Is it legally binding? There seem to be conflicting sources on this, like the UK Prime Minister says he will consider it to be binding but I don't know what the actual law says on the matter.
The Scottish Referendum is legally binding. I am not a lawyer, but in agreeing to hold the referendum, the UK accepted the possibility of Scottish Independence. Modern Britain appears to be remarkably faithful to its public announcements of support for liberty and self-determination, even when it's national interest is severely threatened as is the case with potential Scottish secession.
If there is a Yes vote, Scotland will leave the Union and will become an independent nation. What is not clear is how this will be implemented and the negotiations leading up to actual independence will take many months, if not years. The SNP want a declaration of independence by early 2016, but that's probably optimistic given the plethora of sensitive and core interests that need to be settled by the Westminster and Edinburgh governments.
So how do people think the Scottish referendum is going to go?
I genuinely have no idea. It's very close. Plus it's in 3 days and I still haven't made up my mind how I will vote. I'm ambivalent about the whole thing. While I feel that fundamentally we should have the right and ability to govern ourselves, and I think that some day we will get there, I don't know if now is the right time. There are too many things that are too uncertain. But it's impossible to get a real grasp of the facts because all the Yes and No campaigns are interested in is telling us how much the other side is lying and trying to deceive us. How can you make such a far reaching and life changing decision when you have no idea who (if anyone) is telling the truth?
There's a massive struggle between head and heart.
As an Englishman I would like to see each country within the UK retain it's own distinct cultural identity but I can't see how everyone going their own separate ways benefits the UK as a whole. My biggest fear is that a 'yes' vote (for Scottish independence) will be seen as a vote against the English as a race rather than a vote against Westminster itself, which is widely disliked throughout all of the UK.
@dunbar The Independence vote is definitely not a vote against 'the English' and to reduce it to that does it a great disservice, making it sound like like a petty rivalry that's gotten out of hand. It's not about that. Incidentally, the degree of bile and vitriol aimed at Scottish people from south of the border makes any anti-English comment I've ever heard pale in comparison. That doesn't mitigate it of course, any reasonable person would concede that, but it doesn't help either. You only have to read a few comments on the post made by Jason Manford last week which read:
"Dear Scotland,
Please don't leave us with that lot!
Regards,
The North of England"
to see that. It was pretty vile, and I'm afraid it doesn't feel like "this great family of nations" when your closest relative hates your guts and is very vocal about that. Also illustrated in that above comment, and as you pointed out, is the total lack of confidence in the UK government from all over the country, not just in Scotland. So the Independence debate is not anti-English sentiment, it's about a desire to not be under the thumb of a government that the majority of the people didn't vote for, and to handle our own affairs rather than being told what's good for us by that government. On that point, it's been interesting to see the scramble that the Better Together campaign have had with this 'timetable' for more devolution of powers; powers that Westminster will "allow" us to have if we vote No. The question that comes to my mind is that why have we not had these powers devolved before now? We've had the Scottish Government in Holyrood since the mid-90s. If Westminster were at all interested in being fair to us, we would have had more control long before now. It's only in the face of the very real threat that we could be out from under them that they're desperately trying to get us to stay, and for a lot of people it's too little too late. It's just the carrot on the stick so they can continue to control us. Why accept only that small percentage that Westminster will let us have, when we could govern 100% of our own affairs ourselves?
That being said, there are still many grey areas that are too important to overlook. The currency, the safety of the NHS, education, etc. The trouble is that I think either vote is a gamble. A Yes leads us into the unknown, but a No sees us continue in the status quo which, frankly, is broken. Westminster is corrupt. And who's to say that even though they make all of these promises, they can't just as easily renege on them further down the line?
@Jairyanna I couldn't agree with you more. I suspect that a lot of the people in the UK feel like this and I don't know how we've arrived at this potentially messy divorce situation without any rational discussion beforehand. I know that this referendum has been on the table for some two years now (I think), but even though I have no say in this matter I still feel like I've stumbled into an exam room having done no revision. I also agree with your earlier point that the media are not much use, deluging us with inflammatory and unsubstantiated statements. Whatever the outcome, I wish you and your fellow Scots all the very best.
