I believe that we are waiting for Colwyn to answer Rimms' post.
I answered this question three days ago while Hilary was getting ready to go out for dinner – which gave me plenty of time. Unfortunately, the case laid out was so powerful that, when I pressed the "Post" button, it crashed my internet connection. I concede that the impressive Turkish thunderstorm going on at the same time may have had some role in that as well. I couldn't be bothered to write it again – not knowing you were waiting for this – but here is a bit of a precis {with the thunder rumbling over the mountain again}.
To get a better perspective, I'd be interested to hear some of the lies put out by the no campaign. Could you enlighten me and also list who said it and when.
Big Lie Number One. Scotland will not be able to use the £ if it votes for independence. This is utter nonsense from start to finish. No country can prohibit another country from using its currency. England cannot stop Scotland from using the Pound Sterling any more than the mighty United States of America can stop dozens of counties around the world from using the US $ - including North Korea {where most large business will not accept the N.K Won only $, Yuan or €} and Zimbabwe {where is is the
only official currency}. This is not because these two countries are such good friends with the USA it gives them special permission to use their currency. Of course, when finally pressed hard enough to be forced to admit that this entire notion was bogus the “No” campaigners then “clarified” their position to say they really meant that Westminster would not agree to a currency union {see below}. This is entirely different but, perhaps hoping that a lot of people wouldn't notice this or wouldn't understand, “No” campaigners repeatedly returned to the “Scotland won't be able to use the pound" theme – the naughty little liars.
Who Said it and When? This would be a list that would stretch over many many pages. Just about every member of the no campaign said it, and said it over and over again. So did various Westminster ministers, politicians and puppet civil servants in the Treasury {who shouldn't be involved in this at all}.
What About the Currency Union? Following the final collapse of the big lie {when Darling was forced to admit this in the second televised debate} the notion of currency union had to be given great weightiness. It was now argued that it would be a tragic calamity for Scotland if it had a currency which was controlled by another country. What this ignores is that Scotland has a currency controlled by another country today – it is part of the UK package that the “No” campaign is trying to persuade the people of Scotland is so much better them Do you suppose that the Bank of England considers the needs of Scotland when it make policy decisions? Former Governor of the Bank of England, Eddie George, gave the lie to that years ago when he blurted out that unemployment in the North of England was a price worth paying to curb inflation in the South. If the BoE doesn't give a toss about the North of England, how much do you think it worries about Scotland?
