the rest of Europe and indeed the Republic of Ireland and is pretty much inline with the rest of the UK - you are correct in that NI receives almost double what it raises in taxes from the UK exchequer although there are historical reasons for that such as the IRA bombing campaign driving away multi nationals (indeed they kidnapped some prominent foreign businessmen in their time)

• ancavker | Oct 25, 2012, 09:14 AM EDT

  Red Branch: You have proved nothning and are in denial. Northern Ireland is a drain on the British, primarily English Tax payer. It is a gian welfare state, with the highest rate of unemployment in the U.K. It again contributes nothing economically to the union, and is a drain. You should all be ashamed with you hands out looking for the dole. Most English people would love to be rid of the place. Plesae stop with you silliness about how charming English people find it. They can still find it charming, and move there if they wish without having to pay for it.

• ToryTory | Oct 25, 2012, 06:15 AM EDT

  Curtis, do you know anything about British politics? The point about Scotland effectively receiving a subsidy isn't a 'debunked myth', it's an economic fact. Scotland is poorer than England; its contribution to the exchequer last year was £42.7b, its expenditure was £59.2b. Understand? This isn't a big deal - the Barnett Formula are the subsidy received by Scotland has been well known, regardless on the spin employed by Salmond. But nobody cares because it stands to reason that Scotland should receive a subsidy of sorts because it's so much poorer than England.

• ToryTory | Oct 25, 2012, 06:08 AM EDT

  Leah, the common travel agreement does still exist between Ireland & Britain - what the hell are jabbering on about? Irish and Britons can pretty much travel as they please throughout the British Isles.

• ToryTory | Oct 25, 2012, 06:01 AM EDT

  What are you talking about Curtis you simpleton?

• curtisjohnson | Oct 24, 2012, 09:27 PM EDT

  "Your ignorance is betrayed when you write 'if Scotland leaves, there'll be no more UK' - that's wrong. Supposing Scotland did secede, there'd still be a United Kingdom: the United Kingdom of England & Northern Ireland." Not sure the English people will remain thrilled with the "union."

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 24, 2012, 07:07 PM EDT

  The SNP fully backed the madcap antics of Fred Goodwin...Salmond said at Harvard 'With RBS and HBOS... Scotland has global leaders today, tomorrow and for the long-term'...Brave words...but nonsense, as events were to prove...

• seanomelb | Oct 24, 2012, 06:39 PM EDT

  Lloyd's bank is not connected my error.But thank you for vindicating my argument that the RBS and the BOS are not connected to Alex Salmond.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 24, 2012, 05:10 PM EDT

  IrelandNorth –the Act of Succession was in 1701, and preceded the Act of Union of 1706-07….not sure where 1776 comes in?

• ToryTory | Oct 24, 2012, 03:10 PM EDT

  What a weak and glib article - do you know anything about British politics? The fact of the matter is that a minority want secession from the Union in Scotland, and that minority is continuing to decrease year on year. Nobody believes Salmond will win this referendum; when he loses all talk of Scottish secession will be dead for another few generations. Your ignorance is betrayed when you write 'if Scotland leaves, there'll be no more UK' - that's wrong. Supposing Scotland did secede, there'd still be a United Kingdom: the United Kingdom of England & Northern Ireland. I simply don't think the authour knows enough about British politics to be writing articles on this subject. Highlighting the fact that there's next to none Scottish Conservative MPs demonstrates your COMPLETE lack of understanding of British Parliamentary Democracy. Do your homework.

• RedBranch | Oct 24, 2012, 11:36 AM EDT

  IrlandNorth: Stormont should be made into an Ann Summers outlet; at least then it would be profitable! Good analogy on a no vote equalling yes to married union. ancavker I have already disproved your original statement and to add to that most English people of my acquaintance find Northern Ireland 'charming', so much so that they have moved here in their droves in the past decade.

