And that's the second time they have lowered the 40% rate.

Of course those who got us into this mess get away Scot free. 

But 300,000 more people will be drawn into the higher rate - 40% - tax band from 2013/14 as the threshold is reduced from £42,475 to £41,450.

Scottish Welfare state would be as open for abuse as the current UK one

I don't think welfare is an issue.  It's a side issue.

It's not welfare claimants that are crippling the UK, it's greedy bankers, the bonus culture, tax evasion etc.

Welfare always needs careful management, but you deal with the pennies once you have the pounds sorted out.  In the UK we have a government in power who don't want to tackle the big issues.

The Tories are prepared to put our economy on hold, stifle economic recovery, get us fighting amongst ourselves, so they can keep their hands, and their buddies hands on their big fat untaxed stacks of cash.

17 years of Tory rule led to devolution.  Scotland needs to wake up quick, lets not wait for another 10-15 years, or more, of Tory rule to realise finally that we have little politically in common with England and that once again we've been focced over by a government we never wanted..   We gotta get out now.

Oh, will Osborne cut the 50p rate?

Would you take free BBC programming in exchange? 

Umm let me think about that..................err...................No.

As an Englishman living in Scotland I really couldn't give a toss which way Scotland goes.

But you have a say.  You are part of 'the people of Scotland'.

If Scotland does split, I Definitely think they need to sort their own currency out.

I'm no expert on currency, but I can't help but think that using an established currency makes the transition to Independence easy.  And lets face it if we end of with some form of 'devo max' or fiscal autonomy within the UK then the pound it will be.  So does it really make that much difference if it's the pound for independence? 

Don't want Scotland becoming to the pound, what Greece is to the Euro.

I think it's more likely to be the opposite problem.  Nor does it look that we would have the issues that led Greece into a mess.   If we had our own currency it could easily become to strong.  Frankly - pound first choice - but Euro will do if England wants to be difficult.  And frankly I think it's probably desirable for England to have Scotland in the pound.

 

Examples are:
 Border control is the obvious one - with different Governments it will become an issue. 
 Armed forces,
 air traffic control,
 utilities and infrastructure (national rail? The separation committee would draw lots to see who gets encumbered!),
 Sea boundaries,
 international territory boundaries,
 all the organisations across the world that will need to change their systems to recognise a new country.

 There's some detail to work out, but there's no real big issues there.  It's the same right across Europe.
 
 

Don't want to be inflammatory here but how many other countries do you think will want to trade with an independent Scotland that only has self interests at heart and won't help with international peace keeping?

 By International Peace Keeping, do you mean Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya?  Such opportunistic , unrealistic and immoral imperialist intervention projects are not things I could see Scotland being involved with in in the future.   Help with UN peace keeping duties, I'm sure we would.  And I'd imagine most of the world will be more than happy to to business with Scotland.  They might not be so keen to do business with us in the future if they see us hesitate and lack self confidence come autumn 2014.  Many countries round the globe are expecting Scottish Independence.  They won't understand if we don't grasp that opportunity.
 

 

to me ya can have scotland (as long as you dont want our british tax money )  cant stand the place,

 
Oh dear I feared this might happen as soon as I mentioned Scottish Independence.   Why is it that English people go in such a huff when a Scotsman states his desire to run his own affairs.


 
As for having Scotland, it's not up to you ddtwelve, it's up to the people of Scotland to decide.


 
And help ma boab I find myself agreeing with Big Mac!    Good posts Mr Mac.

If the English hadn't allowed you Scots unfettered indulgence in the fruits of that domain you woukdn't be half the nation you are. I think the North Sea Oil is a fair return for that bountiful privilege.

Now lets not forget that the Scottish people were never asked if they wanted to be part of  'Great Britain'   We were sold out for a few pieces of silver by a parcel of rouges.   It is only right that the people of Scotland are being asked for the first time in the history of the UK if they actually want to be part of the UK.


Scotland's biggest problem is of course is self confidence.  We are our own worst enemy, and England has done a impressive job of exploiting us.    Scots don't tend to believe in themselves and for far too long have listened and believed England's lies.   Without Scotland there would have been no British Empire, or at least it would have been a very much smaller affair, neither of which would have been a bad thing.  The British Empire?  Good riddance! 



Scotland as a country needs to look back at her achievements and realise, that having practicably created the modern industrial world, that we are more than capable of running our own affairs (oil or no oil) and hopefully creating a much more equalitarian society than we currently have, and perhaps help change the direction of the corrupt neoliberal capitalism currently sweeping the globe. 
 


Meanwhile both the Government and Labour party have shat their pants at the thought of us subsidy and welfare junkie Scots leaving the union.  Strange eh?  I wonder why!

I think the North Sea Oil is a fair return for that bountiful privilege.

Yes indeed, it is our oil.

 I'm Scottish.  I object to be called British.  Scotland is currently part of the UK.
 
 

I'm against devolution - primarily because it just seems to be an excise in getting more civil servants jobs.

 Devolution has been good for Scotland.  We've always had our own education and legal system.   Devolution means that we are now responsible for a whole host of areas that effect the daily running of our country.  eg, Health, local government, social work, housing, planning, transport, police and fire services, the environment, agriculture, forestry, fishing, sport etc etc.
 
 This is definitely softening the blow of having a Tory government at Westminster.  Our roads and hospitals ain't gonna be privatised for example.  No prescription charges, free eye tests etc.
 
 But what Scotland needs to do is move on.  We can't raise taxes, we can't run our economy, we have no say on foreign policy.  We have a government in Westminster that hardly anybody voted for up here.   We've got more Pandas in the zoo than Tory MPs.
I'm hoping for and will be voting for full Independence.   Scotland and England are now politically on different paths, we don't fit together any more.
Whether we do become Independent by 2015 remains to be seen.  That the Scottish Parliament will become more powerful goes without saying, that's inevitable.  We may become economically independent but still part of the UK, I think that's silly, but I'll still take it over Tories running our economy. 
So my nationalism is political, it's not about rose tinted specs and jumping up in down wearing a stupid kilt, it's about where we are going as a nation, taking responsibility and having accountability.
As for nationality.  It's probably the culture in which you grew up in.  Or for some, it's not where you come from, it's where you are going.  In that respect I'm optimistic that lots of English people in Scotland will also vote for Independence.

Was in the dealer for an oil filter etc.
Asked about pads.  It was 74 quid for a set of Yamaha pads.  I told em that was nuts, they didn't disagree.
He offered them to me for 50 quid, just to get rid of em cos they can't shift the OE pads anymore and just want em off the shelf.

So I've got another set of the OE ones.  Next time round I'll get the EBC ones.  Oh I take the organic EBC ones are not the greatest?

I don't think I'd trust a Clarke tap for a job like that.

The Roebuck I linked to would be the minimum quality I would use.

Takes a wee bit of force to cut, but nothing major.

Well worth getting it Ivanised (if a former owner hasn't done it already)

It'll pull strong and clean from 2000rpm and is much much smoother once Ivanised, it rids the bike of surging at steady lower rpm running.

Mike (Falcon269) did mine along with 100's of others.

Got stopped last year just short of Arrochar (heading South).

Tyre, chain, tax, plate check and on my way.

Doesn't bother me.   Though as long as they know the difference between a tyre that's near the end of it's life and taking the piss.

It's as easy as that.
That's a GEN1 thou fuse box, but they are probably all the same.

Of course if you foc it up it's now't to dae wi me, I take no responsibility for your actions 

But that's the right way to do it.

Need more info - see the old thread, more and info and even more photos;

http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,1918.0.html