Just as the Amish have problems deciding where exactly to draw a line under advances in technology (which according to Bill Bryson has caused splits). The UK at the moment doesn't seem sure of which period we should have stopped being separate kingdoms. I suspect the true cause lies with alienation and a sense of abandonment that is a natural product of our London-centric country.
I still feel like I've stumbled into an exam room having done no revision.
Exactly how I feel too. And it's not just the media that are involved in the deluge of iffy information, but the campaigners themselves. Every single debate that's been broadcast has had at least one time when one side made a statement that the opposition vehemently declared to be "not true!", "lies!", "out to deceive the people of Scotland". It's impossible to be prepared for the exam when all your resources contradict one another.
Sorry guys, I've been so busy the last few days I haven't had time to read and contribute to my own creation! @JessicaKrystal found this though, she thought you might get a laugh. Especially if your Australian.
if Scotland leave Britain its going to totally overshadow my birthday
I think what's really stunning is how poorly the whole thing has been handled by both sides involved a few days from the vote and no one really has any idea of what's going on it seems
I think this is going to be one of those votes where young people (say under 34 years old) will be the deciding factor. Not surprisingly the polling would suggest they are the most likely to support independence. I'm sure that is why the "Yes" camp wanted the voting age to be 16. For instance the 16-17 aged folks could represent as much as 2.9% of eligible voters, which in a vote this close is kind of a big deal.
I'm a foreigner but all this story inevitably indeed reminds me of William Wallace
When I think about those past times, I feel that Scotland needs to be independent.
But when I think about what GB is today, I feel it should stay unchanged. One of the best ecomics in the world, good traditions, oil/gas and energy rich...
Anyway, no matter what the result will be, I agree with the Sun here:
Full as history is, of English violence. Some three hundred years after Edward I (Hammer of the Scots), Scotland and England were unified under a Scottish king. We have the same line of royals today, so regardless on whether we want them or not (the royals, that is), Scotland doesn't escape English Monarchy by the referendum.
Its likely that choosing to pitch the referendum on the 700th anniversary of Bannockburn plays to some historical nationalism.. though I haven't actually heard anyone make mention of much history in the debate and I don't think they should. Its the current neglect of the North and exclusivity of the South that is the issue.
While I think that Scotland leaving would be a blow for both countries I at the same time fully support their decision to do so should they wish.
From someone who is pretty much impartial I've been less than impressed by the the demands Alex Salmond has been making of rUK should the Yes vote win. Items such as Scotland having a Currency Union with the the rUK seem like madness to me - especially after it has been clarified time after time that rUK will not allow this his response is simply to repeat 'that is in both countries best interests'. An independent country cannot have its budget underwritten by another country, nor will the rUK stand for it.
Also something which has been brushed aside is the fact that if rUK does refuse to Currency Union with Scotland then they will be unable to join the EU as having a central bank is a requisite to EU membership. Even joining NATO will be difficult as Spain will likely veto Scotlands attempts to join (to discourage Catalan from attempting the same process).
I don't have a clue what Cameron, Milliband and the other fool are doing. I half suspect Cameron is playing a very sneaky game because if Scotland does split then rUK will be governed by Conservatives for the foreseeable future. Their simple presence at the last minute sabotages the Yes vote. Farage turning up on the last day is the final insult to many Scots.
Regardless of the result this has been a divisive issue. Whoever wins is almost irrelevant now as the margin seems so narrow that whatever the result there will be a lot of unhappy people in Scotland.
I can tell you very clear that we have no politicians anymore. These people who call themself politicians are realy and i mean it Puppets of the banking and big corporations scam cabal and they only care (the ones in power) about money and fame in their own circle. Thats all. We are all scewed with these people. And the horrible conditions of the youth in the southern european countrys are not an accident. If you take greek an as example. The elite did a coup in that land. The bankers directly made a coup in the parliament via the EU.
You can say that greek is now a slave nation to the bankers to 100 %. And the other european countrys are very close to the edge too. You just have to see who is where involved in the upper echolon and how laws of the EU comes into place. The democracy of the nations within the EU have no say anymore. The politicians you vote in have no say, they can delay some things but in the end the non democratic thing called the EU dictates from top to bottom.