• Kilsally | Oct 24, 2012, 11:07 AM EDT

  Quite a silly article - The SNP have said they would keep the Queen as head of State (don`t forget it was the Scottish King who inherited the English Crown and thereby merged the two Crowns long before any Act of Union occurred) - The SNP have also said they would keep the British Pound with the Bank of England in charge - this is however debateable depending on what happens to the European Union membership of an Independent Scotland - if they have to reapply as a new member then they will probably have to join the Euro single currency like the Republic of Ireland and cut their budget by £5 billion to hit EU deficit rules and would probably have to join Schengen border scheme meaning there is a possibility of border checks between England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Republic of Ireland and Scotland where currently there are none.

• IrelandNorth | Oct 24, 2012, 08:55 AM EDT

  Many a postitute was made a respectable woman of by marrying one of her former clientele. And many a pimp a respectable man by marrying his co-exploitee. Surely the Act of Settlement, 1776 between the kingdoms of England (& Wales) and Scotland - (and the dubious Act of Union, 1800/'01 between the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland), could be made democratically respectable retrospectively by a truly voluntary act of unionism? (PS Census of Ireland, 2011 reported 112,000 Britons living in Ireland (26 counties of), not all of whom I imagine were entirely out of their minds. Some were reported in The Irish Times during HM EIIRs visit to the greater part of Ireland last year as being here precisely because they wanted to escape multicultural England). Genuine democracy should be predicated by ratio percentages, ie autonomous - devolved - or independent along a sliding scale of percentage franchise whether upon the island of Great Britain or in the island of Ireland. PPS A pro-convergence federalist European Union (EU) can veto British Exchequer subventions to Northern Ireland (NI). And Stormont Castle could well end up on the property portfolio of Ireland's National Assets Management Agency (NAMA), going under the auctioneers hammer for €32m to the anonymous telephone bidder from Irish-America.

• IrelandNorth | Oct 24, 2012, 08:15 AM EDT

  Ireland's quality broadsheet The Irish Times reported yesterday that the recently appointed British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Therese Villiers, said at a meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body that the current British Government at the Westminister (London) Parliament would not devolve any further powers to the Scottish Parliament pending the Scottish Independence referendum. Would have thought that continuing to do so would have precisely diminished the proposect of their constitutional paramour suing for divorce from the gunshot wedding of the Act of Settlement, in 1776.

• ancavker | Oct 23, 2012, 08:19 PM EDT

  Red Branch: The average English tax payer could care less about northern Ireland and it's people. So as I said, they the English would love to be rid of the north as it contributes nothing and is a financial drain.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 23, 2012, 08:02 PM EDT

  Wrong, Wrong, Wrong – Lloyds of London has absolutely nothing to do with Lloyds Bank, you idiot…the former is purely an insurance market where ‘names’ take risks in insuring any commodity…Lloyds Bank is COMPLETELY SEPARATE as a bank…they were forced to take over HBOS after their shares suffered a huge drop…and Salmond fully supported RBS and Fred Goodwin in their disastrous takeover of ABN-Amro…looking forward to your next ‘correction’….

• seanomelb | Oct 23, 2012, 06:40 PM EDT

  Alex Salmond has no power over the BOS or RBS as the Bank of Scotland is owned by Lloyds and the Royal Bank of Scotland is 84% owned by the British government

• seanomelb | Oct 23, 2012, 06:29 PM EDT

  the bank of Scotland is Scottish in name only it's now HBOS and owned by Lloyds of London which in turn is owned by a systems called "The names". How many time s do you have to be corrected Dano for your lack of knowledge on this subjects.

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 23, 2012, 03:38 PM EDT

  Scotland will need all their bravery if Alex Salmond gets his way...not so long ago he was lauding the 'Arc of prosperity' of Scotland, Iceland and Ireland!!! Also very cosy with the disastrous Scottish bank policy of BoS and RBS...shades of the 'Isthmus of Darien'...and we all know what that led to, don't we???

• RedBranch | Oct 23, 2012, 03:26 PM EDT

  ancavker: This island's richest asset has always been its the people and Northern Ireland has led the way in this regard. The golfing trio and Eamonn Holmes probably contribute more to the British exchequer than the entire Co.Offaly contribution to Dublin. There are tens of thousands of people born, bred and educated in NI who, perhaps by the specialist nature of their professions find themselves on the mainland or beyond. Look at the big picture!

