Can Scotland force independence?

Can Scotland achieve independence on its own?

Stephen Richard — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 07:44:48 +0000

Can Scotland achieve independence on its own? Stephen Richard Fri, 10/15/2021 - 08:44

Author or Creator

Stephen Richard

There are theoretically several ways. Self-determination, political majorities at elections, a referendum, Legal cases, Consultation, or other forms of negotiation. a referendum, Legal cases, or other forms of negotiation.

Keywords

Becoming Independent

Independence declaration

Scottish Independence: A Practical Guide

Stephen Richard — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 17:02:58 +0000

Scottish Independence: A Practical Guide

Primary Author or Creator

Jo E. Murkens

Stephen Richard Fri, 09/24/2021 - 18:02

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Peter Jones and Michael Keating, University College London, Edinburgh University Press

Publisher

Edinburgh University Press

Alternative Published Date

2002

Category

Independence

Type of Resource

Book

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

137pp

Fast Facts

This book is the first serious study of the likely road to independence, and the consequences for the Scottish people and the Scottish economy. Scottish Independence starts with a detailed guide to the stages along the route to independence and goes on to analyse the legal, political and economic consequences.It asks key question

More details

How might Scotland achieve independence? And what would be the consequences, for Scotland and the rest of the UK? Independence is ever-present on the Scottish political agenda. This book is the first serious study of the likely road to independence, and the consequences for the Scottish people and the Scottish economy.

Scottish Independence starts with a detailed guide to the stages along the route to independence and goes on to analyse the legal, political and economic consequences. It asks key questions:

*If Scots vote for an SNP government in Edinburgh, how will that government deliver its manifesto promise of achieving independence in Scotland?
*If the Scots attain independence, what will change? What will Scotland's place be in the world? Can Scotland remain in the EU?
*What are the economics of independence? Would there be a flight of capital and a stock-market fall? How much economic freedom would an independent Scotland have?
*How much would change in the daily lives of Scots as a result of independence? How much autonomy would Scotland have as a small independent state in Europe?

Scottish Independence will have an impact on public policy and on academic thinking, and is of key interest to politicians, civil servants, academics, journalists and anyone interested in Scotland's future.

Keywords

Referendum

European Union

International relations

Economy

Independence from UK

Language English

Scottish independence

Stephen Richard — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 16:00:22 +0000

Scottish independence

Primary Author or Creator

Institute for Government

Stephen Richard Mon, 09/13/2021 - 17:00

Alternative Published Date

2021

Category

Independence

Fast Facts

This is a largely factual explainer by the Institute for Government of the issues around a referendum and the results of its success.

More details

The paper discusses these questions:

Why are people taking about Scottish independnce?

Does the Scottish Parliament have the power to hold another independence referendum?

What is the SNP's plan for a second independence referendum?

What rules would govern how a referendum be held?

When could a second referendum be held?

Where do other parties stand on independence?

Does the Scottish public support independence?

If Scotland votes yes to independence what would happen next?

Resource Address (URL)

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/scottish-independence

Keywords

independence

Independence referendum

Independence transition

Political party support for independence

Opinion polls

Language English

Within Our Grasp

Stephen Richard — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 06:49:55 +0000

Within Our Grasp

Primary Author or Creator

Robin McAlpine

Stephen Richard Sun, 09/12/2021 - 07:49

Additional Author(s) / Creators

Common Weal

Date Published

Thu, 01/24/2019 - 12:00

Category

Independence

Type of Resource

Policy Paper

Fast Facts

A campaign strategy that will apply maximum pressure on the Westminster Government and achieve independence within three years of its commencement.

More details

― The independence movement has many strong advantages just now but needs to be more realistic about its weaknesses. By far and away the biggest weakness is that we still do not demonstrably and consistently carry a majority of Scottish voters with us. Until that changes the lack of majority will become a barrier sooner or later and since there is no prospect of a close-at-hand referendum there is no case for postponing further the development and execution of a campaign designed to achieve a consistent, substantial pro-independence majority.

― The final goal of an independence movement is an agreement with rUK. The easiest way to do that is to agree mutually on a binding referendum and negotiation process (effectively a Section 30 Order) but there are other routes to reaching that agreement – so long as we remain focussed on getting there.

― The only routes to independence that should be categorically ruled out are anything that involves violence or anything that expects it to be achieve under UK law but without a public vote. The former is simply unacceptable, the latter is an illusion that won’t work.

― They can then be ranked in desirability but we should not make too many assumptions about ‘which one will work’. They all lead back to negotiation with rUK – even a unilateral declaration of independence would have the goal of quickly achieving an agreement. The only mistakes would be either to rule out options or to pursue them too quickly.

― An escalating Pressure campaign implemented in a properly coordinated way will make it harder for the Westminster Government to continue to refuse the democratic mandate of Scotland.

― The campaign will be escalated as quickly as the Scottish public allow and to the point where it becomes politically more “painful” for the UK Government to refuse independence than to recognise it.

― A non-party campaign vehicle should be formed to coordinate the pressure campaign and a “Transition Council” of experts charged with beginning the process of setting up the infrastructure of independence would serve both to signal that we’re serious with our campaign and to build public confidence in the transition to independence.

― It is estimated that it would take around three years from the commencement of the campaign to build sufficient pressure to result in independence. The longer we wait to start, the longer it will take to finish.

Resource Address (URL)

https://commonweal.scot/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Within-Our-Grasp.pdf

Keywords

Independence campaign

Independence referendum

Independence negotiation

Unilateral secession

Language English

Could Scotland stage an independence referendum without UK approval? What the law says

Stephen Richard — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 05:44:37 +0000

Could Scotland stage an independence referendum without UK approval? What the law says

Primary Author or Creator

Marc Weller

Stephen Richard Sun, 09/12/2021 - 06:44

Additional Author(s) / Creators

The Scotsman

Date Published

Tue, 01/26/2021 - 12:00

Category

Independence

Type of Resource

Columnist Opinion

Fast Facts

An Opinion piece in The Scotsman newspaper by columnist Marc Weller indicating methods of gaining independence including self-determination, a referendum without UK approval, legal proceedings, consultation, and other forms of negotiation.

Resource Address (URL)

https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/could-scotland-stage-independe…

Keywords

independence

Referendum

Illegal referendum

Independence without approval

Language English