Posted By: Lilo
Scottish Independence? - 02/29/12 12:40 AM
I thought this was an interesting piece. I didn't realize how lightly Scotland is populated compared to the rest of Great Britain. How likely is Scottish independence and what would that mean for the UK?
Will Scotland Go Its Own Way
Will Scotland Go Its Own Way
Quote:
The Breakup of Britain”? It sounds like a fantasy fiction title. To many people across the world, including the English themselves, it is inconceivable that this deep-rooted United Kingdom, the oldest royal democracy in the world, could split apart.
In the last few weeks, however, official London has panicked over the rising clamor of voices from all over the British Isles suddenly agreeing that the archaic structure of “Great Britain” is overdue for a shake-up — even a breakup.
Nowhere are these voices in better harmony than in Scotland. If “Britain” is more than a word on a passport, why do most Scots now feel their primary identity is not British? What would it mean to be English if the Scots walked away? And should the Welsh follow them? A fresh wind of new ideas is blowing from Scotland and tempting all the queen’s subjects to reimagine their identities.
Last month Alex Salmond, Scotland’s first minister and the leader of the Scottish National Party, introduced a “consultation document” on a referendum to decide his nation’s future. After an unexpected triumph in last year’s elections to the Scottish Parliament, the party is now fulfilling its promise: a vote to declare independence.
If Mr. Salmond has his way, the vote will take place in 2014, just shy of 700 years after King Robert the Bruce defeated the English at Bannockburn. And he wants only one question on the ballot paper: “Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?”....
In the last few weeks, however, official London has panicked over the rising clamor of voices from all over the British Isles suddenly agreeing that the archaic structure of “Great Britain” is overdue for a shake-up — even a breakup.
Nowhere are these voices in better harmony than in Scotland. If “Britain” is more than a word on a passport, why do most Scots now feel their primary identity is not British? What would it mean to be English if the Scots walked away? And should the Welsh follow them? A fresh wind of new ideas is blowing from Scotland and tempting all the queen’s subjects to reimagine their identities.
Last month Alex Salmond, Scotland’s first minister and the leader of the Scottish National Party, introduced a “consultation document” on a referendum to decide his nation’s future. After an unexpected triumph in last year’s elections to the Scottish Parliament, the party is now fulfilling its promise: a vote to declare independence.
If Mr. Salmond has his way, the vote will take place in 2014, just shy of 700 years after King Robert the Bruce defeated the English at Bannockburn. And he wants only one question on the ballot paper: “Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?”....
the trouble with England is it's full of English.. otherwise I love England 
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- I don't really want to get into a big heated debate about politics but we both know that we (scotland) have been - for lack of a better word Fucked over by English people forever, you have always held the "political and financial clout" and history has proved that "fair" don't come into it, and to go further than that David Cameron can stick his help regarding prescriptions and universities up his tight ass - I'll gladly pay for my kids and family, keep it, I personally would like nothing more than to run my fucking tractor over Mr Cameron's head for a few days, that would be fair I would say ...
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