Is it that bad in Scotland, Gillian? Here in England we don't hear too much about the campaigning, and I think I've only heard one discussion about it thus far in the office...

I have about 20 Scottish friends here in Norfolk and most don't have a vote, but I think they'd vote 'no' if they had the opportunity (perhaps understandably as they're living south of the border!) 

I'm a Scotophile (have I just made up a new word?)  - my mum's from Sutherland - so personally I'd be really sad to see a formal separation, though to be honest I'm not sure if the impact of it would be felt strongly here in rural Norfolk...

I'm glad you don't think I"m right in sensing some hardening of English attitudes - perhaps I'm just being hyper-sensitive as I'd hate anything to undermine English/Scottish relations (or English/Irish and English/Welsh for that matter)....I'm a unionist through and through, though like you I think of myself as English first and British second! 

And wow - do you really not appear on some maps of the British Isles? Really?!?! Now, I didn't know that!!! 

I'm English and I'd be sad to see Scotland vote for independence, but I fear that even if Scotland votes to remain in the UK, some damage has already been done just by having the referendum. English attitudes are hardening towards our northern kin and their perceived disloyalty.

In my personal experience, until perhaps 5 (or even 2) years ago, if a sports team of any of the 'home nations' (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales) was playing a foreign nation, the English unquestioningly supported the home nation against the foreign one. I've seen entire pubs of English fans cheering on Scottish, Welsh or Irish teams (unless of course it was an Enland/Ireland, England/Scotland or England/Wales competition, in which case the English would naturally support England). 

However, a few years ago it became widely reported in the English press that when England played a foreign team, the Scots, Welsh and Irish would support the foreign team and hope that England was defeated...the English perceived this as disloyalty to the home nations, and the referendum has exacerbated that sense of betrayal for some people. 

Over the past two years I've watched perhaps 40 football and rugby games in various pubs all over the UK, and I've noticed that its becoming increasingly frequent for the English to support the foreign team if they're playing Scotland, in a form of 'tit for tat' disloyalty to Scotland.  It seems indicative of a wider turning against Scotland which makes me sad - and I hope I'm mistaken!!! 

I think as a combined nation we're stronger together...we're family, and we should stay together, even if we don't always see eye to eye on everything. 

I personally believe that such demands arise due to real or percieved discrimination the ethnic or culturally different minorites feel. It is seldom about money. It is about the recognition of their distinct identity and a reasonable sharing of power in the united country.

If the government is able to make these people feel that their distinct identity will not be tempered with and all their genuine concerns will be addressed swiftly and they will have an equal say in matters specifically related to their culture or language, it would be much easier to handle such situations. Once that is taken care of, some genuine concerns related to equal opportunities in jobs/business will also arise. It is the job of the government to do the balancing act. We usually do not see these things simmering in advance, and when they erupt, in most cases the first reaction of the governments is to dismiss such demands with contempt. That is where situation can escalate. The governments should handle such situations with prudence. Wise governments will take precautionary measures and would not even let such situations simmer.

contnd...........

Well hopefully if the Scots vote in the referendum to remain as part of the UK, it will assuage the hurt feelings of the English. Not that I think many Scottish people are particularly bothered that some English feelings have been hurt...

A 'no' vote in the referendum should put the issue of a separate Scotland to bed for a generation...by the time the next generation votes on the matter, a lot more water will have flowed under the bridge. 

I am half English, half Scottish, and the halves are very different.

I do not think Scotland will actually depart from 'Britain.' It will be close, but I think they will vote to stay. I think.

In Britain UKIP is gaining ground (the UK Independence Party). They want to split from Europe. By 'Europe' we mean the EU. Many think we should come out of the EU.

It's not that we don't like continental Europe - we simply want to claw back powers we seem to have lost to Brussels. We want our borders back. We want control. Or, at least, many of us do.

I think many European countries feel the same - that they should regain control.

How do you French and Germans and Portuguese and Italians feel?????