1 / 25

The nervous student‘s guide to the Scottish Independence Referendum

The nervous student‘s guide to the Scottish Independence Referendum. 19th September 2014: ‚YES‘ or ‚NO‘ t o Scottish independence. What is this about ?. The most momentous current issue in the UK at the moment is :

ora-ramirez
Download Presentation

The nervous student‘s guide to the Scottish Independence Referendum

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The nervousstudent‘sguidetotheScottish Independence Referendum 19th September 2014: ‚YES‘ or ‚NO‘ toScottishindependence

  2. Whatisthisabout? The mostmomentouscurrentissue in the UK atthemomentis: Should Scotland become a fullyindependentcountryorremainpartofthe United Kingdom, with a devolvedParliamentwithenhancedpowers? OK. But whyisthis such a bigissue? Why do theScotswantthis? Whatmakesit so important?

  3. The aimofthe ‚pro-independence‘ partyistoachieve: ScottishcontrolofScottishresources (oil, gas..) ScottishcontrolofScottishinfrastructure (especiallythehealthservice) Joiningthe EU in theirownright Havingarmedforces, but nonuclear submarines A specificallyScottishforeignpolicy (pro-Europe) EnhancementofScottishcultureandidentity ... A better deal fortheScottishpeoplealtogether, as a small, successfulcountrymodelled on SwitzerlandorNorway

  4. This is such an issuebecause in caseof ‚YES‘... • Hugeconstitutionalchangeswouldhavetobeworked out (e.g. representation in Westminster, a ‚rump-UK‘) forfullindependenceby March 2016 • Splitting theforcesandmovingthe submarines wouldcostbillionsandweakenthe UK as a force • Scottishoiland gas wouldbethechiefresource, but currentcompanies (Shell, BP) threatento pull out, causingshort-term jobloss • Central governmentisfacingchallengefrom UKIP, thereis a eurosceptictrend, losing Scotland coulddestabilizethe UK further • Next generalelection: already May 2015

  5. And in caseof ‚NO‘ ? • Central government in Westminsterisalreadyplanning a White Paper on (even) greaterpowersfortheScottishParliament • This wouldbefarlesscomplicatedconstitutionallyandtherewouldbeless time pressure • Central governmentwould still beleftwiththereferendum on EU-membership plannedfor 2017

  6. Andwhois on whichside? YES: NO: Current British government, PM Cameron (Conservative), Nick Clegg (LibDems) Also leaderoftheopposition, Ed Miliband (Labour) - all in the ‚BetterTogether‘-campaign ManyScots in thecities, thecentralbelt, themiddleclass Most English / Welsh / otherpeopleliving in Scotland CurrentScottishgovernment, First Minister Alex Salmond, Deputy Nicola Sturges, Scottish National Party ManyScots in theHighlandsand Islands, lessprivilegedpartsofthesociety

  7. Whyisthissuddenly such news? • For a long time, opinionpollsclearlyindicatedthevotewouldnevergoforindependence. But overthe last fewweeksthishaschanged – itisnow a closecall, in somepollsthe ‚YES‘-sideiswinning. This couldactually happen! • Most Scotswant a fairlycloseresult, whicheverway, so thatneithersidecantriumphorclaim a clearmandate.

  8. Andhowdidwegethere??? • The demandforScottishindependenceis not newbecause Scotland oncewasindependent. But a numberoflong-term andshort-term factorshavenowculminated in thisreferendum.

  9. Hostilememories... Like England, Scotland emergedas a strong kingdom in theearlymiddleages. Tension with England ran throughseveralcenturiesandmanybattles, reaching an intensephase in the ‚Warsof Independence‘. The film madeaboutoneScottishleaderfromthat time, William Wallace, is a contributingfactortothecurrentbidforindependence, although SNP-leader Alex Salmonddoes not trade on this. Major battleswere: • King Robert the Bruce defeating Edward II of England atBannockburn in 1314 • Henry VIII‘sarmydefeating James IV of Scotland atFlodden in 1513 But in betweenbattles, therewere also marriagedeals. This iswhyatthedeathof Elizabeth I of England in 1603, thevirginqueen, her nephew James VI of Scotland also became James I of England.

  10. From united crownsto united parliaments Althoughthere was nowonemonarchruling England and Scotland, theyremained separate entities – eachretainedtheirParliament. However, by 1707 theScottisheconomyhadcollapsed due tothefailureof a colonizingproject in Panama. Hopingfor a bail-out, theScottishParliamentaskedforpoliticalunion. The ScottishParliament, however, was prorogued, not totallyabolished. The Scottish legal, financialandeducationsystemsremained separate.

