Furunculus Maneuver: Adopt a highly logical position on a controversial subject where you cannot disagree with the merits of the proposal, only disagree with an opinion based on fundamental values. - Beskar
Days since the Apocalypse began
"We are living in space-age times but there's too many of us thinking with stone-age minds" | How to spot a Humanist
"Men of Quality do not fear Equality." | "Belief doesn't change facts. Facts, if you are reasonable, should change your beliefs."
how so?
if someone is going to invest tens of billions tunneling from ireland to the british mainland, which will provide a better economic return:
> the wilds of an economically dead part of scotland
> or the M4 towards Cardiff and London
what does that have to do with british nationalism?
Furunculus Maneuver: Adopt a highly logical position on a controversial subject where you cannot disagree with the merits of the proposal, only disagree with an opinion based on fundamental values. - Beskar
Well, for a start, it would be significantly more expensive to cross there, it would be cheaper to have it further north and for companies to simply have headquarters and a route up there. This would increase economic trade and commerence in Scotland and Northern Ireland away from London, which is good for Britain. Also, by connecting Britain together, there can be an easy increase in Britishness, instead of looking at Northern Ireland as "over there" simply because you cannot drive there, and with a tunnel this is gone. Also, this would integrate Britain more. I always wondered why on packaging it goes "For Britain (except Northern Ireland)", this would get rid of things like that, and make Northern Ireland more British.
Also arguably, perhaps having two tunnels, one in the north and one from Wales might be a good thing.
Days since the Apocalypse began
"We are living in space-age times but there's too many of us thinking with stone-age minds" | How to spot a Humanist
"Men of Quality do not fear Equality." | "Belief doesn't change facts. Facts, if you are reasonable, should change your beliefs."
unfortunately this statist view of the world, where central management and regulation can bring about a happier and more ordered society, has never been proved to work before. :)
build an economic case to make a tunnel between NI and scotland and it might well happen, otherwise........
Furunculus Maneuver: Adopt a highly logical position on a controversial subject where you cannot disagree with the merits of the proposal, only disagree with an opinion based on fundamental values. - Beskar
I am not a believer of central managemeent, hence why I suggested aspects of management should move north to Scotland and Northern Ireland, opposed to just sitting in London like you suggested. I believe that ultimately, there should be universal aspects to somethings, as evidence by economics of scale and otherthings, but many aspects I believe should be far more local. For example, Foreign policy should be a national aspect, collecting the garbage should be local, etc. Other aspects should be regional, as such, I believe in having democratic regional assemblies which only act on regional issues. This would also be in your boat as it gets rid of the "West Lothian" question, where Scottish MP's decide on policies that wouldn't affect them. The national body would only do matters which affect things nationally.
I also believe the British Isles should be interconnected, if we aren't, then what is the point in it being British? In this same vain, I think the Falklands should be independent, but if they want close ties to Britain, still have the Queen, etc, that is perfectly acceptable.
Last edited by Beskar; 03-10-2010 at 14:16.
Days since the Apocalypse began
"We are living in space-age times but there's too many of us thinking with stone-age minds" | How to spot a Humanist
"Men of Quality do not fear Equality." | "Belief doesn't change facts. Facts, if you are reasonable, should change your beliefs."
what you say here i agree with, but your example jars with that ambition by suggesting the tunnel should be north to push business north.
as to regional assemblies, getting OT, but i disagree with them as planned by labour as they were merely another layer of government between national and local. if you meant devolution from westminster to edinburgh or cardiff them i am broadly agreed.
Furunculus Maneuver: Adopt a highly logical position on a controversial subject where you cannot disagree with the merits of the proposal, only disagree with an opinion based on fundamental values. - Beskar
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