Should people vote SNP even if they're happy with devolution, and don't want full independence?
971133
This solely depends on your own hopes and aspirations,vote snp and take power in Scotland from the labour mafia and watch them shake.Labour know they cant hold the uk without the scots .The negotiations would be intersting,more control over budgets ,perhaps an oil tariff solely for Scotland .Who knows perhaps they might listen to the people and not their own dogma,perhaps it may make them realise that power is in the hands of the electorate and not the labour machine,the tories are an irrelevance in scotland ,if Independance looms watch the tories play the ORANGEcard.
1063960
The government would like us to think that we have democracy in this country. But if you think it through, we don’t. At best, we have an elected dictatorship.  We vote a political party into office (usually in protest against the previous one) and that party’s leader becomes PM and he/she dictates to us for four years. If any of the cabinet disagrees too much, the PM just sacks them and appoints new puppets. That is totally undemocratic. When any cabinet motion goes to parliament, the party whips force the MPs to vote the way the PM and his cabinet wants them to vote (or they suffer the consequences). That again is totally undemocratic. We are told that we elect an MP to represent our constituency. But, if you think about it, that is not what happens. We actually elect the member of a certain political party to vote the way the PM (or the opposition leader) wants them to vote.   I believe we should get rid of party politics altogether and all MPs should be independent and have a free vote on all motions after consulting for the views of the constituency they represent. Those MPs should elect the cabinet (with the power to change that cabinet), and the cabinet should elect the PM (with the power to change the PM).
221892
course it is\n\nit has its own regional asseumby and is part of the United Kingdom  NOT Republic ofIreland . Of course there are people in NI who want to become part of the Republic\n\nsee www.direct.gov.uk or\n\nhttp://www.direct.gov.uk/Gtgl1/GuideToGovernment/Parliament/ParliamentArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4003244&chk=y0Mvxb for the detail
1173231
I can completely sympathise with you.\n\nI feel cheated when we have a Scotsman mess around with our taxes.\n\nWe do need an English Parliament that excludes other nations or alternately we need to view ourselves as the rest of the world does, as one nation, the UK, with one Parliament.\n\nDevolution of Wales and Scotland, and the setting up of Parliaments within those countries, was not done for the express wishes of the residents of said countries. That was merely a sweetener for the real agenda of increasing the number of seats the UK as a whole has in the European Parliament, giving more jobs for the old school tie regime, and the increase support offered by more friendly countries that speak the same language.  \n\nTry finding England on any of the drop down menus you fill in over the net.\n\nI often come across the question, would you rather be part of Europe or the 51st State of America?\n\nMy answer is to re-establish links with our commonwealth partners and become once again a global power to be reckoned with. What, with Australia, Canada, India, parts of Africa and the parts of the Caribbean all under one banner singing from the same hymn sheet could we achieve?
1123428
I don't know if your numbers are accurate; I think it was closer to 30% for blair. In answer to your third question, tho, it might be possible to enforce voting by fining people- is this really desirable? there is a country that does this, I think, that also have a 'none of the above' on the voting slip. I 'none of the above wins in an area, the poll has to be taken again.\ni would like this, but I'm not sure gorenments would go for it.
177186
It is best that each voter research the parties, issues and candidates and decide for themselves who and what to vote for.  If you decide to vote the same way as your family because you believe that it is the best way to vote than do so, but if you disagree than vote for the candidates you feel will do the best job and the initiatives that are best for the people in your city, county, and state.\n\nVoting strictly on party lines is never a good idea.  You vote for the person not the party as Canadians have recently found out.
1151547
if you work it out only 1 in 5 voter for this pair last time. \nbut yes cos there is no one eles. camran is a twit and his party is divided. and the ming whats his name is to soft to be priminister. ukip are as bad as the bnp and the green party are kidding themselfs.\n\nwe stuck with labour. god help us.
