Scottish Independence, English identity and World reputations
I originally blogged back in February about the Scottish Independence vote – it was hardly making the news back then, today it’s all over the front pages as Alex Salmond has pushed the Yes campaign up the polls. Way more issues have come to the fore in recent days, most notably some disagreements with Alex Salmond’s assumptions and beliefs. He says he can use Sterling, UK Parliament says he cannot. He says there’s tons of oil revenues for them to benefit from. Oil companies and organisations say there isn’t. He says Scotland will continue to be part of Europe. Europe says they will have to apply as a newly independent country and meet all the joining criteria (including adopting the Euro as currency). Banks and big businesses have started to say they will pull their big offices out of Scotland if it gains independence – even the Royal Bank of Scotland. The Financial Times has also stepped off the fence in favour of the No vote. The Queen is keeping schtum but clearly there will be ramifications for the Royal family if Scotland gains independence. And so it goes on.
Alex Salmond has conducted an emotional campaign reminiscent of cries of Scotland the Brave. The Yes campaign has clearly failed in its application of logic and in the dying days before the vote is ramping up the emotionalism. The question for Scottish voters is which politician or group of politicians do you believe – Westminster or Salmond. Personally I don’t trust the lot of them. I wish them luck in fielding the conflicting information and coming up with the right decision.
In the meantime, below is my original post on the impact of Scottish separation on individual identity.
Should Scotland vote to secure Independence from Great Britain and the United Kingdom in September 2014?
UK Prime Minister David Cameron thinks not. As reported by MSN news: In a speech at the Olympic Park in London, Mr Cameron will summon up the spirit of patriotism of the 2012 Games as he argues that the whole country will lose if Scotland votes to leave the UK ….. Independence would be bad for Scotland but would also leave the United Kingdom “deeply diminished” and would “rip the rug from under our own reputation” in the world, Mr Cameron will say … At a location carefully chosen to symbolise the successes of the whole United Kingdom working together as “Team GB”, Mr Cameron will say that the Olympic medals were won under the banner of a Union flag that was not only red and white but also blue. And he will say:…
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Social Work & Politics 