• DanOLoingsigh | Oct 23, 2012, 03:10 PM EDT

  leahkinsella - The Common Travel Area has NOT been withdrawn...it's the airlines that insist that passports are carried, not the immigration officers...all they need is suitable ID, preferably with a photo...to confirm a traveller is entitled to CTA status...travel by ferry, or over the border, and you rarely see any controls...

• ancavker | Oct 23, 2012, 01:21 PM EDT

  Red Branch: Are you really going to try and tell me that northern Ireland, contributes economically to the UK???

• Smyrnian | Oct 23, 2012, 01:03 PM EDT

  A free Scotland, Ireland and Wales! What a great thought. Let's hope it happens!

• Seanmor | Oct 23, 2012, 12:41 PM EDT

  It is quite obvious that a similar referendum in the North of Ireland would lose by a very large margin, especially at a time when the economy of the Irish state is in a shambels. However, we should also bear in mind that at the present time non-Unionists hold 9 of the 18 "Ulster" seats in the British Parliament: Sinn Féin 5, SDLP 3, and Alliance 1. But only Gerry Adam's Sinn Féin party strongly supports Irish reunification. Even if by some miracle the North voted in favor of reuniting with the rest of Ireand, there seems to be little support for such unity in the Southern Irish state, whose citizens increasingly consider themselves Europeans first and Irish second - if at all.

• RedBranch | Oct 23, 2012, 12:12 PM EDT

  '...and contributes nothing in return.' Are you sure you want to pursue this line ancavker? Like the map above I'll prove it wrng and out of order.

• Nicoletta | Oct 23, 2012, 11:55 AM EDT

  In England - the elderly have to sell their houses to pay for care homes, prescriptions must be paid for, kids pay tuition fees to go to college; in Scotland care homes for the elderly are free, no prescription charges and no college tuition fees - all paid for by the good old UK taxpayer. Who in their right mind would want to leave the huge welfare benefits bestowed on Scotland by the rest of the UK?

• YoungPike | Oct 23, 2012, 10:24 AM EDT

  In response to leahkinsella: Nobody in their right mind would want to leave England to live in Ireland!

• curtisjohnson | Oct 22, 2012, 10:08 PM EDT

  "Why is it OK for the Northern part of Britain to secede from the Southern part of the Island,and not OK for the wee six" Because the occupied six are an artificial statelet not a nation. Also because I said so.

• leahkinsella | Oct 22, 2012, 07:15 PM EDT

  My sister came over from England for a wedding two days ago with her Irish passport and had to show it at Dublin Airport to prove she was not an illegal immigrant from Britain. She knew the law had changed recently as there is no longer a common travel area between the countries under an agreement between theIrish and British governments.

• aloistmartin | Oct 22, 2012, 06:03 PM EDT

  TayandCake@ A " Big Majority " you say ? White Zionism I. think it tis ~ And It`s goin down like Charles III !

• Smyrnian | Oct 22, 2012, 05:16 PM EDT

  Hope the Scots go for it. Ireland and Wales next!

• ancavker | Oct 22, 2012, 02:54 PM EDT

  RedBranch: International agreements are changed, ditched all the time. Surely you do nto expect the English to continue to keep you, if they do not want to. That is anti-democratic. And yes if you want to use that term, you are 47%'s Your statelet gets massive aid from the British government, and contributes nothing in return. Believe me the English, and Scots would love to be rid of all of you.

• TayandCake | Oct 22, 2012, 01:53 PM EDT

  This certainly will not happen, all polls point to a big majority in favor of the Union.

• RedBranch | Oct 22, 2012, 11:38 AM EDT

  No shivers down my spine Niall, we're protected by our own international agreement (GFA) and as I've said before on this site, you want a border poll, bring it on!

• RedBranch | Oct 22, 2012, 11:29 AM EDT

  '...it is a giant welfare state that contribues nothing.' So ancavker are we 47%ers up here?

