What currency would an Independent Scotland use?

[RyeSloan]

While not doubting there is a strong argument for Scottish Independence I am far from convinced that the SNP would be the party I would like to lead a 'free' country.

On perusing the SNP web site to find what policies they would propose for a free Scotland, rather than just proposing the fact of a free scotland I was struck by the lack of detail.

The most important detail that seemed to be lacking was what currency would Scotland use.

If it was to be the pound then where is the info on how Scotland would relate to the Bank of England and how would a Scottish Government be able to raise debt and how would it be backed?

If not the pound then the Euro...same questions apply.

To me this is a fundemental issue, central banks set the interest rates of the currency, this is THE main tool of any country to control it's economy and an 'independent' Scotland would have no control over either the ECB or the BOE.

The BoE would forever put Englands issues first while the ECB is a German/France carve up.

If the SNP propose our own currency how would they avoid the crisis currently enveloping Iceland??

Is there any avid SNPers out there prepared to try and show that they actually have a plan or are we expected to vote for an independent Scotland and only then work out just how the hell it would actually work??

[GlesgaeHibby]

I reckon they'd go for the euro, really strong currency just now.

[GreenandGlaikit]

Euro - Britain missed a big opportunity in retaining the Pound.

[Jack]

I think we should go back to the Scottish Groat.

[Mibbes Aye]

I'm not strong on the detail here, maybe someone like lyonhibs might confirm or elucidate, but an independent Scotland couldn't just adopt the euro as such, AFAIK.

There are convergence criteria that any applicant country's economy has to meet prior to consideration for admission.

I think applicant countries also have to have their currencies as part of the Exchange Rate Mechanism for at least two years prior to joining the Euro, to smooth the transition.

[RyeSloan]

I'm not strong on the detail here, maybe someone like lyonhibs might confirm or elucidate, but an independent Scotland couldn't just adopt the euro as such, AFAIK.

There are convergence criteria that any applicant country's economy has to meet prior to consideration for admission.

I think applicant countries also have to have their currencies as part of the Exchange Rate Mechanism for at least two years prior to joining the Euro, to smooth the transition.

Interesting....do you think Britain (what is left of it) would comply to enable Scotland to do so?

[Storar]

Cattle

[Green Mikey]

Euro - Britain missed a big opportunity in retaining the Pound.

Totally disagree, by retaining the pound Britain has kept control over the key instrument in controlling the economy.

The theoretical arguments for the Euro and the ECB are strong, however in practice the Euro has caused many woes. Attempting to apply a one size fits all policy for the diverse economies in the Eurozone has caused many disasters. Primarliy, the ECB has solely concentrated on the control of inflation, this policy has had a detrimental effect the other objectives of the ECB, such as encouraging economic growth and employment.

If Scotland were to become independent it would be economic suicide to join the Euro. The Euro was developed and still suits the needs of mature, large economies such as France and Germany. It does not suit a small, newly independent nation that will need bespoke economic policies.

[Scooter]

i just dont think scotland should become independant

[Dashing Bob S]

Euro. Agreed that the zenophobes in the Sun/Mail/Telegraph/Tories/New Labour have sold us down the river with their Little England claptrap. We should have been in the Euro by now and would have much greater protection against oncoming recession than with the toytown quid.

[steakbake]

just back from my annual jaunt to the continent. it seems there are many countries inside and outside the euro who are happy to accept their local currencies and euros.

incidentally, while there i learned that prudence himself, gordon brown, will be censured by the EU/ECB for mishandling the uk economy. we are running at a deficit of over 3%. even though we are not in the euro, this threatens the stability of other european countries' economies and therefore, a fine is usually the punishment.

[toaosi]

10 gadges to the radge:thumbsup:

[New Corrie]

It will be the "Krankie", a special coin that you can buy knives, cheap cider and Pie Suppers with. An SNP spokesman said, that should pretty much cover Scotland's requirements, although he is in talks trying to persuade tattoo parlours to accept the "krankie" for carrying out the lovely artwork we see so often (Kylie and Chantelle in Arabic) etc

[HibbyGuBrath]

It will be the "Krankie", a special coin that you can buy knives, cheap cider and Pie Suppers with. An SNP spokesman said, that should pretty much cover Scotland's requirements, although he is in talks trying to persuade tattoo parlours to accept the "krankie" for carrying out the lovely artwork we see so often (Kylie and Chantelle in Arabic) etc

Wow... I can almost taste the self-loathing :greengrin

[Future17]

Is there any avid SNPers out there prepared to try and show that they actually have a plan or are we expected to vote for an independent Scotland and only then work out just how the hell it would actually work??

