How Will the Scotland Independence Movement affect Scotland?

[The Nature Boy]

Just a stupid question: if Scotland successfully left the UK, would the UK be the UK anymore?

There's still Wales and Northern Ireland so yes.

[US 41]

The Scots are voting on their independence today.

[02 Park Ave]

The polls have closed!

[US 41]

The polls have closed!

When will we find out the results?

[yanksfan6129]

First results will come in around 9 PM eastern time (USA), and full results around 1 AM eastern time (which is roughly breakfast time in Scotland).

[kkt]

Just a stupid question: if Scotland successfully left the UK, would the UK be the UK anymore?

Not a stupid question.  Wales is a principality, not a kingdom.  Northern Ireland is a province.  So England would be the only remaining kingdom.  However, all of the parts have gotten used to the name U.K., and might decide to keep it anyway.  Otherwise, they'd have to call it England, and calling the whole state England might annoy the Welsh and Northern Irish.

[vdeane]

I do not understand why Europe like setting up laws to make things more convoluted rather than streamlined.  They should merge the EU, Schegen, currency, etc. into one system where you're either in or out, and states shouldn't be kicked out for declaring independence.

Plus the Euro is a weaker currency anyways.

You seem to have answered your own question.  The UK doesn't want the Euro or Schengen so they can keep the pound strong and restrict immigration.  Yet the UK and Euro countries still mutually benefit from other aspects of the EU.

Because that explains all the other issues</sarcasm>... and that video doesn't even mention that Schegen and the customs union don't overlap!

[english si]

Just a stupid question: if Scotland successfully left the UK, would the UK be the UK anymore?

Yes and no. The UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. If the Scots break away from the Kingdom of Great Britain (formed in 1707 by the Acts of Union) then UK GB&NI cannot exist - instead it would be UK E&NI, though we'd probably add Wales to make it UK E,W&NI. Short name stays the same, but completely different long name as the majority part of it is broken up - the Kingdom so united it is "Great Britain" not "England and Scotland"

And clearly the flag would have to look something like my current avatar, without the Saltire in it...

Northern Ireland is a province.  So England would be the only remaining kingdom.

Northern Ireland is the remains of the province of Ulster in the Kingdom of Ireland. It's all that remains of the Kingdom of Ireland (which united with the Kingdom of Great Britain to form UK GB&I in 1800). So the UK would still be the union of two Kingdoms, just that neither of them are the Kingdoms that entered the Union, but instead rumps...

You seem to have answered your own question.  The UK doesn't want the Euro or Schengen so they can keep the pound strong and restrict immigration.  Yet the UK and Euro countries still mutually benefit from other aspects of the EU.

The UK doesn't want the Euro as the ERM nearly destroyed our economy in the late 80s/early 90s. If it was to keep the pound strong then the money printing they've done over the past 6 years undermine that. The UK doesn't want Schengen to restrict immigration (which it can't do anyway under free movement of people*), but to control our borders - we can't trust the Greeks, Bulgarians, Poles, Hungarians, Slovaks, etc to actually enforce their borders with Ukraine and Turkey and thus need to do it ourselves. Given there's the water (and security theatre on Eurostar) separating the Common Travel and Schengen Areas, there's no need for them to merge, though they might

*and if there were fewer Poles, French, Spanish, etc coming to our shores we wouldn't be so closed off to those seeking to move from outside Europe. I believe that the UK will be the only country in Europe (not counting Turkey) growing in population before long, with immigration speeding up the population decline of elsewhere and delaying it on these shores. We once made a promise to the Commonwealth that they could come here and live if they wanted - we had to renage on that promise, just as we had to turn our backs on trade with such places once we transferred from a Free Trade Agreement to a Customs Union in the 70s. The French solution to illegal immigrants coming through Schengen then hitting a barrier at the Channel is to demand that the UK take them, rather than sending them back home. Its noteworthy that said immigrants have always preferred bad camping near Calais in the hope of reaching the UK than live in the Schengen zone in some degree of comfort

Because that explains all the other issues</sarcasm>... and that video doesn't even mention that Schegen and the customs union don't overlap!

Well they are different things!

The Customs Union is the EU (which has gone way beyond just that*, and was sold to Brits in the '70s as a trade agreement, not a much more restrictive customs union). Schengen is a Visa Union, allowing passport-free travel inside it and a common Visa (a similar arrangement exists between the UK and RoI).

Do they mention that Switzerland isn't technically a member of EFTA? Switzerland, EFTA and the EU form the EEA (European Economic Area) which has tariff-free trade within it. Non-EU members are free to form their own trade agreements with elsewhere, and the EU is similarly free to form trade agreements but typically doesn't due to the protectionist desires of some states (member states cannot form their own trade agreements with other sovereign states).

*and unless you have an opt out, like the UK and RoI you have to be a part/future part of Schengen. Likewise the Eurozone (Sweden and UK have opt outs there).

[english si]

No wins by 7 to 8% - I'm calling it. Western Isles went 'No', noises that West Lothian might.

All the discussion on the BBC is mostly about 'English votes for English law', English devolution and whether the Barnett formula should be allowed to continue.

The UK is going to become a de facto federation, thanks to constitutional changes done in closed rooms in a panic thanks to one opinion poll saying Yes would win and announced in Scottish newspapers. Sure it was the last PM, current PM, current DPM and Leader of the Opposition in those closed rooms, but they didn't talk to their parties and English MPs (and Welsh MPs and probably NI's MPs) aren't happy bunnies.

[Thing 342]

No wins by 7 to 8% - I'm calling it. Western Isles went 'No', noises that West Lothian might.

All the discussion on the BBC is mostly about 'English votes for English law', English devolution and whether the Barnett formula should be allowed to continue.

The UK is going to become a de facto federation, thanks to constitutional changes done in closed rooms in a panic thanks to one opinion poll saying Yes would win and announced in Scottish newspapers. Sure it was the last PM, current PM, current DPM and Leader of the Opposition in those closed rooms, but they didn't talk to their parties and English MPs (and Welsh MPs and probably NI's MPs) aren't happy bunnies.

You know, after this Scotland stuff settles down, the UK should really set down and write a proper constitution.

[kkt]

No wins by 7 to 8% - I'm calling it. Western Isles went 'No', noises that West Lothian might.

All the discussion on the BBC is mostly about 'English votes for English law', English devolution and whether the Barnett formula should be allowed to continue.

The UK is going to become a de facto federation, thanks to constitutional changes done in closed rooms in a panic thanks to one opinion poll saying Yes would win and announced in Scottish newspapers. Sure it was the last PM, current PM, current DPM and Leader of the Opposition in those closed rooms, but they didn't talk to their parties and English MPs (and Welsh MPs and probably NI's MPs) aren't happy bunnies.

You know, after this Scotland stuff settles down, the UK should really set down and write a proper constitution.

What a novel idea.

Well, I'm happy enough.  I would have been happier if Scotland achieved independence, but glad it can be a member of the UK by choice.

[US 41]

Leaving would have been a dumb option for them. I'm happy that they voted to stay a part of the UK.

[SteveG1988]

It was a close race though, so that means that for now they will stay part of the United Kingdom, but this probably scared 10 Downing Street to some degree. Since it was so close, they should take it as a warning that Scotland isn't exactly pleased with the current situation, but enough want to remain part of the United Kingdom. I expect changes to be made to the status quo, to address some issues that Scotland has brought up in the past, that brought about the voting.