What's the main reason you don't live in Scotland?

Help me settle an argument pls

I’m not qualified there

It’s cold

i’m english, and the predominant popular and political culture in scotland seems irretrievably anti-English, mostly as a way of papering over Scotland’s own problems, and ironic since the Union was a reverse takeover by the Scottish crown and has only ever been favourably to Scotland.

The SNP seem to me the perfect combination of sanctimonious, inept, blown on the winds of fashion policy-wise and seemingly completely unaccountable to the people.

Scotland is effectively a one party state and has the least appealing political leadership in europe, *possibly* ex fellow one party states Russia and Belarus

NB I like Scotland and Scots and am perfectly happy sharing a nation-state with you guys. The h8 is one way tbh

I lived there for five years.  What others said about the weather. Not really the extremes but the length of winter. Starts in October ends in April. You then get five months of mild but overcast and midges.

Most Scots are absolutely fine obviously but the chip on the shoulder about the English can get really boring with some  - and I'm Welsh...

Beautiful country. I love to visit and have a soft spot for Glasgow but I would never live there again. 

Oh, and heh at "the Scotch are largely vile racists".

I'm sure there's a word for ascribing negative characteristics to a group of people based on where they're from. 

No real reason other than it being a long way from all the stuff and people I spend time on currently.

I agree the nationalism is a bit off putting, but it's always felt like any other racism, applied and spoken of generally, but much less commonly expressed individually, one on one. 

I like being central to lots of things, and everywhere seems to be miles away in Scotland. Places that look close on a map take a six hour drive.

Did live and work there for a while and enjoyed it.  Never had a problem with nationalism or whatnot.  But there was always going to be a ceiling without qualifying there and that would have been too much of a waste of time.

I see no reason why not. I wonder if I could pass as a Scotsman. Keep conversation brief and guarded. Just a few words. Aye. Pal. Don't go full Tam O'Shanter. Perhaps just a flash of Argyll sock to show allegiance. The undercover Englishman. 

Because my forefathers had the sense and means to march south. There is a branch of them and a street bearing our name in Dundee, which is a dour old place, and many in Perthshire (the original home of us lot) and scatterings throughout Glasgow and Clyde (Helensburgh). 
they are all bitten by the lack of sunlight and deeply embedded fear of spending money. They all think cheap loo roll made of clydebank shipworker’s sheet steel is good for the soul and central heating is the Devil’s finest tool of temptation. They are ok with it being dark at 8.30am and 3pm. They will signal their unbridled support for what you say with a falsetto ‘aye’ and raise one brow to say ‘over mah deid body pal’ . We call them the Passive McGressive side of the family. 

1. Qualified in Eng & Wales

2. Married to an alternative forrin, so more likely to move to that country 

3. They hate the English

That said, lots of rellies north of the border? 

I have lived there. It was dark and cold for too much of the year. I loved the people, except the resolutely anti-English ones of whom there was a surprisingly large number.

well, the new statesman has an article about how it's mostly cos of the weather

I am dubious about this cos it's not as though the UK is known for its clemency anywhere

there is def an anti-English problem but why does that translate to so few of the 150k Hong Kongers who have come to the UK picking Scotland?

I love England but I find the South suffocatingly overpopulated and it surprises me that people can tolerate it so readily

plus if you sold your flat in London you could buy a fckin mortgage free mansion in Stirlingshire

so, I don't know what the answer is really. I think we need to rebrand as a nordic powerhouse.

I essentially split my time between Edinburgh and London, but due to work spend more time in London. This also fits me being a half breed with one side of the family Scottish, the other English and growing up around the border. I'm not Scots Law qualified but have thought about doing it. Something like 8 exams and about a grand to get it done.

Edinburgh and Glasgow are both great cities to live in with lots to offer of themselves, and I like the ease of getting out of the city into the countryside. Last week I disappeared off to Arran for a couple of days. 

The politics and nationalism are not attractive. The idea some people seem to have that Scots are somehow better people than the English, should be looked down on and this is a reason to leave the Union is not true and not great. It looks a lot like Brexit did and has developed into an idea that UK nationalism bad but Scots good is wrong, they are both bad. The income tax thing is also a pain. 

scots constantly whine about being hard done by while simultaneously screwing over the English for decades - be it through the Barnett problem or with West Lothian problem

 

  • qualified in E&W;
  • lack of economic opportunity;
  • sh1t weather;
  • outside of Edinburgh and the nicer parts of Glasgow, the cities are sh1tholes with nothing to do except drink yourself to death;
  • oh...but the Highlands - yes, but from Easter to September it's all midge and roads jam packed with tourists and hugely inflated prices.  
  • at any given time 40-50% of the population want to leave the UK, despite there being no credible economic case to do so;
  • one party state run by mad socialists who believe women can self-identify as men;
  • everyone purports to be super tolerant and understanding, yet around 1/3 of the population are unashamedly and proudly racist against the English.
  • my home is the biggest single purchase I have ever made - and fook knows what will happen to the value of property if they do somehow manage to get independence.  