I don't pretend to understand most of the economic strategy discussion with relation to your post but in discussions that have been had already, it was always theorised that an independent Scotland would retain the pound as a currency (just as we would retain the Queen as head of state).

I've never heard it discussed as a policy but I would imagine that Scotland would create it's own version of the Bank of England to serve a similar function.

At the moment the SNP are having to concentrate on delivering what they said they would at the election which brought them into power and improving the way we do things in devolved Scotland.

If they succeed in doing that, they'll have earned the platform to put forward a refferendum on independence and, in their campaign for a "yes" vote, they'll seek to answer all the questions required to provide maximum info for you to make your choice.

There's no point running before you've shown you can walk! :wink:

[Frazerbob]

Empty Globe juice bottles!

[Pretty Boy]

It will be the "Krankie", a special coin that you can buy knives, cheap cider and Pie Suppers with. An SNP spokesman said, that should pretty much cover Scotland's requirements, although he is in talks trying to persuade tattoo parlours to accept the "krankie" for carrying out the lovely artwork we see so often (Kylie and Chantelle in Arabic) etc

Good to see the modern Tories xenophobia isn't limited to the French and Germans.

[NYHibby]

incidentally, while there i learned that prudence himself, gordon brown, will be censured by the EU/ECB for mishandling the uk economy. we are running at a deficit of over 3%. even though we are not in the euro, this threatens the stability of other european countries' economies and therefore, a fine is usually the punishment.

So you're running a deficit and they decide to put you further in the hole by fining you? That makes a lot of economic sense...

[steakbake]

So you're running a deficit and they decide to put you further in the hole by fining you? That makes a lot of economic sense...

its a bit like banks charging. i suppose the fine is to try to ensure that governments take the issue seriously.

im not pro-eu, just heartily sick of labour going on about how well they run the economy. all the while, we have petrol pumps running out of petrol, food prices escalating and people only just getting it through their minds that perhaps the past 10 years wasn't a golden economic age after all but rather based on vastly inflating house prices and individual consumers buying things on credit which they are getting to a stage of not being able to afford. better late than never i suppose.

labour looking after the economy and doing a good job of it is one of the biggest political myths of all time. they cannot even look after their own party finances let alone those of the country.

[Lucius Apuleius]

I am not really pro EU however I have always believed that if you are in something you should try to lead it. Personally I would like the Euro as it might ram home to people in rip off Britain exactly how much more we are paying for things than our continental cousins.

[Hibster]

It will be the "Krankie", a special coin that you can buy knives, cheap cider and Pie Suppers with. An SNP spokesman said, that should pretty much cover Scotland's requirements, although he is in talks trying to persuade tattoo parlours to accept the "krankie" for carrying out the lovely artwork we see so often (Kylie and Chantelle in Arabic) etc

if you hate Scotland so much why don't you move to England, where of course there is no crime, no drinking, no obesity and certainly no chavs with daft names and crap tattoos

[New Corrie]

if you hate Scotland so much why don't you move to England, where of course there is no crime, no drinking, no obesity and certainly no chavs with daft names and crap tattoos


Maybe they also have a sense of humour there.

[blackpoolhibs]

I would have thought the euro, but glasgow would still keep the giro.:wink:

[TheBall'sRound]

I am not really pro EU however I have always believed that if you are in something you should try to lead it. Personally I would like the Euro as it might ram home to people in rip off Britain exactly how much more we are paying for things than our continental cousins.

Having just returned from a trip in Dublin I can safely say that I was happy to be back in the land of the cheap pound :greengrin

The only government in the UK to really use interest rates and circulation policies to any great effect was Thatcher's government of the 80's. Any expressed desire to join the Euro is roughly correlated to how well you did in that period, I have found.

Incidentally, if (when) Scotland were to gain independence it does not naturally follow that they would immediately be accepted in the EU. It may be that they will need to show a stable economy before that could happen which would necessitate the continued use of the pound (or another, new currency).

[steakbake]

Having just returned from a trip in Dublin I can safely say that I was happy to be back in the land of the cheap pound :greengrin

The only government in the UK to really use interest rates and circulation policies to any great effect was Thatcher's government of the 80's. Any expressed desire to join the Euro is roughly correlated to how well you did in that period, I have found.

