In Or Out: The Question of Scottish Independence

Today has seen David Cameron, Prime Minister of this sceptred isle, deliver a rallying speech to the four corners of the United Kingdom, ahead of the Scottish government’s referendum on independence on 18th September.  The speech waxed lyrical about why Scotland needs to remain a part of the United Kingdom. Mr. Cameron implored the people of England, Northern Ireland and Wales to speak up in defence of the Union, and listed in detail the benefits that being unified brings both to Scotland and the UK. And he delivered this rousing, patriotic, passionate speech... in London.

Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots, who
successfully led Scotland to independence

Scottish independence has been, one way or another, an ongoing concern for centuries.  The rivalry between England and Scotland dates at least as far back as the Roman occupation of England and Wales; several brief incursions of southern Scotland took place that nearly wiped out one or both forces, and the border of Scotland was in a frequent state of flux.  The Wars of Scottish Independence began when Scotland responded to Edward I of England’s request that the Scots join his armies against France, by giving him the proverbial finger and siding with France instead. Edward didn’t like that, so he deposed John Balliol and took over Scotland; Scotland responded with Robert the Bruce.  The eventual result was the world’s first declaration of independence, the Declaration of Arbroath, in 1320.

King James VI, King of Scots, who became
the first monarch of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain was borne of a personal union between the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1603, after James VI, King of Scots, inherited the English and Irish thrones. Yep, the first monarch of the United Kingdom was Scottish.  The union between England and Scotland became a political union in 1707, following the Treaty of Union which was agreed the year prior, and enacted by both countries via the Acts of Union, despite fierce opposition from the populace - anti-union riots occurred in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and elsewhere, but the union proceeded nonetheless, incorporating Ireland in the early 1800s.

So why the call for independence now?  Seems Scotland was pretty much instrumental in forming the Union in the first place.  Well, there have always been those who wanted out, but the current movement for independence probably began when Thatcher’s government introduced the unpopular Poll Tax to Scotland in 1989, one year before the rest of the UK.  The movement for Scottish self-governance took a step further when, in 1988, the Scotland Act established a devolved Scottish parliament with limited self-governance, while still remaining in the Union.

Scottish Parliament logo

That movement gained further leverage when the Scottish National Party became the first to form a majority government in Scotland since devolution – unusual since the Additional Member system designed by the Labour government in 1999 was meant to prevent any one party gaining overall control.  Now, with the SNP in that position, they have been able to move on their key policy – independence.

OK then, so what is their stance on independence?  Well, it has a few key points. The first and most obvious is that the governance of Scotland be completely separate from and independent of the UK government.  While Scotland already enjoys the limited right to govern domestic policy thanks to devolution, it still answers to Westminster in Union and wider matters, including foreign and defence policy.  The independence movement seeks to remove its ties to Westminster and be completely self-governing in domestic, European and international affairs.

The debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament
Building in Holyrood, Edinburgh

There are a few other things that need to be considered, however. One of the most prominent concerns is currency.  The SNP has indicated it wishes to keep using sterling, the coin of the UK, a relatively recent change in its platform since until 2010 it had proposed adopting the Euro; those plans fell out of favour with the European Sovereign-debt crisis.  Retaining sterling has its advantages, of course; the infrastructure is already in place to cope with it. Any change will necessitate a massive shift in the technology and banking arrangements currently set up in Scotland, not to mention revaluation of goods.

Revaluing isn’t as much a problem, however, if they simply change to the Euro.  Again, the Euro has been in play for some time now, and most members of the EU employ the Euro as their currency, meaning there is plenty of assistance available for the transition.  The Euro, however, is not an attractive option at the moment.  So if not the Euro, it’s got to be the pound, right?  Well, not exactly.  While it’s a safe bet that Scotland will want to retain ties to Europe (including financial ties), there is another alternative: their own currency. 

This would potentially be the most problematic, but ultimately the most satisfactory solution for Scotland, since although setting up a brand new currency would, again, require a major change to the financial and trade infrastructure of Scotland, it would also guarantee them complete freedom to govern their own financial affairs.  There are suggestions that the best path would be to carry on with sterling in the immediate aftermath of independence, but change to the Euro when its health improves or adopt a new Scottish currency by, say, 2020, transitioning from one to the other over time.

So, that briefly sums up money. What else?  Well, heritage.  Scotland has enjoyed a healthy and prosperous relationship with its Union partners for around 500 years now, and despite our various conflicts both before and after the Union was formed, there is a large contingent of people and several organisations, including political parties, who want it to remain as it is.  Parties as disparate as the Liberal Democrats and the BNP have vocal sections that want to maintain the Union, not just for political reasons but also historical.  But some support independence for the same reasons, though some express that view bitterly (I’ve heard of some in England supporting the cause because it would stop Scotland “being a drain on our resources,” but I personally dispute that claim).

There’s a military aspect to consider as well.  Independence would mean that Scotland would need to create its own armed forces and defences, separate from the UK.  Again, the best and most sensible option would be a transition, the phasing out of the UK from Scotland, as the Scots phase in their own setup.  Control over its own defence policies would also give them the right to determine whether or not nuclear weapons can be kept within its seas or on land, and would also tie in to foreign policy in relation to membership to organisations such as NATO, something Scottish ministers have debated for some time.

Then there’s energy.  Much of the North Sea oil is essentially north of the border; if Scotland were to become independent, it would have much greater access to the oil below the sea.  Additionally, the potential for renewable energy sources, particularly offshore, is vast, as is the revenue it could generate for Scotland. And there’s more – if it generates a surplus, it has some relatively close neighbours to whom to sell it.

So, I’ve gone through all that, and done what I can to sum it up briefly, but where do I stand?  On the one hand, I’ve been a UK citizen my whole life. To me, the United Kingdom means England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.  Independence would end that.  It would alter the Union at a fundamental level, made all the more poignant by the fact that it was, in essence, Scotland that founded the Union in the first place.  But I’m a sentimental fellow, and a sentimental English fellow at that.  The reality is that Scotland leaving the Union will force some very major changes on both sides of the border, and some people simply want to avoid that headache by maintaining the status quo.  Change occurs daily, on many levels, from caterpillars becoming butterflies to nations splitting into new nations. If Scotland ultimately secedes from the Union, life will still go on.  So where do I stand? In support of Scotland, whatever its decision, with my hand extended in friendship.

Ultimately, the decision rests with the people it most affects – the Scottish – and I'm not one of them.  Scotland must decide what is best for itself come the referendum.