Scottish Independence referendum, 2014

[Filuwaúrdjan]

As Scotland contains less than 10% of the population of the UK and is significantly smaller than London, breakup would only be a useful term in a 'breakup of the Soviet Union' sense. And we already have a Near Abroad (i.e. Ireland).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I dislike nationalism and find the current situation - which is at least partially the result of so much mutual misunderstanding - to be at least slightly sad, but this really is just a matter for the Scottish electorate. It's their mistake to make (or opportunity to take). All the 'BRITAIN MUST STAY UNITED' and 'FREEEEDOOOOM' nonsense here is cringeworthy.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

They are basically tax havens.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Most of the UK's oil reserves are off Scotland (and so, yes, Britain's BOP would certainly be hit by Scottish independence), but Scotland benefits from disproportionate allocation of public spending (currently via the Barnett formula; would rather bite off my own hand than get into a discussion about the details of that, mind) and its large financial sector benefits from the stability of being in the UK. Probably it works out as something of a wash.