Incidentally, if (when) Scotland were to gain independence it does not naturally follow that they would immediately be accepted in the EU. It may be that they will need to show a stable economy before that could happen which would necessitate the continued use of the pound (or another, new currency).

Quite so. There would be an application process.

Personally I hope when it happens, we'll see the good sense to stay out and retain our hard won sovereignty. Norway, Switzerland, Iceland all seem to do fine outside of the EU.

[Green Mikey]

Having just returned from a trip in Dublin I can safely say that I was happy to be back in the land of the cheap pound :greengrin

The only government in the UK to really use interest rates and circulation policies to any great effect was Thatcher's government of the 80's. Any expressed desire to join the Euro is roughly correlated to how well you did in that period, I have found.

Incidentally, if (when) Scotland were to gain independence it does not naturally follow that they would immediately be accepted in the EU. It may be that they will need to show a stable economy before that could happen which would necessitate the continued use of the pound (or another, new currency).

Sorry have to diagree with you there. The Thatcher government and subsequent Tory governments were notorious for their ruinous monetary policy. The lack of monetary discipline led to boom and bust situations.

The Labour government's decision to pass monetary policy to the Bank of England allowed for the sustained economic success in the UK economy for a number of years. However, the success of this policy has been undone by fiscal indicipline by Labour.

[RyeSloan]

Sorry have to diagree with you there. The Thatcher government and subsequent Tory governments were notorious for their ruinous monetary policy. The lack of monetary discipline led to boom and bust situations.

The Labour government's decision to pass monetary policy to the Bank of England allowed for the sustained economic success in the UK economy for a number of years. However, the success of this policy has been undone by fiscal indicipline by Labour.


:agree::agree:

Interesting to note the lack of any real answer, seems that no one really knows.

Just like no one really knows what an 'Independent' Scotland would be...where's the detail on currency, treasury, economy, tax, law, defence, foreign policy, nuclear arms etc etc, maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place or asking the wrong people but I don't really see this info anywhere.

I would have though that if Scotland was to be asked to vote for Independence we would know what we were voting for.

Maybe it's been years of 'Unionist' goverment (local, scottish and british) that has prevented the development of a detailed plan for an Independent Scotland but if we are ever to take on the task of being independent I rather we had a wee think about what we wanted first...countries of 5m people aint things really to play with for purely political or nationalistic reasons.

[Gary_Mc]

Any time I've seen Fat Eck questioned on this subject he has said that we would keep the Pound -controlled by the Bank of England - for the initial period anyway. The interviewer always then asks the question why would the bank of England allow you to continue using their currency and why would you be willing for the currency to be controlled by a ‘foreign’ country? He's never actually given a straight answer to it and has always looked a bit flustered – as he and the rest his party tend to do when they are asked of the practicalities of their core policy.

Independence is a noble but vastly flawed ideal that really isn't possible, or indeed necessary in the world of Realpolitik.

Things in the United Kingdom aren't great but they would be a whole lot worse in Scotland with the shower of Buffoons at Hollyrood in charge - especially over such an unstable and difficult period - where the country could easily be set back decades.

[Hibbyradge]

If Scotland becomes independent, the currency should be named the "Erratum" and be divided into 100 "Gaffes".

[Mili Tant]

Oh dear, do I smell a little New Labour bitterness in this contribution. Are these buffoons at Holyrood the same ones who have delivered free personal health care, abolished tuition fees, abolished bridge tolls etc and raised the confidence of our nation to levels unparalleled in modern times (at least since Ally McLeod's time). Of course there are no buffoons at Westminster are there. No snouts in the trough or weak spined New Labour MPs deciding to back Tony / Gordon to the hilt, even when it means illegal wars. Never mind the fiscal debate comrade, let's have the political / moral debate. Incidentally, the last policy of the SNP on this subject that I heard was to "track" the UK pound until such times as the Scottish people had a chance to decide on application for entry to the Euro

[Green Mikey]

Oh dear, do I smell a little New Labour bitterness in this contribution. Are these buffoons at Holyrood the same ones who have delivered free personal health care, abolished tuition fees, abolished bridge tolls etc and raised the confidence of our nation to levels unparalleled in modern times (at least since Ally McLeod's time). Of course there are no buffoons at Westminster are there. No snouts in the trough or weak spined New Labour MPs deciding to back Tony / Gordon to the hilt, even when it means illegal wars. Never mind the fiscal debate comrade, let's have the political / moral debate. Incidentally, the last policy of the SNP on this subject that I heard was to "track" the UK pound until such times as the Scottish people had a chance to decide on application for entry to the Euro

I don't think the issue here is to do with New Labour bitterness, it is more to do with the practicalities of the the SNP's primary policy. To found a political party and then win an election of the basis of creating an independent Scotland without having full explanation of how this policy would work in practice is astonishing. They have had plenty of time to formulate policies for an independent Scotland, their lack of fully formed ideas seems to indicate either a lack of understanding of how it would work or just palin incompetence.

