And who exactly is going to give it ‘back’?

The simple fact is that I as an English man wants equality for England with the other Countries of the UK – Our own Govenment.

It depresses me to see these petty arguments, how the Scots actually spend the money already allocated to them really is their business!

There is a constant undertone in the Scot Parliament between East and West MSPs.

The issues on here however are not really about the Forth bridge at all, more like the Scots are spending English money. This seems to be a consistent thread on the site and frankly as a Scot its all a bit tedious and counter productive.

As someone living and paying tax in England I’d be happier if the Barnett formula was balanced properly. I would be even happier if England had its independence, but Im sure that the whining about Scots would still go on.

If its read, the question posed by the Greens etc was.

It asked people if they backed a new bridge at a cost of £2.3billion – or replacing the current one at a cost of £122million. I think the STV article should have said “repairing” rather than “replacing”

Now just what would your answer be?

That explains why the headline says 2 thirds didnt want a new bridge (the assumption being that the old one can indeed be repaired).

When the Greens can explain how to repair tens of thousands of individual steel cables that support the bridge before it is forced to go out of use through weakness, I will accept their argument.

Usual guff about “bribes” I see Wonkotsake

yes Andrew , that is a safe assumption.

When Scotland has to negotiate with the English, as opposed to the British, one can assume that the process will be a lot more forthright and robust. Probably a refreshing change for both parties. It must be so dismally boring for you Scots to have to go through the same contemptuous process yet once again to knock over the British government with the same old threats and biased assumtions, but then again, I don’t suppose they even argue nowadays.

It is likely that relations between an English government and a Scottish government will, after the initial bruising shock to the bravehearts in Scotland, though not to the rest, settle down to a much healthier and more fruitful level.
I am sure there is a lot we can do together to our mutual benefits though the basis of negotiation will be be bereft of the ghastly blackmail and racist and nationalist pressure to which you know the British governemnt, though not the English, is a compliant conspiritor and victim.

It will be whole new world and a refreshing one for both of us.

You may pay into the pot, but there are only approx 5 million of you, and there are 50 million plus of us – so it is logical and realistic that we pay more into the pot than you do.

And don’t start whinging about Oil or I’ll get the 1966 map out and show you where the oil fields actually lie – that was pushed through parliament against the wishes of the English MP’s at the insistence of the Scottish Office.

Let’s focus on what is important – You want to leave the UK and we want you to leave – surely we have that in common at least.

Assuming there was a re-shift in the sea borders, the revenues and budget surplusses could be debatable. The SNP only care about wealth and dominantly oil, if Scotland were to go independent, they would still have to negotiate sea borders – in which case their entire campaign would have gone to waste.