This will probably be the last thing I write on Scottish Independence this side of polling day as I’m off to Cardiff tomorrow.
Firstly, a group of 60 Scottish scientists have hit out at the SNP. We should remember that the Scottish Enlightenment was very much a product of the Union. A generation of outward looking Scots revolutionised everything from philosophy and economics through to engineering and architecture. It is this rich history that the SNP are so dismissive off.
Secondly, going back to my ponderings about what Scottish Independence would mean for the Welsh and Northern Irish, I wonder what the implications for Gibraltar would be? The Spanish are already challenging the UK’s occupation of Gibraltar – would they use the break up of the UK as an opportunity to press the issue once more? Would Gibraltar revert to the remaining UK (as someone pointed out to me the other day, we could no longer be the “United” Kingdom and instead would have to be called the Kingdom of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or KEWNI), to Scotland, or to both? Would the Spanish have a case for claiming that the Treaty of Utrecht needs to be renegotiated given that one of its main signatories no longer existed?
Indeed, what is the SNP’s policy on all the other colonies as well?
Of course, this only affects a few tens of thousands of individuals scattered around the world. The SNP might consider their plight to be irrelevant. But I do wish they would at least acknowledge such issues instead of presenting independence as an opportunity for Scotland to have a completely fresh start. We have a rich, entangled shared history together which the SNP would like to turn their backs on but which, if they get enough votes next week, they will quickly find they cannot afford to.
Fortunately, it does appear as if the Scots have basically come to realise that, with the gap between the SNP and Labour closing by the day. At the outset of the campaign, support for Scottish independence was running at over 50%; despite outspending their rivals, the SNP have seen support for their flagship policy plummet by over 30%, down to the low 20s now. If any other party had presided over such a disaster, the media would be having a field day.
The best they can now offer the Scottish electorate is that they are ‘not Labour’ – but there are lots of parties that fit the bill. It may well be enough to win a plurality, but something tells it will be a pretty hollow victory for them. We shall see.
gibraltar is a red herring here. Any split would see one of the signatories take claim to the title of “The United Kingdon”, in the same way as Serbia inherited the right to be Yugoslavia, if it wants to be. The ownership of Gibraltar would, like our few remaining colonial possessions, revert to the remainder of the UK, or England, if Wales wanted independend. However, I doubt NI would want to go (yet), and when Scotland realises that not all North Sea Oil reserves are even in Scottish waters and they would no longer be subsidised by England, I think the Welsh will see that the grass is not always greener.
According to the Scots nats ( and I am not one) they reckon that the marine territories that Sotland would assume the rights over with Independence would give them around 90% of oil assets. However whethyer it is sensible to build your whole future around such a declining asset seems dubious to me.
The most positive thing that would happen with Scottish independence, a change of government, out would go labour. Also the disgusting habit of Scottish MP voting along party lines in the UK parliament on items that concern Enland only would be a thing of the past. An independent Scotland means an Independent England and I am all for that. As has been pointed out in other articles most of the top government posts are held by Scots, this would stop and the English at last would have control over their own future. Therefore please bring on an independent Scotland so we English can have greater prosperity as we wouldn’t be supporting Scotland with our tax pounds.