The policies that the SNP have introduced have been crowd pleasers. I agree that many people will benefit from these policies, however in the long term I cannot see how these policies can be sustained without financial support from Westminster. The SNP has introduced policies that are based on continuing support from Westminster not for an independent country. Why have they not introduced policies to grow the economy and prepare the country for going it alone.

You talk of confidence, does this follow on from being the 'best small country in the world' line peddled by the SNP. This talk is both uninformed and dangerous. For people to believe that we are capable of being an independent country because we are more confident, shows a lack of insight akin to many of the ideas put forth by the SNP.

[steakbake]

I don't think the issue here is to do with New Labour bitterness, it is more to do with the practicalities of the the SNP's primary policy. To found a political party and then win an election of the basis of creating an independent Scotland without having full explanation of how this policy would work in practice is astonishing. They have had plenty of time to formulate policies for an independent Scotland, their lack of fully formed ideas seems to indicate either a lack of understanding of how it would work or just palin incompetence.

The policies that the SNP have introduced have been crowd pleasers. I agree that many people will benefit from these policies, however in the long term I cannot see how these policies can be sustained without financial support from Westminster. The SNP has introduced policies that are based on continuing support from Westminster not for an independent country. Why have they not introduced policies to grow the economy and prepare the country for going it alone.

You talk of confidence, does this follow on from being the 'best small country in the world' line peddled by the SNP. This talk is both uninformed and dangerous. For people to believe that we are capable of being an independent country because we are more confident, shows a lack of insight akin to many of the ideas put forth by the SNP.


I think you might find that this was Jack McConnell's idea for promoting Scotland.

Here's the "Best Small Country in the World" policy document and release, dated 2005, which I believe, places it firmly during McConnell's tenure. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/02/20758/53606

The SNP government saw the sense in scrapping the embarrasing tagline which stank to high heaven of our oft famed Scottish cringe.

I do not agree with everything that the SNP does, but what I do realise is that independence, or at the very least, full fiscal autonomy - as supported by the SNP, Greens, to an extent the fence sitters' collective (The LibDems) and sections of the Tories - would allow a Holyrood parliament - of whatever colour - to set the business rates, taxation rates and so forth. The economy needs stimulated further but if you don't have the dice to roll, then you can't play the game.

PS - you might also find this interesting, re: the financing of Scotland:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/briantaylor/2008/06/working_through_the_figures.html

[Green Mikey]

[QUOTE=blacksaltire;1646630]I think you might find that this was Jack McConnell's idea for promoting Scotland.

Here's the "Best Small Country in the World" policy document and release, dated 2005, which I believe, places it firmly during McConnell's tenure. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/02/20758/53606

The SNP government saw the sense in scrapping the embarrasing tagline which stank to high heaven of our oft famed Scottish cringe.
QUOTE]

Sorry my mistake, was trying to ake the point that being confident and believing hype doesn't always translate to the real world.

IMO the problem with having full fiscal autonomy is that Scotland would have little control over monetary policy. Interest rates would be still be set by the BoE, fiscal policy that was at odds with this would cause problems. Monetary and fiscal policy have to be developed in tandem, with out this interaction there can be grave consequences. Look at recent times in the UK, solid monetary policy coupled with high tax and borrowing on the fiscal side has left the Government in a huge deficit.

If the centre left policies advocated by the SNP need extra borrowing to finance them, how wouyld this tie in with UK wide montary policy?

[Jack]

:agree::agree:

Interesting to note the lack of any real answer, seems that no one really knows.

Just like no one really knows what an 'Independent' Scotland would be...where's the detail on currency, treasury, economy, tax, law, defence, foreign policy, nuclear arms etc etc, maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place or asking the wrong people but I don't really see this info anywhere.

I would have though that if Scotland was to be asked to vote for Independence we would know what we were voting for.