796808
I am English, and I have lived in both Wales and Scotland in the past.\n\nThere would be substantial problems in achieving independence for England from Scotland, but I think there would be substantial advantages too. For all concerned.\n\nFirstly, from an English point of view if the four countries of the United Kingdom went their separate ways transfers of Westminster funds to subsidise Scotland etc.would cease. And I do not think these subsidies benefit Scotland: on the contrary I think that they lead to dependence on public services. The economic growth of the Republic of Ireland shows how an independent Scotland could prosper through enterprise.\n\nObviously, the electoral arrangements that give Scotland and Wales, but not English regions, democraticly elected assemblies  are grossly unfair. They are made worse by the West Lothian question, ie. Scottish MPs voting on specifically English matters.\n\nYou refer to Latvia and Ireland. More power affecting the UK has been transferred to Europe than the politicans admit, and is largely exercised by  Commissioners of which each country has one and in the Council of Ministers, and its subsidiary mettings of specialist ministers.  This results in countries like Latvia (since you mention Latvia) having preferential treatment compared to areas like South East England of equal or greater size. If Scotland, Wales and perhaps Northern Ireland (that's one of the problems) were independent, we would have four Commissioners or Ministers representing us instead of one. We should have more MEPs too as MEPs are not now elected, as they should be, strictly in proportion to population.\n\nOne reason Westminster fiercely opposes independence for Scotland or England is the vested interest of politicans and civil servants.But to me this is an opportunity. Westminster government has become inefficient and insufficiently democratically responsive. The unprincipled inequalities of democratic arrangements between England and Scotland are just one example of this. Independence between Scotland and England should apart from anything else make us rethink wha government we should really need. And if the Westminster establishment don't want this split I suggest one thing they need to do is reform UK government to be principled, efficient, and genuinely concerned for democracy. I think such reform could improve opportunities for people of talent to rise to the top in politics and the civil service.\n\nFinally, nothing in this response implies any inquality of regard for England  or Scotland generally (as opposed to political cliques from one nation or the other). and I would hope that any split would take place peacefully and in friendship.
816172
In the U.K. it should be a majority of all parties in both houses of parliament that should make the decision, and not just the government. The ordinary citizens do not always have all the required information due to secrecy laws.
681672
Absolutely. I have voted Republican, Democrat, Green, and Libertarian in my life. It should be about issues, not party. Locking yourself into one party limits your freedom of speech and lessens the value of your vote.\n\nNoboby's views are exactly the same. We are all individuals.
596180
Scotland was for a long time an independent country, but after the disaster of the Darien Expedition it was virtually bankrupted and joined the United Kingdom in 1707. After the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 was defeated the Scottish people were subjected to harsh reprisals such as the Highland Clearances and treated as a colony to be subjugated, rather than an equal partner in the UK. \nEver since then Scotland has largely been treated as an economic tributary of the UK, with much of the profit from its industrial and mineral output being funnelled to London. \nMore recently many Scots feel they have been unfairly treated by the UK in two main fields. Firstly, the revenues from North Sea Oil, produced in Scottish territorial waters, was used to subsidise the spending of the UK government rather than being used for the development of Scottish industry and civic society. Government papers recently released proved that the governments of the early 1970s deliberately blocked Scottish moves towards devolution or independence as the UK would have been in severe difficulties without the oil revenues (see for example http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4661584.stm). Secondly, the Conservative governments of Margaret Thatcher (PM 1979-1991) were perceived as being very biased in favour of the core Conservative vote in England, at the expense of Scotland and Wales. This has created a strong nationalist backlash in Scotland, hence the increasing support for independence. Saying that England provides a nice lifestyle is, to put it kindly, not easy to reconcile with the facts.
792680
If only that were possible - let the MP's have a taste of what alot of the voters are feeling (the voters they choose to ignore I might add).\nAnd to Donald D - what are you talking about ??? Its already like living in Slovakia, Poland or any other Eastern European country although we're in England so why would we bother to move? I resent being told to move out of the country I was born and raised in because I dont like what the foreigners are doing to it !!!!!!
877735
Yep! \n\nAnd I do a mixed bag in voting.... I usually go for canadites I feel are doing a good job or support things I believe in (not just Blue vs. Red).
358508
vote. What a pointless waste of time, get rid of this Head Of State rubbish, you need one democratically elected leader and that's that.  The Yanks do it, and it seems to work for them.  I guess you can tell I'm a Brit who wants a republic, but I wouldn't replace the queen with a president, just keep the role of PM
724362
New Labour are looking at ways to form a one party state. Since the difference between New  Labour ,Conservatives and Liberal are negligible, there is no opposition, so, when you vote, you vote for the same policies. New labour has already paved the the way for secret policing and is now paving the way for the removal of free speech to stop parties like UKIP and the BNP from speaking out. I am afraid we are in big trouble unless there is a dramatic shift from mainstream parties to more Nationalistic parties.
1043292
probably are but then most of english society is that way inclined , you should go to T in the park in Scotland I`ve been twice and its brilliant , scottish people are more down to earth and are generally a more friendly nation whatever you do though enjoy
94069
The two party system is as old as the country itself.  actually, it is patterened after the house of commons in merry ole England.  If you think our party system is volitile, you should see and hear the antics used over there.  the two party system works as well as any other, probably better, given its longevity. I vote that we leave it alone except for one factor, that is popular vote.  I believe that we should still base our outcomes on the popular vote of this country.  In this way, the people have truly spoken! By the way, the hell with abroad.  We owe no other nation, or group of people, an explanation as to the domestic decisions of this country.