UK finally ends 300 years of Imperialism

U

USFREEDOM911

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Britain break up? UK government to offer Scotland powers for binding independence vote

Breaking up is supposed to be hard to do _ but Britain's government confirmed Tuesday it will offer Scotland the powers it needs to sever centuries-old ties to England.

Prime Minister David Cameron's government said it would sweep away legal hurdles to allow the Scots a vote on whether their country should become independent for the first time since the 18th Century Act of Union, which united Scotland with England to create Great Britain.

But in return, Cameron _ who opposes any breakup of the United Kingdom, which also includes Wales and Northern Ireland _ is urging Scotland to make its intentions clear "sooner rather than later." He claims investors are becoming increasingly wary of Scottish leader Alex Salmond's plans to delay a vote for several years, damaging Britain's economy.

Salmond, head of Scotland's semiautonomous government, has long championed independence to allow the country greater control over lucrative oil and natural gas reserves in the North Sea.

His separatist Scottish National Party insists that winning total control over tax and spending policies _ powers the Scottish government doesn't presently have _ would help replicate the economic success of neighbors like Norway, which has used its energy riches to fund state pensions.

"This is a huge decision for Scotland. This is potentially the biggest decision we have made as a nation for 300 years," Salmond said Tuesday, on a tour of an oil facility in Dyce, eastern Scotland.

He insisted that Cameron should not take any role in setting out the timetable for the crucial

"We are not going to be stampeded and dragooned by a Tory prime minister in London," Salmond said.

Since Scotland voted in favor of a domestic legislative body in 1997, its parliament has had autonomy over education, health and justice and can make minor alterations to income tax. For now, London retains primacy on all matters relating to Britain as a whole _ including defense, energy and foreign relations.

The other nations of the United Kingdom also have administrations with some limited powers. Wales voted for a national assembly in 1997, while the Northern Ireland Assembly was created to provide cross-community government in the province under the U.S.-brokered Good Friday peace accord of 1998.

Salmond accuses Cameron of pushing for an early vote in Scotland in the hope of killing off any split in the United Kingdom. Both Cameron and Britain's opposition leader, the Labour Party's Ed Miliband, plan to campaign against Scottish independence.

The timing of the vote could be crucial. Recent opinion polls indicate rising support for independence, after surveys showed backing for the separation hovering at about 30 percent for several decades.

Salmond hopes to hold a poll most likely in 2014, when nationalist sentiment could be at a height as the city of Glasgow hosts the Commonwealth Games and Scots mark the 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn, a key military victory over England.

Under current law, Scotland's Parliament cannot hold its own legally binding referendum, meaning any result could be challenged in the courts. Cameron's government confirmed Tuesday it would temporarily grant Scotland's administration the rights to hold a binding poll.

Danny Alexander, Britain's deputy treasury chief and a lawmaker who represents a Scottish district at Westminster, said the decision would help "avoid years of legal wrangling" and speed Scotland's path to a decision.

"I think that jobs, investment and growth in Scotland are much more important than waiting for the anniversary of a medieval battle as the key that determines your timing for a referendum," Alexander said.

Cameron has suggested Scotland's vote should only put forward two choices _ independence, or the status quo, dismissing calls for a third option, under which Scotland would have control over all but foreign policy and defense.

Salmond hasn't ruled out including the lesser option, referred to as "independence-lite," but said his own party would campaign in favor of a permanent split.

"What I think the Scottish people deserve is a fair, clear and decisive question," Cameron said.

Salmond's party has said that if it succeeds in winning independence, Scotland would keep Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and _ for now at least _ retain the British pound as its currency.

I'm glad they finally decided to join the rest of the world, in the 21st century.
 
Kel Tec RFB said:
Guam, Puerto Rico, Marshall Islands.....
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UH
Guam is a "territory", has self rule, was liberated from the Japanese in 1944 and prior to that it was "ceded" to the US, by Spain; ergo: we did not make it a "subject" of the US, plus they seem to like the arrangement.

Puerto Rican voters, on June 4, 1951, approved in a referendum a U.S. law that granted them the right to draft their own constitution. The constituent assembly began its deliberations in the following September. In March 1952 the electorate approved the new constitution, and on July 25 Governor Muñoz proclaimed the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Doesn't seem they are our subjects and were also cedded to us by Spain.

The Marshall Islands are also part of what was LIBERATED from the Japanese and we are currently providing funds to keep the Islands viable.

Would you care to try again and actually provide something that supports what you were trying so hopefully to assert?
 
USFREEDOM911 said:
UH
Guam is a "territory", has self rule, was liberated from the Japanese in 1944 and prior to that it was "ceded" to the US, by Spain; ergo: we did not make it a "subject" of the US, plus they seem to like the arrangement.

Puerto Rican voters, on June 4, 1951, approved in a referendum a U.S. law that granted them the right to draft their own constitution. The constituent assembly began its deliberations in the following September. In March 1952 the electorate approved the new constitution, and on July 25 Governor Muñoz proclaimed the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Doesn't seem they are our subjects and were also cedded to us by Spain.

The Marshall Islands are also part of what was LIBERATED from the Japanese and we are currently providing funds to keep the Islands viable.

Would you care to try again and actually provide something that supports what you were trying so hopefully to assert?
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So we never conquered them. Yeah, ok there man.
 
USFREEDOM911 said:
Nope.
You really need to read some history; because I don't think payment is considered conqured and liberated doesn't mean conqured either. :)
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Then I suggest it's you that needs to read a bit of history. We took PR and Guam from Spain during the Spanish American war. Moving one nation out and putting ourselves in their place isn't 'liberation' no matter how much you'd like it to be. We conquered them, they are subject to our dominion, are not full fledged states (whether they want to be or not is irrelevant for this discussion). Historically that's conquered.
 
Kel Tec RFB said:
Then I suggest it's you that needs to read a bit of history. We took PR and Guam from Spain during the Spanish American war. Moving one nation out and putting ourselves in their place isn't 'liberation' no matter how much you'd like it to be. We conquered them, they are subject to our dominion, are not full fledged states (whether they want to be or not is irrelevant for this discussion). Historically that's conquered.
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Only in your definition and rewrite of what history actually is; but you go right ahead, because otherwise you'll never get any sleep tonight. :D
 
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