Maybe it's been years of 'Unionist' goverment (local, scottish and british) that has prevented the development of a detailed plan for an Independent Scotland but if we are ever to take on the task of being independent I rather we had a wee think about what we wanted first...countries of 5m people aint things really to play with for purely political or nationalistic reasons.

That’s the problem, no one knows!

The promised referendum will ask something along the lines of ‘Do you authorise us to negotiate independence form the UK?’

If the answer is yes then the idiots at Holyrood will negotiate the deal with the idiots at Westminster.

Whatever deal is negotiated will then be inform how these things will happen.


Incidentally the people of Scotland will not get another referendum to say if that deal is acceptable to them. So we could be well and truly shafted by this deal but the SNP in their desperation for independence could still say yes.

[steakbake]

That’s the problem, no one knows!

The promised referendum will ask something along the lines of ‘Do you authorise us to negotiate independence form the UK?’

If the answer is yes then the idiots at Holyrood will negotiate the deal with the idiots at Westminster.

Whatever deal is negotiated will then be inform how these things will happen.


Incidentally the people of Scotland will not get another referendum to say if that deal is acceptable to them. So we could be well and truly shafted by this deal but the SNP in their desperation for independence could still say yes.

How do you know that there wouldn't be a referendum to approve a deal?

So in your view, it's really best not to ask the question and let democracy take it's course, is that it?

Seems to be the view that our New Labour government takes on many things, such as the EU!

[Jack]

Lets start by me admitting the I think all the political parties are bigger liars than each other and I have no allegiance with any. It doesn’t stop me from being interested in politics.


How do you know that there wouldn't be a referendum to approve a deal?

Because the SNP have said so. During the last election on at least one occasion during a Scottish Newsnight programme. It was along the lines of by voting yes in the referendum the Scottish people have given us a mandate to negotiate a deal and then independence. There would be no need to go back to the people. The interviewer wasn’t that impressed and neither was I.


So in your view, it's really best not to ask the question and let democracy take it's course, is that it?

I think it’s a damn good idea to have a referendum and I think the question is OK too. However as things stand just now I would have to vote no.

I think it would be madness to vote yes when were not being given a chance to vote at stage 2, on the deal itself.

If we were to be given the chance to vote on the deal I would vote yes to the negotiations and have to see what way I would vote when details of the deal are known.

[RyeSloan]

Cool so far we have discovered that the SNP have nae idea as to what an indendent Scotland would actually look like and we as citzens seem totally in the dark as to what this would be, how it would be run or how it would be financed....great not.

Pretty pathetic really and really makes you wonder just what the SNP are proposing we vote for in a referendum.

[HibbyGuBrath]

Pretty pathetic really and really makes you wonder just what the SNP are proposing we vote for in a referendum.
They want you to vote on whether Scotland should have a Parliament with the powers of a fully sovereign state. Not on the SNP's particular view on what we should then do with those powers. After independence you'll be able to vote for whatever party you want to run the country not just the SNP.

Btw, I agree with Jack, it would make sense to have a confirmation referendum. I think it would be difficult to run though as some of the negotiations (e.g. Trident) could run on for years and years after we're already functioning as an independence state. It could be held after agreement was reached on some key assets etc.

[Lucius Apuleius]

They want you to vote on whether Scotland should have a Parliament with the powers of a fully sovereign state. Not on the SNP's particular view on what we should then do with those powers. After independence you'll be able to vote for whatever party you want to run the country not just the SNP.

Btw, I agree with Jack, it would make sense to have a confirmation referendum. I think it would be difficult to run though as some of the negotiations (e.g. Trident) could run on for years and years after we're already functioning as an independence state. It could be held after agreement was reached on some key assets etc.

My whole belief has been that the SNP should have a one word manifesto. "Independence". Once that is achieved there is no place for a Nationalist party. The voters would then decide what route an independent Scotland would go down.

[Future17]

At the moment the SNP are having to concentrate on delivering what they said they would at the election which brought them into power and improving the way we do things in devolved Scotland.

If they succeed in doing that, they'll have earned the platform to put forward a refferendum on independence and, in their campaign for a "yes" vote, they'll seek to answer all the questions required to provide maximum info for you to make your choice.

There's no point running before you've shown you can walk! :wink:



Interesting to note the lack of any real answer, seems that no one really knows.

Just like no one really knows what an 'Independent' Scotland would be...where's the detail on currency, treasury, economy, tax, law, defence, foreign policy, nuclear arms etc etc, maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place or asking the wrong people but I don't really see this info anywhere.

