Re: Scottish Referendum : Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:26 pm  

LeagueDweeb wrote:

It seems the Better Together campaign have now attempted to use the Royal Mail as another scare tactic.

An 'expert' has suggested there will be a substantial increase in postage costs post any Yes vote. No Royal Mail financial figures were used in the calculations, with the Royal Mail stating that they were not going to become involved & that the decision was entirely for the Scottish people.

The now majority-privatised Royal Mail has made no secret of the extra expense it incurs delivering and collecting mail from the highlands & islands, so they would simply apply the same rates as they charge for delivery to any other non-UK country in Europe. I'd fully expect any independent courier to reach the same conclusion.

That's not pressure from the No Campaign, it's simply the free market recognising an opportunity

Re: Scottish Referendum : Mon Sep 15, 2014 7:02 am  

cod'ead wrote:

The now majority-privatised Royal Mail has made no secret of the extra expense it incurs delivering and collecting mail from the highlands & islands, so they would simply apply the same rates as they charge for delivery to any other non-UK country in Europe. I'd fully expect any independent courier to reach the same conclusion.

That's not pressure from the No Campaign, it's simply the free market recognising an opportunity

Would be a very simple accounting procedure to split the country into two cost centres, Scotland vs The Rest and then apply commercial principles to the Scotland deliveries, and not surprising if they do - if anyone has noticed and compared, this years small parcel rates are at least 50% higher than last years since the small parcel definitions were re-graded downwards, an increase that slipped under the compliant press radar (probably didn't go un-noticed but unreported anyway), the private courier service that is Royal Mail now only make headlines when the price of a letter stamp goes up.

Re: Scottish Referendum : Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:46 pm  

cod'ead wrote:

The now majority-privatised Royal Mail has made no secret of the extra expense it incurs delivering and collecting mail from the highlands & islands, so they would simply apply the same rates as they charge for delivery to any other non-UK country in Europe. I'd fully expect any independent courier to reach the same conclusion.

That's not pressure from the No Campaign, it's simply the free market recognising an opportunity

There's no evidence prices will go up. The claim isn't based on any actual financial details provided by Royal mail. BBC ran the story with a film. If it wasn't to back the No campaign, why even run the story when it's not based on anything but unfounded guesswork?

Some on the Yes side are now using the oil card late in the day, by claiming the MoD & nuclear subs blocked oil exploration in the Firth of Clyde during the 80's.

Darling & the No campaign seem to have adopted a victim mentality with claims of unspecified dirty tricks & internet shenanigans. The positivity 7 momentum certainly appears to be on the Yes side, but I'd still see it as a huge surprise if they won.

Interesting that the Labour & Lib Dem factions of the No coampaign don't want to address the Lothian question & don't want to go down the route of an English Parliament. They prefer the regional devolution model, which serves them in trying to keep the electoral dangers of losing large chunks of MP's in check. Exactly the sort of self preservation by the political class that gave rise to the current situation in Scotland.

Re: Scottish Referendum : Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:53 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

Maybe, but Blair was undoubtedly the Great White Hope of British politics at the time. He even managed to get a previously anti-Labour Sun newspaper to switch sides - Unfortunately, he was a bit of a anti-climax.... Salmond will go the same way, because, like most 'opposition' parties do, all he has had to do is make empty promises. Once left with the keys to power, most of these 'charismatic' leaders are usually exposed as chancers - Salmond will be no different.

Blair was window dressing. Middle class white male to airbrush Foot, Kinnock et al from recent memory. Salmond is already the choice of the Scottish people. They know what they are getting & have a far more informed vote on that basis.

Re: Scottish Referendum : Mon Sep 15, 2014 1:28 pm  

LeagueDweeb wrote:

Blair was window dressing. Middle class white male to airbrush Foot, Kinnock et al from recent memory. Salmond is already the choice of the Scottish people. They know what they are getting & have a far more informed vote on that basis.

utter bullshine, Salmond is like a line from a Housemartins Song "don't marry her, f'k me"

he will be gone in 6 months, whatever decision is made.

Re: Scottish Referendum : Mon Sep 15, 2014 4:10 pm  

Standee wrote:

utter bullshine, Salmond is like a line from a Housemartins Song "don't marry her, f'k me"

Beautiful South.

Re: Scottish Referendum : Mon Sep 15, 2014 4:11 pm  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

Beautiful South.

Paul Heaton, same band, slightly different line up and name.

Re: Scottish Referendum : Mon Sep 15, 2014 4:22 pm  

Standee wrote:

Paul Heaton, same band, slightly different line up and name.

Jacqui Abbott was the lead singer in Don't Marry Her. She was never in The Housemartins. So saying DMH was a H song was a schoolboy error. Even when an error is completely clear you'll still struggle to admit it.

Re: Scottish Referendum : Mon Sep 15, 2014 4:32 pm  

Dear Mr Salmond, here is your booty, on a plate. Courtesy of D.Cameron.

(and LGFFW, Heaton wrote it)

Re: Scottish Referendum : Mon Sep 15, 2014 4:36 pm  

LeagueDweeb wrote:

There's no evidence prices will go up. The claim isn't based on any actual financial details provided by Royal mail. BBC ran the story with a film. If it wasn't to back the No campaign, why even run the story when it's not based on anything but unfounded guesswork?

Don't you think if it was bullshit, Royal Mail may actually have come out in public and said so?

Even the Beeb aren't going to simply make up stories like this, they will have been primed by a RM insider