Why do the Scottish want independence?

Question

And to that extent the Welsh as well? What would they gain out of it that they do not have already, besides effectively being forced to bow to the EU's will if they do become independent.

Answer 1

We don't! - opinion polls in Scotland have shown almost consistently that support for independence in way below 50% - usually running somewhere in the mid 30's.



I am not a Scottish nationalist and would vote against it - as I did against devolution and suspect that the recent financial collapse of RBS, HBOS and Dunfermline BS may make more people understand that Scotland would be relatively poor and vulnerable (and very reliant on the rest of the UK economically for sometime afterwards if independence did occur). Also the SNP's argument about North Sea oil only makes sense when the price is very high - as it was a few months ago - but now now at approx $50 a barrel - note how Alex Salmond doesnt mention it any more.



The next UK election will probably see some gains from Labour north of the border - for the SNP mainly, but possibly also Lib Dems and even the Conservatives but Lab will likely still have the most Scottish MP's. There may though be an increase for independence should the UK return a Conservative government.



Hope this helps - cant answer for our friends in Wales...

Answer 2

A tad of a generalisation, me thinks. Not all Scots want independence and, if there were a referendum on the matter tomorrow, I wouldn't vote for it. Likewise, not all Scots hate the English and I hope not all the English hate us Scots.



The fact that the last two PMs have been Scottish is down to the fact that Scotland is part of the UK. There have been several English PMs, a Welsh PM and now a few Scottish PMs. This is because we are, and will hopefully remain, the United Kingdom.



I must be one of the few people who actually thinks that the British constitution is now unbalanced. Three of the UK's four countries have devolved parliaments, yet England - the largest and most populous of those four countries - does not have its own parliament (the Westminster parliament being the UK Parliament). England should have its own parliament.



I must agree with the Welsh gentleman who said that the English are disliked abroad. From my experience when abroad, English tourists are loud and brash, make no attempt at learning the language and look down on the local culture, and the clashes with police at football events abroad does not help either; and this does not go unnoticed by the locals. This means that they embarrass themselves and, fortunately, people abroad know there is a difference between English and Scots/Welsh. We are treated much more friendly and are not regarded the same way as the English.



I strongly object, however, to claims that the Scots hold England hostage and live off the English. Perhaps facts could be established before such derisory and inaccurate comments are made. Not to mention a history lesson. In the 1990s, the Treasury (ie, HM Treasury in Whitehall) admitted that, through Scottish taxes and revenues gathered from Scotland, Scotland paid more to the Treasury than she got back - that is a Treasury-admitted fact. It was the English, if you research your history, who forced Scotland to join into a political union with England so that the Hanoverian succession to the Crown would be guaranteed throughout the island, and so that France (which England was at war with at the time, but Scotland was not) could not invade England by going through its friend, Scotland. In truth, England's national security made it imperative that Scotland unite with her. Of course, politics in those times was conducted differently; Scottish MPs were bribed by the English Government with money and titles to vote in favour of the Union, and England legally barred trade with Scotland (which, if you again look to your history, had the effect of causing massive starvation in Scotland) to force us to agree.



Long live the Union!

Answer 3

There have been a lot of questions on Scottish independence lately.

I have lived in Scotland for the last 10 years and have seen the odd "Cry freedom!" separatist. For the most part people realise there is strength in numbers and want to stay firmly in the UK.

(Strange there are "Fiercly proud" scots people here and I bet most can only speak English, they managed before - 400 years ago!)



As a Welsh speaking Welshman I can also comment that although England and Wales have a Love/Hate relationship, independence is not an option, we don't want to end up like Ireland did in the last few decades, with high unemployment and inflation.

Answer 4

whats all this rubbish Scotland would be weaker as an self reliant united states? how will it precisely? Its voice is disregarded in the united kingdom and has no outlet on a international point. at recent it has no voice !! by making use of gaining Independence Scotland will benefit a voice, a small one yet that's extra suitable than no voice in any respect. Scotland will grow to be enhanced, its England who's voice will grow to be weaker no longer Scotland's, how can gaining a voice once you have no longer have been given one make you weaker? "additionally, how can the Scots declare that they had be starting to be self reliant as they might nevertheless be in the ecu Union." the united kingdom is in the ecu precise this very 2d have self belief it or no longer, does that make the united kingdom no longer self reliant? think of earlier you're making such ridiculous statements. Scotland does no longer be giving up something the united kingdom already hasn't. Infact David Cameron this week has caved into the ecu's demands for extra criminal powers in the united kingdom. Does this make the united kingdom much less self reliant? i think Scotland will grow to be self reliant, relatively are you able to tell me what's the element of a union interior of a union?