I would have though that if Scotland was to be asked to vote for Independence we would know what we were voting for.

Maybe it's been years of 'Unionist' goverment (local, scottish and british) that has prevented the development of a detailed plan for an Independent Scotland but if we are ever to take on the task of being independent I rather we had a wee think about what we wanted first...countries of 5m people aint things really to play with for purely political or nationalistic reasons.


Cool so far we have discovered that the SNP have nae idea as to what an indendent Scotland would actually look like and we as citzens seem totally in the dark as to what this would be, how it would be run or how it would be financed....great not.

Pretty pathetic really and really makes you wonder just what the SNP are proposing we vote for in a referendum.

Interesting that you've shown a total disregard for some of the info/opinions provided in reply to your original post and decided that you're going to draw your own conclusions to fit your own agenda.....which I presume was what you were actually itching to do when you started the thread.

[RyeSloan]

Interesting that you've shown a total disregard for some of the info/opinions provided in reply to your original post and decided that you're going to draw your own conclusions to fit your own agenda.....which I presume was what you were actually itching to do when you started the thread.

Not at all I'm genuinly interested in what fiscal powers an independent scotland would have...no one answered that question because it seems that there is no detail available.

That led me to think of the wider question of what else do we not know. Seems like it's vote for independence THEN find out what that might actually mean instead of a clear argument of what and why. Normally when people are asked to vote there is a raft of positions and policies put forward, all I see here is a vote for an ideal.

I firmly believe an Independent Scotland could be a very succesful move I'm just concerned that there seems to be little hard fact as to what that means in reality. As the SNP are the only party that base their existance on this aim I'm a bit dissapointed that they are not doing more to flesh out the argument rather than just play on anti westminster sentiment.

[Future17]

Not at all I'm genuinly interested in what fiscal powers an independent scotland would have...no one answered that question because it seems that there is no detail available.

That led me to think of the wider question of what else do we not know. Seems like it's vote for independence THEN find out what that might actually mean instead of a clear argument of what and why. Normally when people are asked to vote there is a raft of positions and policies put forward, all I see here is a vote for an ideal.

I firmly believe an Independent Scotland could be a very succesful move I'm just concerned that there seems to be little hard fact as to what that means in reality. As the SNP are the only party that base their existance on this aim I'm a bit dissapointed that they are not doing more to flesh out the argument rather than just play on anti westminster sentiment.

Fair enough, please accept my apologies.

My understanding is that the current SNP administration was elected to provide the best deal for Scotland's population in the current devolved set-up. It must deliver on that before even having thoughts on independence.

Having said that, obviously an independence refferendum is a big part of the SNP manifesto and will definitely come in time. When that time comes I'd expect to see the sort of detail you are talking about being discussed openly and at the forefront of Scottish politics for several months. Essentially there will be no place for the "Yes" and "No" camps to hide as their case must be on the table for every one to see.

However, for now I think it's important that the SNP continues to try and prove their worth as a governing party before rushing into any independence chat as the failure of an SNP-led devolved government would mean the death of the concept of Scottish independence for those currently undecided....at least in the short-term.

FWIW, I'm not a follower of any party in particular. I do like the idea of Scottish independence and think it would be beneficial but it has to be about more than "getting away from the English" as some sections of support seem to believe. I hope when the time comes, the case is made and made well.

[Iain G]

I am not really pro EU however I have always believed that if you are in something you should try to lead it. Personally I would like the Euro as it might ram home to people in rip off Britain exactly how much more we are paying for things than our continental cousins.

Hahaha, rip off Britain, you should try living in NZ matey and see how far your money just doesn't actually go on anything...I honestly don't know how a Kiwi earning the countries average wage (around $30k) survives living here, no wonder they are all off to Aussie and the UK to make some cash... :brickwall

[Lucius Apuleius]

Hahaha, rip off Britain, you should try living in NZ matey and see how far your money just doesn't actually go on anything...I honestly don't know how a Kiwi earning the countries average wage (around $30k) survives living here, no wonder they are all off to Aussie and the UK to make some cash... :brickwall

Having spent mucho time in the land of Kiwis, from the Bay of Islands all the way down to Bluff and Invercargill, I never found it that expensive to be honest. Dearer than Oz land yep, probably comparable to the UK for most things, which would indicate you are getting ripped off as well. Why do people not go to the States? That is where everything seems to be cheap.