The Scottish and English Union is a triumph over adversity. Two nations continually at war, stopped, merged and expanded. It also created a unique outlook. We can work with other people and prosper. The Empire arose from this union from this fact. Not through war and invasion, although this happened as well.
The European Union is nothing compared to that first Union 300 years ago.
But it is based on democracy and people have a right to do what they want to do. Scotts have historically been puppets to European manipulation (with a view to weakening English power). And I think they will be again as the Euro is the only currency they will be able to use.
And I think they will be again as the Euro is the only currency they will be able to use.
From the sounds of things I doubt the EU will let them use the Euro (in the sense of letting them join the EU). I mean they probably could just declare the Euro to be their official currency but that would be about their only option there.
id rather they stayed as an Englishman with a strong Scottish ancestry id rather we all stuck togethor. If they choose to go good luck to them though. One thing that would infuriate me though is a currency union, I mean how cheeky is that. Its like breaking up with some one only to find out they've taken all your best things.
I support the independance vote of Scottland. Its not just economy. But screw the damn queen of german heritage... yes. They are germans, so am I. And if british people would admit the reality of their "monarchy" which most do not how could they support a nazi backing bloodline ? i never understood that and it´s time to say good bye to these frauds and elite pervs and robbers!
Scotland will keep the current monarchy regardless of today's outcome. Fairly sure Queen Liz was never a nazi sympathiser (although some of Prince Philips relatives were suspect).
@element. Funny you mention Hadrian's Wall as it's been proposed an independent Scotland would loosen its border to attract more immigration. However this could easily be used as a back door into England so borders would probably be actually enforced fairly rigorously.
Prince Phillip was in the SS and so where the dutch Prince Bernard. Dont wash these dirty people clean just because they hijacked the throne and now call themself British.
I don't have much to say about the referendum, but I do find it absolutely hilarious that UKIP (UK Independence Party) is opposed to Scottish independence.
That has to be the funniest part of this whole ordeal.
I support the independance vote of Scottland. Its not just economy. But screw the damn queen of german heritage... yes. They are germans, so am I. And if british people would admit the reality of their "monarchy" which most do not how could they support a nazi backing bloodline ? i never understood that and it´s time to say good bye to these frauds and elite pervs and robbers!
And i also support novorussija! 100%
I kind of doubt there are that any people in Scotland that don't have a bit of saxon in them at this point. Maybe some island folks, but we're talking many, many, many generations of people since the saxons arrived in the lowland scotland. So its pretty silly to be complaining about the monarchy because they have German ancestry.
I don't have much to say about the referendum, but I do find it absolutely hilarious that UKIP (UK Independence Party) is opposed to Scottish independence.
That has to be the funniest part of this whole ordeal.
Oddly. They are for keeping nations together. The EU is for crumbling countries into smaller and smaller blocks so that no one country has overall power... Until that is Germany doubled its size...
Comments
If there is a Yes vote, Scotland will leave the Union and will become an independent nation. What is not clear is how this will be implemented and the negotiations leading up to actual independence will take many months, if not years. The SNP want a declaration of independence by early 2016, but that's probably optimistic given the plethora of sensitive and core interests that need to be settled by the Westminster and Edinburgh governments.
There's a massive struggle between head and heart.
"Dear Scotland,
Please don't leave us with that lot!
Regards,
The North of England"
to see that. It was pretty vile, and I'm afraid it doesn't feel like "this great family of nations" when your closest relative hates your guts and is very vocal about that. Also illustrated in that above comment, and as you pointed out, is the total lack of confidence in the UK government from all over the country, not just in Scotland. So the Independence debate is not anti-English sentiment, it's about a desire to not be under the thumb of a government that the majority of the people didn't vote for, and to handle our own affairs rather than being told what's good for us by that government.