To give the argument credit, the Scottish electorate wanted neither Brexit nor Tories and got them anyway. However what they do vote for is no better. Sorry Rham.

i won't move back up (at the moment) largely because of the politics and everything else that Escaping Puppy said. Also i would have to take a massive pay cut to do the same job up there.

it is pretty frustrating that probably a fair few people wouldn't move here because of the politics but if they all did the politics might change! one of them vicious circles

Barney, not so much today, but in the past Labour had a stranglehold on the majority of Scottish Westminster seats and that swung elections. May do again in the future.

I have lived there before and really enjoyed it. Left mainly for better work opportunities and higher salaries (which are shockingly bad). I’m from a country that has worse weather so I actually didn’t mind it.

it's interesting so many people comment on the salaries because I think mine is pretty good and I don't think I could really improve on it in London (but then I am not in the NYC platinum boater tier employment market so this no doubt makes a difference)

My understanding of history is the Scots tried to have an empire but failed spectacularly and bankrupted themselves in the process.  They then went cap in hand to the English for a union and bail out.

Now they want to leave and fook themselves again?

A lot of the Hong Kongers did come here in Manchester, so it can't just be the weather. 

I think the lack of draw up to Scotland is more important than the things that put people off, so your Nordic rebranding idea is a good call. Attractions of the Scandi countries are based on general population health & happiness and brilliant public services. Something to think about.

Kindly explain how an issue that relates to MPs from regions with devolved parliaments/assemblies having a say in England-only legislation when English MPs don’t have a say in devolved matters is a “pro-England argument”.

🤡

Because the point raised by the MP for West Lothian was that the voting rules needed to be changed to resolve the inequity.

You're such a fooking dufus I honestly don't know how you stand yourself. It's not the being stupid, it's the being so cocky with it.

Because the point raised by the MP for West Lothian was that the voting rules needed to be changed to resolve the inequity.

But the rules haven’t been changed.  That’s the point.  

Look in the mirror. 

Seriously considered it for specialty training (would have earned more due to the quirks of the old contract, which they still have up there). One thing that put me off was the big question mark over independence. Did not fancy investing bigly in a country with that level of uncertainty

so few of the 150k Hong Kongers who have come to the UK picking Scotland?

I love England but I find the South suffocatingly overpopulated and it surprises me that people can tolerate it so readily

that won't be an issue for HKers, accustomed to be packed into a teeming city as they are.  Much more important is that economic opportunities in England are better.  

I cannot frankly see the Scots doing a Nordic rebranding, nor for that matter the SNP governing as compentently as any of the Scandinavian countries.  But I can't help but wonder sometimes if that arrow hadn't found Harold's eye at Hastings, how Britain as a whole would have turned out under Saxon rather than Norman rule.  

Too far away from the things I have as part of my life now. But we're contemplating it as an option at some point if the much postponed move to the country here doesn't play out.

oh and the education system too. Curriculum for Excellence sounds pretty terrible (and i think the Scottish Government has pulled out of international school education rankings because they were falling so far behind?)

cfe IS genuinely shyte but I'd imagine most roffers would send their kids private anyway

family who send their kids to state in London are planning to move up because said kids are getting to "mugged at knifepoint for your trainers" age

Pez' question about the arrow ar Hastings is an excellent one.  Equally,  had Godwinson not been over confident he might have decided not to face the Bastard in a pitched battle.

The Norman conquest remains the greatest cause of inequality in society. 

Lack of economic opportunities in FS and law + long cold winters and an unwelcoming tax regime. People and landscape lovely and well worth a visit otherwise. 

My father is scottish, born there, lived there until he was 18, and then went up to Pembroke College.

He never returned, although we did holiday there from time to time. In fairness much of his not returning may have had to do with his choice of career post uni. Investment Banking.

Mainly as I am E & W qualified and the property law system in Scotland seems to bear no relation to the E & W system so requalifying would probably be a challenge. 

When I was about 8, my family almost moved to Lerwick (we went and looked at schools and houses etc.) when my dad was offered a job working for local authority's engineering department but for some reason we didn't move in the end. I often wonder how life would have turned out if we had moved. 

would have earned more due to the quirks of the old contract, which they still have up there

Wow. Had no idea that they could pay junior doctors more money and end up with a worse health service. 

I thought more pay guaranteed better outcomes.