Pros and cons of
Scottish independence:
referendum
countdown
Next week's referendum will deliver a verdict on
Scottish independence. Here are the pros and cons of going it alone
8 September 2014
Miriam Shapiro
Voting
by mail is already underway in the referendum on Scottish independence, and by
the end of next week the people could have set Scotland on the way to
seperating from England.
As voters in Scotland prepare to decide whether to strike
off on their own or remain within the United Kingdom, we answer the key
social, political and economic questions about what Scottish independence would
mean – and the issues it would raise for the UK, Scotland, the EU and the
wider world.
When
did Scotland become part of the UK?
The acts of union between Scotland and England were passed
in 1706, taking effect on 1 May, 1707. On that day, the Parliament of Great Britain
was formed and located in the Palace of Westminster, in London.
Why
did each side agree to the Union?
The English were keen to make sure Scotland didn't choose a
different monarch from the one sitting on the English throne. Meanwhile, the
Scots were seriously "cash-strapped" after an "economically
disastrous scheme to attempt to colonise Panama in the late 1690s".
What
question will voters be asked at the referendum?
This bit is simple. There will be one question with a yes or
no answer: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"
Who
will win the referendum?
It may be a much closer race than many had expected. Until
recently, and especially after the first televised debate, the No campaign was
sitting on a clear lead. But in the past few weeks the gap has narrowed
substantially. Last week a poll put the two sides very close, and this weekend
the Yes campaign took the lead for the first time. An online poll gave the
pro-independence campaign a 51 per cent to 49 per cent advantage. Many
analysts predict that people are more likely to swing towards the status quo as
polling day approaches, but the Yes campaign say that the momentum is with
them.
Why
is it being held on 18 September?
The date was chosen, so that it would be after summer
holidays when people are away vacationing, but before winter when it is harder
for many people to get out and vote. September 18 is also the 700th anniversary
of the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The Yes side may be hoping Scots will be
moved to vote out of pride for Robert the Bruce's famous victory over the
English army in 1314.
When
will we know the result?
The polls close at 10pm on 18 September and the count will
begin immediately. The national outcome will not be announced until all 32 local
voting office have confirmed their results, which may mean that no announcement
will be made until the following morning.
Who
is eligible to vote?
Everyone over the age of 16 who lives in Scotland. That
means the 800,000 Scots who live in other parts of the UK won't be able to
vote, and the 400,000 people from elsewhere in Britain who live in Scotland
will. All the main players agree this is "the fairest way" to do
things.
Who
are the British politicians backing?
The British Prime Minister is campaigning firmly for a No
vote, as are most other politicians in England.
What
about foreign politicians?
Barack Obama has said that the United States wanted to see
the UK remaining "strong, and united".
Many European leaders, particularly those facing separatist provinces
from within their own countries, are openly angry about Scottish
independence.
Would
an independent Scotland keep the Queen?
At least in the short term, the Queen would remain
Scotland's head of state. "The Scottish Government’s proposal is that the
Queen remains head of state in Scotland, in the same way as she is currently
head of state in independent nations such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand."
This would be the position for as long as the people of Scotland wished it."
How
would the UK's national debt be shared?
Another thorny issue raised by the separation of the two
countries is the amount of the UK's £1 trillion national debt that will be
inherited by Scotland. Scotland will take on a share amounting to between
£100bn and £130bn, a proportion based on
population.
What
happens if it's a yes vote?
The Yes side will hold a very large party, and by 2016 after
all the legal issues are worked out, Scotland will be its own country.
And
if it's a no vote?
It seems everyone involved wants this to be a
once-in-a-generation event, and abide by whatever the voters choose.