Answer 5

To be perfectly honest with the questioner;It is not only that the Scots want independence from England;But the majority of English taxpayers want a 100% split from Scotland because they consider Scotland has been a 'millstone' around the necks of the English taxpayer for the last 150 years.

But independence for Scotland as Scotland see it is far,far different as the English taxpayer sees it.

Scotland still wants the English taxpayer to keep ploughing English taxpayers money into Scotland after they have obtained independence.

Where as the English want a complete separation thus making Scotland responsible for its own pensions,benefits,social and policing.

Thankfully,The oil from the Falkland Islands will be coming on stream in 20years time,so that the English can no longer be held hostage by Scotland on that issue.

One other point and that is Scotland's oil will be too expensive to be obtained from the North Sea as it's oil wells are gradually drying up.

If I had my way,I would repatriate all those Scots living in England and drawing benefits back to Scotland straight away and treat the Scottish worker the same as we English treat the Rumanians,Croatians,Poles, and Italian workers.Only allow those with specialist skills into England.

Finally,stop sending any ship building orders to Scottish ship building yards and place the orders in Korean,Polish and Japanese ship yards.

If I had my way,Scotland can have their independence right now,They have lived off the backs of the English taxpayer for far too long.

The Scottish banking fiasco is only one part of it.

Answer 6

They don`t - they know which side their bread is buttered on!



Lizzie J - English tourists are HATED and the Welsh and Scots get blamed for that type of behaviour. I have travelled quite widely around the world and can inform you that there are just as many Welsh and Scots (not forgetting English) that make me want to cringe when I see THEIR behaviour - try a little less stereotyping.

Answer 7

It's just a ridiculous impossible dream . If the Scots stopped being governed from Westminster they would start being governed from Brussels simple as that .

If you talk to an intelligent / sober Scot you'll find that no they don't want independence .

Answer 8

They don`t really, they just don`t like the english and thus hate the conservatives and increasingly dislike labour, so they vote for the SNP. Don`t mistake a vote for the SNP to be necessarily a vote for Independence! Scotland, wales and northern ireland do quite well out of the Union.

Answer 9

I can't speak for the Scots, but I am Welsh and can maybe offer an answer.



Basically it's about power and identity.

I personally don't like being ruled from England, by a government who have not idea about my country and what it's needs are.

Our language is growing, and so has our pride in our country, and we are now gaining in confidence in ourselves and our country.



I also don't like being British. In fact I hate it, it's embarassing. People always lump us (and the Scots) in with the English, and we are sick of being sidelined. Also, the critiscisms of Britiain are usually specifically for the English, and I hate being associated with them. English tourists are HATED yet the Welsh and Scots get blamed for that type of bevaviour too. The English are arrogant, the Welsh and Scots are not. The English look down on other cultures. They also have an appalling attitude to other languages, especially Welsh. In the rest of Europe, they appreciate culture and see language as an important part of a countries identity. The English cannot seem to grasp this simple concept. I'm quite sick of having my culture mocked, and I can't stand the way the Scots are mocked too. We both have a strong identity of our OWN, not based on putting other countries down.



The Scots (IMO) and Welsh are people who want to look after their own, they know their own country, and in England they spend insane money on things like the Millennium Dome and the Olympics. That would not happen in Scotland and Wales. The money would go on health, education, culture.



And so what if Wales and Scotland became minor European countries? Why does that matter? There are other countries in the EU with smaller populations than ours.



Seriously, the English need to get over themselves. This is not the British Empire, you are not the superpower you used to be. Your culture is gone, your pride is gone, you are not as popular and as respected as you think you are, and I don't want my country to be dragged down with you. Scotland and Wales will do fine without you.

Answer 10

For the same reason us Cornish want independence. Although to remain part of the UK.

Answer 11

Because there is so much we don't have control over because of the union. It is because we want full control over our country and we know full wellthere is only 1 way 2 get that. Also, Scots are immensly proud of Scotland and hate seeing it beimng bullied around by England most of the time. We know we're better than that.

Answer 12

Probably because they are embarrassed by the rest of us getting less of the kitty than they do!

Answer 13

Here, look at these sites.



http://www.snp.org/node/240



http://www.snp.org/independence/success



http://www.snp.org/independence/because



Thats all the arguments for and reasons why people support independence

Answer 14

They could easily remain fully in Europe.

Establish facts, then join debate.

Answer 15

because both hate the english and the english hate both of them

Answer 16

because we had it once before and managed fine...



It's rather annoying that britian has become England (and those other wee places) when we are fiercly proud of our own nationality!