Is Scottish independence good for England?

The meaning of Scottish independence for England

Stephen Richard — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 21:42:25 +0000

The meaning of Scottish independence for England Stephen Richard Mon, 10/18/2021 - 22:42

Author or Creator

Prospect Magazine

There is no doubt that the UK’s international reputation would take a hit. Would other powers, friendly as well as hostile, ask how a diminished UK could keep its permanent seat on the UN Security Council? Once a beacon of stability, a country that had turned its back on its near abroad and then fallen apart would not walk tall in international counsels.

Emotionally, the shock would be profound. The integration of 300 years could not be sawn through without huge pain, on both sides. If leaving the EU was like a parting from an extended family of second cousins, this would feel like the disintegration of the ancestral home. Over 800,000 people who were born in Scotland live in England and close to 500,000 people born in England live in Scotland. For many of them, separation would force a potentially deeply painful reassessment of national belonging.

Those without personal connections to Scotland might shrug this off as the unfortunate consequence of a decision taken by the people of Scotland; that’s where the blame would lie. But surely over that would be a shroud of failure, that something that had endured so long through so much adversity had come apart, that even those so close to England had chosen to walk a different path.

Nor would it necessarily stop there. For Northern Ireland, a UK shorn of Scotland would hardly make continued adherence to the union more attractive. The secession of Scotland would likely accelerate the already evident trend of increasing support for reunification.

Keywords

England

Northern Ireland

A Sign on the Road

Stephen Richard — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 10:16:24 +0000

A Sign on the Road

Primary Author or Creator

John S Warren

Stephen Richard Tue, 10/12/2021 - 11:16

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Bella Caledonia

Date Published

Tue, 10/12/2021 - 12:00

Category

Devolution

Type of Resource

News Media

Fast Facts

A critique of "Strength in Union: The Case for the United Kingdom", and especially Alister Jack's view of Scotland in the Union.

Resource Address (URL)

https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2021/10/12/a-sign-on-the-road/

Keywords

Language English

Strength in Union: The Case for the United Kingdom

Olanna — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 22:22:26 +0000

Strength in Union: The Case for the United Kingdom

Primary Author or Creator

Alister Jack

Olanna Sun, 10/10/2021 - 23:22

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Andrew Bowie Editor; Centre for Policy Studies

Date Published

Tue, 10/12/2021 - 12:00

Alternative Published Date

September 2021

Category

National Borders

Devolution

Independence

Type of Resource

Collection of essays by Conservative Think Tank

Length (Pages, words, minutes etc...)

111 pages

Fast Facts

Is Scotland a Nation or a Region. MP David Cameron called Scotland a Nation in September 2014 in the run up to the Referendum. In 2021, Alister Jack, Secretary of State for Scotland, refers to Scotland as a region.

More details

Collection of essays by 14 Conservative MPs with forward by Michael Gove and introduction by Theresa May on the Union with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Union is Strength, the motto of Glasgow’s Trades Hall since 1605, is is the Secretary of State for Scotland’s essay on Scotland as a region.

Resource Address (URL)

https://www.cps.org.uk/files/reports/original/211001211002-CPSUNIONESSAYCOLLECT…

Keywords

Language English

Scottish independence: what would it mean for the rest of the UK?

Stephen Richard — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 10:02:46 +0000

Scottish independence: what would it mean for the rest of the UK?

Primary Author or Creator

Philip Rycroft

Stephen Richard Wed, 10/06/2021 - 11:02

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Prospect Magazine

Date Published

Tue, 08/18/2020 - 12:00

Category

Independence

Type of Resource

Article

Fast Facts

What sort of country would England be without Scotland and Northern Ireland be? That is perhaps the biggest question of them all and one worth asking before indifference south of the border becomes the handmaiden to nationalist seduction to its north.

More details

Resource Address (URL)

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/philip-rycroft-scottish-independenc…

Keywords

Independence from UK

UK survival

Language English

Economic Implications for the United Kingdom of Scottish Independence - Economic Affairs Committee

Stephen Richard — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 20:18:28 +0000

Economic Implications for the United Kingdom of Scottish Independence - Economic Affairs Committee

Primary Author or Creator

House of Lords

Stephen Richard Sat, 09/11/2021 - 21:18

Alternative Published Date

2013

Category

Economy

Type of Resource

Assessment report

Fast Facts

Voters in Scotland deserve the best evidence-based assessment of the likely economic consequences of independence. We have sought to collect and assess that evidence as part of our analysis of the economic implications for the whole United Kingdom.

More details

There can be no definitive answer to the question of whether an independent Scotland would be more prosperous, less prosperous or as prosperous as Scotland is now. Our report identifies clear threats to Scotland's prosperity under independence; while the upside is uncertain.

Continued use of sterling by an independent Scotland in monetary union with the rest of the UK is the stated preference of the Scottish Government. But it would raise complex problems of cross-border monetary policy, multiple financial regulators and taxpayer exposure and could only come about, if at all, on terms agreed by the UK Government. Arrangements should be clear before the referendum. But the proposal for the Scottish Government to exert some influence over the Bank of England, let alone the rest of the UK exchequer, is devoid of precedent and entirely fanciful.

Dismantling the current fiscal union would result in a loss of risk-sharing mechanisms between an independent Scotland and the rest of the UK. This would be an adverse consequence for the citizens of both states, but particularly for people in Scotland given the relative size of the two countries.

An independent Scotland would need to have a double taxation agreement with the rest of the UK and to negotiate tax treaties and similar agreements with a range of countries.

here is not enough information about the defence policy of an independent Scotland to enable Scottish voters to make an informed judgment in next year's referendum. We recommend that the Scottish Government should make a sustained effort to clarify the issues before the vote, giving an indication of its expected defence budget, military establishment, scale of procurement and impact on Scotland's workforce skills base, as well as indicating the terms of Scotland's application to join NATO. This would help Scottish voters assess the employment and economic as well the security implications of an independent defence policy

Resource Address (URL)

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201213/ldselect/ldeconaf/152/15209.htm

Keywords

Scottish Independence

Currency

Finance

Taxation

Language English