  11. More hostility... Relations remainedhostile due to: a) The assumedculturalsuperiorityofthe English b) A politicalchallengetothe English throne by a sidelineofthe royal Stewart family, the ‚Pretenders‘ – especiallytheHighlanderScotsjoined Bonnie Prince Charlie in theusurpationattempt he led. The defeatbythe English atthe Battle ofCulloden in 1746 brokeanyremainingpolitical power. Highlandculture, e.g. Gaelic, was essentiallyoutlawed– the English became an occupationarmyin theHighlands. (parallel toIreland)

  12. Winners andlosers: reactionstobeing British Lowlands Highlands After 1745, theHighlands... remaineddepowered lost cultureandtraditions becamevictimsofthe ‚clearances‘ byabsenteelandlords, whichgeneratedwavesofemigrationespeciallyto Canada theclearancesare still a trauma After 1745, theLowlands... • flourishedeconomically • madeScottishfinancialand legal expertisefamous • helpedbuildthe Empire withScottishengineering • theScottishEnlightenmentput Scotland on themapintellectually

  13. Pullingtogether 1850 - 1950 • The British Empire offeredenoughopportunitiesforeverybody, Scotland couldshare in itsglory, Scottishengineers in British shipsworked all overtheglobe (that‘swhytheengineer on the ‚Enterprise‘ iscalled ‚Scotty‘) • Twoworldwarsengendered a ‚stand-together‘-spirit, both London and Glasgow wereheavilybombeldduringthe ‚Blitz‘

  14. But whatwentwrong after 1950? • Sotland‘sshipbuildingandother heavy industrydeclined • The traditional workingclasssufferedheavilyandmostlymorphedinto a deprivedunderclass • When North Seaoil was discovered, it was exploitedby British companies, therevenue was usedby Margaret Thatcher tofund her fightagainstthetradeunions • The Thatcher governmentusedtheScotsas ‚guineapigs‘ fortheunpopularpolltax – this still rankles

  15. ... andhowcouldthischange? • The first Blair Labour government in 1997 immediatelyimplementedthepromisedreferendum on Devolution • Devolution (devolving power fromthecentreto regional government) resulted in a Parliamentwith tax-varyingpowersfor Scotland (andAssembliesfor Northern Irelandand Wales) • Since 2007 theScottish National Party ledby Alex Salmondhasbeen in government in Edinburgh, since 2011 with a majority

  16. Plus - Scotland isnow ‚in fashion‘ The sense of ‚beingScottish‘ hasbeenintensifiedby... • The revivalofGaelicsincethe 1970ies • Scots, Scottishaccents (Pippin!) featuring in successful British films (and Sean Connery supportingindependence) • Glasgow reinventingitselfas a cityofartand design • Edinburgh revivingitsfestival, continuingas a successfulfinanceplace • A hugerevival in thewhiskyindustry • Scottishuniversitiesclimbinguptherankings • Tourism, qualityoflife, discoveryoftheScottishoutdoors

  17. The stateofplay? • Central governmentisseriouslyworried – on September 10 all threemajorpartyleaders – David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband – camenorthofthebordertosupporttheideaofstaying united – a United Kingdom • Due tothephoo-finish-pollsmorevotersaregettingmobilized (theScottishParliamenthadloweredthevotingageto 16 toincludeyoungpeoplesupportingindependence)

  18. Support forScottish Independence throughtheyears

  19. ... but asthecampaignishottingup...

  20. ... the tone isgettingharsh • e.g.: J.K. Rowling, theauthorofthe Harry Potter serieswhichshestartedwriting in an Edinburgh café, advocatedstayingwithinthe UK and was inundatedwithhatemailfromradicalizedsupportersofindependence • Major companiesandbanks warn againstpricerisesandjoblossesandconsiderrelocatingto England. Scaremongering? • BBC mainnewsarenowscreenedfromthestreetsof Scotland • The firststreetscufflesarebeingreported This isgoingtobethemajortaskwhatevertheoutcome: torecreatetogethernesswithin Scotland.

  21. The latest: A newopinionpollonScottishindependence has found the no vote back in the lead at 53% of voters, suggesting the sudden surge in backing for independence has subsided. Earlierthisweek, aYouGovpoll for the Times found that the yes vote was in the lead for the first time by two points. From: guardian online, 10092014

  22. Sources • http://www.theguardian.com/politics/scottish-independence-essential-guide#101 (acc 10092014) • BBC news Scotland (online), BBC news • YouGov • Total Politics

More Related