Get a lot of money from all of the Oil they have and make a name for themselves on the world market

This. I'm not sure there would be any actual benefits to the UK from leaving, since they've still got that budget rebate from Thatcher's time that means they actually pay a lot less than they should given their size.

However, the EU has a very bad image in the UK (and in most other European countries I'd guess) because it makes a very handy scapegoat.
I can't speak for other countries, but in France anytime something happens that people don't like, our politicians and "journalists" blame the EU.
And afterwards they act surprised when they find out the EU isn't popular among most people.

Indeed. Last time I checked we're a net exporter of electricity and we receive less money from the UK government than we pay in, among other things.

Honestly, I'd just be happy to be given the choice.

The way I see it, if we stay in the EU, we can join other EU citizens in getting fscked over by politicians from all over the place as well as our home grown politicians. If we leave, we can enjoy getting fscked over only by our home grown politicians.

We're getting fscked either way, but at least with the second option, it'll be easier to get to where they live when the revolution comes :-)

You won't get most of the NSO fields... the border line goes out 20 miles at a line following the last part of the land border... Scotland actually loses a fair chunk of the field. Add to that you'd also get your banking debt back, lose your armed forces revenue, postal service and a few hundred other things (you'd have to buy back) and Scotland actually starts in debt... It's a good dream but with things how they are you'd be better off with devo+ than independent .

The EU is a scapegoat and it's been the dream of the tories since they realised the EU courts could stop some of their more unpopular moves to get out of it. The UK is now better off inside the EU than out and tbh would probably still be better off joining the euro than it is now.

Well I don't really know about the rest of Europe but over here the EU kind of pissed all over my basic voting rights a few months ago and they are still humping us like we were some low grade charity case citizens. Mrs Merkel and Mr Barroso can choke on a wurst and rot in hell for all I care. They keep protecting the same assholes that ran this country into the ground (even more than it had already been) and scream that it's the end of democracy if anyone dares to stand up to them.

Your surplus takes into account the oil revenue, which won't last forever.
Furthermore, there are a lot of expenses associated with becoming independent versus autonomous, like an army, a Foreign office, building embassies, that kind of stuff. For a small country, that takes a lot out of its budget, oil or not.

You also need to take into account the fact that your primary trading partner is the UK, and that if you go independent, you'll likely lose a lot of business there, due to resentment and potential tax duties.

Basically, you CAN pull it off, but it'll be nowhere near as easy as you make it sound, and if your politicians screw up (as politicians always seem to), you'll likely be screwed once the oil reserves dry up.

Yeah good luck with that revolution even when your government got your people outgunned with, Jets, Special Forces like the SAS, and hell even Nukes.

This is not the 18th century where they have Muskets and the people have Muskets aswell, and you are not like those underdeveloped nations like Libya where Gaddafi's army pales in comparison to the world superpowers.

I'd like to see the UK leave the EU, then England leave the UK, then London leave England, then Muswell Hill leave London, and then my street leave Muswell Hill

I could go further and have my family leave my street, but I like some of the people on my street and there are some elderly and ill folks here I don't mind helping out, so I'm happy to be part of my street.

My street wouldn't make me pay for all kinds of shit I don't believe in, nor would it attempt to intervene in the affairs of other nations, and I'd feel like my voice was being heard in a group this size.

So yeah, let's devolve. I'm down with that.

I think they shouldn't and I guess they won't. I think the advantages of staying in the EU are much greater than the disadvantages although they might be able to negotiate a special status, aka member light with less obligations and less rights.

1) It was a joke. Not a great joke, but a joke.

2) When revolutions come, do you think it's just the civvies that take part?

3) All things being equal, what do you think the odds are of a solider opening fire on a crowd of civvies when his or her mother, father, sister, brother or best friends are in said crowd? I'd like to think 'not that high'

4) If a revolution ever did happen, British society would, at the kick-off point, be so utterly fscked already I doubt we'd have much of a military force. Hell, the army's being cut by 20,000, we've lost our carriers until 2016 at least, they scrapped the fleet air arm...

5) Nukes? Really? ¬_¬

According to XE, the Euro is currently worth on average 20% more than the Pound, and double the US Dollar. I sure as heck wouldn't be complaining if the Aussie dollar was worth that much.

Well hey I don't know what a Civil War/Revolution would look like in a Superpower nation like the UK, China, and the US of A.

That´s false, The UK contribute with much less money than any other country (related with GDP/PCI) since Margaret Thacher´s government.