Posted on 07/15/2012 11:03:50 AM PDT by robowombat
Scotland's 'explosive' push to secede from the U.K. Scotland's first minister promises to hold a referendum on Scottish independence. Could it really succeed? POSTED ON JANUARY 13, 2012, AT 5:21 PM
Scottish nationalists have dreamed of independence for centuries, and now, Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond is really trying to pull it off. Salmond has announced plans to hold a referendum in fall 2014 on breaking away from the United Kingdom, setting off a week of friction between Edinburgh and London. Will Scotland and the U.K. really part ways? Here's what you should know:
What exactly is Scotland's relationship to the U.K.? More than 300 years ago, Scotland and England were joined by the Act of Union that formally created the U.K. (the two nations, though separate, had already been ruled by one king for more than a century). Today, Queen Elizabeth II is still Scotland's head of state. Scotland has a government, legal system, and parliament of its own, in addition to representatives in the U.K. Parliament.
And Scotland wants independence? Some Scots do. Such talk has been percolating ever since 1707, when the U.K. was formed. But over the centuries, there didn't seem to be much chance that the split would actually happen. Now, says Alex Massie at The Daily Beast, "for the first time since Bonnie Prince Charlie led an army of Highland Scots into England in 1745, the survival of the United Kingdom is in doubt."
What's driving this latest push? In the 1980s, conservative Tories failed to deliver a promised referendum to establish a Scottish assembly and faced a brutal backlash from voters. The Labor party didn't want to make the same mistake, and in 1997, a referendum passed leading to the creation of the Scottish Parliament. There, resurgent Scottish national sentiment has thrived. One major driver: The common wisdom that unity with its larger neighbor was essential for Scotland's prosperity has eroded over the last few decades, particularly as Scotland's heavy industry declined.
But why now? Last May, Salmond's Scottish National Party won 69 of Parliament's 129 seats. It was "a thumping, astonishing victory" when you consider there are five parties in the system, Massie says, and the seemingly clear and overwhelming mandate made a referendum on independence "inevitable." Indeed, it makes perfect sense that this would be happening now, says Heather Horn at The Atlantic. Europe is in the grip of a painful economic crisis, and "nationalism surges as economies stagnate."
So is this the end of the union? Not necessarily. A referendum is bound to be "explosive," says Anna Tomforde at Monsters and Critics. And its success or failure could depend on many variables — such as whether it's a yes-or-no vote on full independence, or a multi-question ballot with a middle-ground option maintaining an element of unity. Despite Salmond's popularity, polls suggest most Scots don't actually support full independence. Thirty-five percent want to be a completely separate nation, while 55 percent remain opposed. So the government in London, which at first insisted that British Parliament would have to OK any vote, is now pushing for a referendum as soon as possible, says Agence France Presse, so Salmond won't have time to win over a majority.
Sources: AFP, Atlantic, Daily Beast, Guardian, Monsters and Critics, Telegraph
Yes, I did realize those numbers you mention.
As I mentioned above, the public employment numbers are, in part, a result of the NHS in the UK. All doctors, nurses, EMT’s, et al are considered public employees.
And, to not put too fine a point on it, there are many counties in the US where the public sector employment is north of 25%. They, like Scotland, tend to be rural areas with lots of ag producers.
The Scots can do what they will and maybe their economy takes a hit to the head. I’m all for breaking up the UK and getting rid of one of the largest makers of mischief in world history. These morons have sucked us into one war after another, not entirely to our benefit.
“The Scots can do what they will and maybe their economy takes a hit to the head. I’m all for breaking up the UK and getting rid of one of the largest makers of mischief in world history. These morons have sucked us into one war after another, not entirely to our benefit.”
Scotland is tiny - it leaving the UK will not break up the UK in terms of influence as that is almost entirely a synonym for England.
I am English and therefore a ‘moron’ according to you - perhaps you might like to backup your ignorant rant and explain which wars we’ve sucked you into?
Now the thinking behind this i would love to read.
Still i suppose if your nation is able to be criticised for its actions ,it has at least done something worthy of note.
Well, we certainly had a large hand in creating the US. Whether you consider that mischief, serendipity or altruism is rather subjective. :)
Not so - the landowners responsible for the worst of the Clearances were themselves Scots.
The banking liabilities in the world due to derivatives gone mad are the largest in London and NYC. If the Scots (and anyone else) can isolate their national treasuries from having to backstop the large banks, then that alone is a sound reason to want to split off.
Unfortunately for your thesis, some of the most irresponsible behaviour by British banks prior to the 2008 crash actually came from Scottish-based institutions, RBS and HBOS. The Edinburgh moneymen, once a byword for probity and prudence, had their noses in the trough as deep as anybody else.
1—No.
The Scots Muslim population is tiny, and is much more integrated than parts of England. And the ‘heid chiefs’ of the Scots Muslim community, like Bashir Maan, have worked hard to integrate and to clamp down on any potential terrorism problem.
In fact the only Scots Muslim terrorist has been a WHITE convert from Dundee!. Even the two who attacked Glasgow Airport were English and Indian.
The worst Muslim act here was a racist murder of a white teenager in Glasgow. For which the scum were jailed. And it was the POLICE, not the Glasgow Muslim community, who denied early that it was racial. The GM community said it was very early.
1—No.
The Scots Muslim population is tiny, and is much more integrated than parts of England. And the ‘heid chiefs’ of the Scots Muslim community, like Bashir Maan, have worked hard to integrate and to clamp down on any potential terrorism problem.
In fact the only Scots Muslim terrorist has been a WHITE convert from Dundee!. Even the two who attacked Glasgow Airport were English and Indian.
The worst Muslim act here was a racist murder of a white teenager in Glasgow. For which the scum were jailed. And it was the POLICE, not the Glasgow Muslim community, who denied early that it was racial. The GM community said it was very early.
Even as a staunch pro-union Tory, I have to point out that the subsidy idea is a pernicious myth, and where some ‘subsidy’ has existed, due to the Barnett Formula, it has to be pointed out that the BF exists because until its foundation, Scotland and Wales had been UNDER-funded by the UK.
That said, I, as a Scot, support its abolition.
Scotland contributes 8.5% to the British economy, and has 8% of the UK population.
I agree, as a Scot, that our socialist bent is depressing, but the idea that we are a worthless parasite is nonsense.
Even as a pro-union Tory, I think thats drivel.
Plenty of the lords were Scots.
‘English lords’ is a nationalist myth.
Eventually, England is going to say, “Well.....bye.”
Unfortunately, now that Rangers FC went belly up, can’t even look forward to anymore good Celtic vs Rangers brawls.
“Explosive push”? Sorry, I already made my Mark Renton “Trainspotting” joke for the day.
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