On that point, it's been interesting to see the scramble that the Better Together campaign have had with this 'timetable' for more devolution of powers; powers that Westminster will "allow" us to have if we vote No. The question that comes to my mind is that why have we not had these powers devolved before now? We've had the Scottish Government in Holyrood since the mid-90s. If Westminster were at all interested in being fair to us, we would have had more control long before now. It's only in the face of the very real threat that we could be out from under them that they're desperately trying to get us to stay, and for a lot of people it's too little too late. It's just the carrot on the stick so they can continue to control us. Why accept only that small percentage that Westminster will let us have, when we could govern 100% of our own affairs ourselves?
That being said, there are still many grey areas that are too important to overlook. The currency, the safety of the NHS, education, etc. The trouble is that I think either vote is a gamble. A Yes leads us into the unknown, but a No sees us continue in the status quo which, frankly, is broken. Westminster is corrupt. And who's to say that even though they make all of these promises, they can't just as easily renege on them further down the line?
I also agree with your earlier point that the media are not much use, deluging us with inflammatory and unsubstantiated statements.
Whatever the outcome, I wish you and your fellow Scots all the very best.
http://www.abbottsimulator.com/
I'll be free before to long, I hope to read some of this awesome stuff real soon!
I think what's really stunning is how poorly the whole thing has been handled by both sides involved a few days from the vote and no one really has any idea of what's going on it seems
When I think about those past times, I feel that Scotland needs to be independent.
But when I think about what GB is today, I feel it should stay unchanged. One of the best ecomics in the world, good traditions, oil/gas and energy rich...
Anyway, no matter what the result will be, I agree with the Sun here:
Its likely that choosing to pitch the referendum on the 700th anniversary of Bannockburn plays to some historical nationalism.. though I haven't actually heard anyone make mention of much history in the debate and I don't think they should. Its the current neglect of the North and exclusivity of the South that is the issue.
@Anduin for actual facts about history.
While I think that Scotland leaving would be a blow for both countries I at the same time fully support their decision to do so should they wish.
From someone who is pretty much impartial I've been less than impressed by the the demands Alex Salmond has been making of rUK should the Yes vote win. Items such as Scotland having a Currency Union with the the rUK seem like madness to me - especially after it has been clarified time after time that rUK will not allow this his response is simply to repeat 'that is in both countries best interests'. An independent country cannot have its budget underwritten by another country, nor will the rUK stand for it.
Also something which has been brushed aside is the fact that if rUK does refuse to Currency Union with Scotland then they will be unable to join the EU as having a central bank is a requisite to EU membership. Even joining NATO will be difficult as Spain will likely veto Scotlands attempts to join (to discourage Catalan from attempting the same process).
I don't have a clue what Cameron, Milliband and the other fool are doing. I half suspect Cameron is playing a very sneaky game because if Scotland does split then rUK will be governed by Conservatives for the foreseeable future. Their simple presence at the last minute sabotages the Yes vote. Farage turning up on the last day is the final insult to many Scots.
Regardless of the result this has been a divisive issue. Whoever wins is almost irrelevant now as the margin seems so narrow that whatever the result there will be a lot of unhappy people in Scotland.
Good luck people of Scotland however you vote.
You can say that greek is now a slave nation to the bankers to 100 %. And the other european countrys are very close to the edge too. You just have to see who is where involved in the upper echolon and how laws of the EU comes into place. The democracy of the nations within the EU have no say anymore. The politicians you vote in have no say, they can delay some things but in the end the non democratic thing called the EU dictates from top to bottom.
The European Union is nothing compared to that first Union 300 years ago.
But it is based on democracy and people have a right to do what they want to do. Scotts have historically been puppets to European manipulation (with a view to weakening English power). And I think they will be again as the Euro is the only currency they will be able to use.
id rather they stayed as an Englishman with a strong Scottish ancestry id rather we all stuck togethor. If they choose to go good luck to them though. One thing that would infuriate me though is a currency union, I mean how cheeky is that. Its like breaking up with some one only to find out they've taken all your best things.
And i also support novorussija! 100%
@element. Funny you mention Hadrian's Wall as it's been proposed an independent Scotland would loosen its border to attract more immigration. However this could easily be used as a back door into England so borders would probably be actually enforced fairly rigorously.
That has to be the funniest part of this whole ordeal.
He is Prince Consort which means he has no power according to the constitution (although the Queen has elevated him). He is not King of England.
The UK is OK.