Another brick in the wall...

[captivebird]

So, the terms for the Scottish Independence referendum were sighed off earlier this month. The surrounding debates rage on. It is frustrating to be disenfranchised, but deep in this article http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20048521 written by a fellow expat Scot, remains

Comments

[2bangzoom]

Would an independent Scotland mean it would no longer be considered part of the U.K. but would be Scotland and the U.K. (England, Wales, N. Ireland?) Would it be like a mini euro-zone and use the same currency as the U.K? There's so much to think about going independent....but I can certainly understand the Scots wanting to assert their own identity. Does independence have a lot of support right now?

[captivebird]

Yes, the union flag would have to be dismantled. The UK would be no more in its current form. The idea is that Scotland would once again be an independent country within Europe. Scots have always had their own identity, law, and education system, despite being 'ruled' by Westminster in London between 1707 and 1998. Since the re-estabishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1998, the political divide has become deeper

[2bangzoom]

Thank you for the very thorough explanation! It sounds like it could be a fairly painless transition unlike some other region's bid for independence. I'm thinking mainly of the possible Belgian split, Catalonia/Spain, and there's always the Quebeçois/Canada issue that reemerges every few decades. Good luck with all that and I hope for the best outcome for all.

[kehlen]

Referendum? For real?

I'd thought you Scots were like wallons and the Dutch speakers in Belgium, always griping at each other and in a tug-of-war which recently resulted in no government for over a year, but all Belgians none the less.

Crazy.

[captivebird]

Nothing like the Belgian situation. There has always been agreed government in Scotland.

Despite the ascension of the Scottish King James to the English throne in 1603 (thus establishing the Union of the Crowns), the union of the Scottish and English parliaments did not occur until 1707, and even then Scotland has always kept its own seperate law, education policy, etc. Scotland has always therefore maintained a large element of independence from England - unlike Wales.

Since the late 1990s, when the Scottish Parliament was re-established, the push for full independence again has been strong. The emergence of breakaway countries form the old Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, etc have proved successful, so the case for a fully independent Scotland in Europe has once again also became stronger. :-)

[grigorisgirl]

Sorry we English will be rounding all you Scots up and have you on the bus over the border before you can say "Deep fry me Mars bar!" ;)

[captivebird]

I'll get my coat... :-)