For those that don't know, in recent years the SNP, Scottish Nationalist Party, has been increasing in popularity and power in Scotland. The SNP support an independent Scotland, entirely separate from the United Kingdom. There's been a general growth in feeling in the country ever since the SNP entered into minority government that independence is becoming more and more likely, boosted now by the complete self-destruction of the Labour Party - historically very popular in Scotland - which saw the SNP become the largest party in Scotland in the recent European elections and thoughts that they might possibly achieve majority government in the next election.
Down south in England I'm sure many of you will know that the Conservative Party, historically rather unpopular in Scotland, is pretty much guaranteed to replace Labour as the ruling party within the next 10 months. Not only is this expected to push even more scots towards the SNP in order to get as far away from the Tories as possible, but the Tories have said they would be happy with an independent Scotland - indeed with Scotland separate from the UK the Conservative Party would have a more or less unbreakable grip on British politics for the foreseeable future.
There will be a referendum on independence next year. It's hard to know how it'll turn out, different opinion polls says different things but at the least it will result in significant further devolution. The economic crisis might dissuade scots from making any major changes right now, although this could perhaps work in reverse for an independent Scotland would have complete rights to it's oil in the North Sea which is currently being usurped by England.
I was wondering what views you guys have on all this. I'd be interested to know what you Americans might think of the idea of a separate sovereign Scotland. And of course if there are any Scots about I'd love to know what you think.
I have some family in Scotland but being of Irish descent they're obviously voting SNP. For those that care, many of the loyalists in Northern Ireland are actually of Scottish descent (Ulster Scots) rather than English, and were their home country to declare independence from the UK it's hard to imagine what kind of tenable claim they'd have left on keeping NI part of the United Kingdom.
Also, I imagine an independent Scotland would boost nationalist sentiment in Wales... maybe even Cornwall :lol
As this article points out though: http://www.newsweek.com/id/209953
The UK as we know it isn't what it used to be and the ties holding it's various constituent countries together are weaker than ever before. It might not be long before the British Isles consists of more than just 2 nations. I for one would like this; in an EU where it's so easy to move around, more diverse and unique cultural regions benefits us all really, and economic policy is usually better when tailored to the specific needs of each area.
Down south in England I'm sure many of you will know that the Conservative Party, historically rather unpopular in Scotland, is pretty much guaranteed to replace Labour as the ruling party within the next 10 months. Not only is this expected to push even more scots towards the SNP in order to get as far away from the Tories as possible, but the Tories have said they would be happy with an independent Scotland - indeed with Scotland separate from the UK the Conservative Party would have a more or less unbreakable grip on British politics for the foreseeable future.
There will be a referendum on independence next year. It's hard to know how it'll turn out, different opinion polls says different things but at the least it will result in significant further devolution. The economic crisis might dissuade scots from making any major changes right now, although this could perhaps work in reverse for an independent Scotland would have complete rights to it's oil in the North Sea which is currently being usurped by England.
I was wondering what views you guys have on all this. I'd be interested to know what you Americans might think of the idea of a separate sovereign Scotland. And of course if there are any Scots about I'd love to know what you think.
I have some family in Scotland but being of Irish descent they're obviously voting SNP. For those that care, many of the loyalists in Northern Ireland are actually of Scottish descent (Ulster Scots) rather than English, and were their home country to declare independence from the UK it's hard to imagine what kind of tenable claim they'd have left on keeping NI part of the United Kingdom.
Also, I imagine an independent Scotland would boost nationalist sentiment in Wales... maybe even Cornwall :lol
As this article points out though: http://www.newsweek.com/id/209953
The UK as we know it isn't what it used to be and the ties holding it's various constituent countries together are weaker than ever before. It might not be long before the British Isles consists of more than just 2 nations. I for one would like this; in an EU where it's so easy to move around, more diverse and unique cultural regions benefits us all really, and economic policy is usually better when tailored to the specific needs of each area.
