GOM
living vicariously
With plummeting oil prices, what would have happened to their economy if they had voted for independence ?
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A narrow escape for Scotland ?
- Thread starter GOM
- Start date
Brighton Mod
Its All Too Beautiful
GingerBeerMan
3-0
- Dec 29, 2011
- 8,024
Scotland could have been on par with Sweden or Norway had they gone independent, especially if they had access to the NS oil. A small population with a relatively high level of resources. Invest in education and infrastructure and in 15 - 20 years they could have been a highly educated country full of skilled, innovative workers. Oh well.
father_and_son
Well-known member
Or.... [to pander to stereotypes] they could have bought lots of Buckfest and deep-fried mars bars and wiped themselves out within a generation!
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 30,564
I think the OP has made a good point and I hope the answer is plastered all over the news sometime soon, because I get the feeling the 45% will not be quietened, that the SNP will do very well at the GE in May and they could even hold the balance of power in Westminster.
Some sense of economic realism needs to take hold of these islands, not just about Scotland but also about what difference being in or out of the EU makes to the UK.
Some sense of economic realism needs to take hold of these islands, not just about Scotland but also about what difference being in or out of the EU makes to the UK.
Mattywerewolf
Well-known member
Maybe if they had independence 40 years ago, but not now, otherwise they would have voted yes.
severnside gull
Well-known member
Tom Bombadil
Well-known member
I always thought the effect of oil revenues on their economy was overplayed by the SNP. It gave them the dual benefits of supposedly funding their free unicorn for every Scot promise and it played into their narrative of thieving English bastids stealing from the proud and noble downtrodden Scots.
I do wonder though how the plunging oil prices would have effected the size of the no vote were the referendum tomorrow rather than 3 months ago.
I do wonder though how the plunging oil prices would have effected the size of the no vote were the referendum tomorrow rather than 3 months ago.
Man of Harveys
Well-known member
It certainly is nice that Putin's feeling the heat. Although the prospect of him getting kicked out amid worsening economic hardship and an even bigger nutter taking over isn't exactly reassuring either.
The North Sea but it is declining and that rate of decline can pick up speed if crude's trading at $56/bbl rather than $110/bbl. But there's still a fair bit left and they keep coming up with new ideas how to get it out of the ground. I'd be a bit wary of too much Daily Telegraph-ish crowing on this subject tbh: there's still enough left for them to buy each other pints of heavy. ("Each other"?)
Mr Bronson
Member
- Feb 24, 2009
- 45
Most of the SNPs forecasts were done on the basis that oil would be at $100 a barrel. Brent is at $62 a barrel.
As our American friends like to say "You do the math"
As our American friends like to say "You do the math"
vegster
Sanity Clause
- May 5, 2008
- 27,892
It's a bit like fishing really I suppose. As a breed of fish gets harder to catch due to scarcity, the price goes up thus making them still a profitable catch. If the oil price falls far enough the oil fields that are harder and more complicated to extract from become less viable and as such are an almost untouchable asset. If the oil price rises sharply though they will all be piling in again.
GingerBeerMan
3-0
- Dec 29, 2011
- 8,024
Slightly O/T but I can't help but think future generations will view us as barbarians in respect to the environment. We find a natural resource which takes millions of years to create, and within 150 years it's all been extracted and used up. There is relatively little regulations or limits on oil extraction considering it's importance in the world today.
Man of Harveys
Well-known member
Very true. Plus, fish left in peace can make some new fish. Oil is - eventually - finite, even if we're drowning in a glut of the stuff at the moment.
seagullsovergrimsby
#cpfctinpotclub
Well actually YouGov did a poll for the Scottish Sun on Monday and 52% said they would vote YES for independence if there was another immediate referendum.
Which just goes to show how rubbish polls are.
somerset
New member
Yes, because as always with Scotland, someone else will be expected to pay for the huge gaps in their economic plan.