• puffin | Oct 22, 2012, 11:26 AM EDT

  Why is it OK for the Northern part of Britain to secede from the Southern part of the Island,and not OK for the wee six

• bobby | Oct 22, 2012, 10:44 AM EDT

  leahkinsella people travelling from Ireland to England or Wales do not need a passport to enter. Same goes for English people travelling to Ireland.

• ancavker | Oct 22, 2012, 10:38 AM EDT

  leah: The English could simply dump the north at some point. Mosst English people would love to be rid of the palce, as it is a giant welfare state that contribues nothing.

• ancavker | Oct 22, 2012, 10:36 AM EDT

  SAirish: You and I have had this discussion before. SO I will try and educate you again. Why, and how do I know/ My company does a lot of business in Scotland, and I am there on business on a regular basis. Yes currently there is only around 30 to 35% support for Scottish independence. Howwver, as the article states Mr. Salmond has 2 years to increase those numbers. Even if it fails, in 2014, if it receives 35 to 40% support, Mr. Salmond will have a mandate to negogiate further poweres from Westminster. Many of those who want to stay in the UK support further pwers for the Scottishdevolved parliament. Mr. Salmond is on a step by step progam to ultimate independence. He knows exactly what he is doing. Thie will have huge reprecussions for the six county entity. As far as the Queens writ and all I believe it was a symbolic comment, as syes she will still be head of state, in an independent Scotland, but nothing more. I believe Mr. Salmond is a republican, but knows Scotland will have to be weaned off their obsession with the British monarchy.

• callum87 | Oct 22, 2012, 09:02 AM EDT

  YoungPike - what a load of rubbish, where did you dream those figures? Look to EASILY ATTAINABLE governmment statistics and you will see that Scotland contributes 9.6% of the UK tax, yet receives only 9.3% of UK spend - so if anyone's being subsidised here, then its the rest of the UK by Scotland. Its also worth noting, that of the reduced figure of 9.3% - a large chuck of that is "spent on Scotland's behalf" by Westminster, ie on illegal wars, nuclear weapons, etc. There is consensus an independent would not spend billions on these things, then added to the windfall of the tax/spend difference, Scotland will be one of the richest states in the world. With this new found wealth AND control over our own welfare, pensions, economics, etc - Scotland will at last be able to tackle poverty in a meaningful way.

• SAirish | Oct 22, 2012, 03:08 AM EDT

  The latest opinion poll published by the Scottish Daily Record newspaper, last week, shows 58% of people for the UK, 30% against and 12% undecided. The figure of 35% for independence quoted in the article is from the most favorable poll for the SNP. Some polls have put support for independence at only 28%. The official independence campaign started four months ago and it has not been able to attract any more support. The article states incorrectly that the Queens writ may no longer apply north of the border, in fact the SNP wants to retain the Queen as Head of State of an independent Scotland. The SNP also wants to keep the UK Pound and the BBC - some independence!

• dinnatouch | Oct 22, 2012, 02:31 AM EDT

  There is currently no need for UK or Irish citizens to show, or even carry passports when traveling across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, so there would be no need for any passport controls along the border between England and an independent Scotland.

• curtisjohnson | Oct 21, 2012, 07:56 PM EDT

  The subsidization of Scotland is a well debunked myth. Had Scotland been independent, it would be similar to Norway economically and much better off.

• leahkinsella | Oct 21, 2012, 04:35 PM EDT

  How are the Scots going to cope with all the problems if they separate from the rest of the U.K. Will they have a separate passport to enter England and Wales? Will there be a separate currency, will Flower of Scotland be the national anthem etc. There are lots of problems associated with this so its doubtful if the Scots want to break away entirely. Queen Elizabeth will still be head of state as he is half Scottish. As for Northern Ireland, that's only a pipe dream. Gerry Adams is, as usual, mouthing off to please his audience. The people of Northern Ireland could not survive financially without Britain and the Irish Republic does not want to take them on. We have enough troubles of our own.

• YoungPike | Oct 21, 2012, 02:09 PM EDT

  Scotland will be making a terrible mistake by breaking away from the United Kingdom. England subsidises Scotland to the tune of approximately £2,000 per person per year. Most Scots are wise enough to know that the best move they ever made was in the creation of Great Britain with their old enemy!