Scottish Independence Referendum - 18 September 2014

[Tieteobserver]

If I was English, I would be a bit happy to see Scotland leaving the UK. Calm down dear Scots. No problem with you, ethnically speaking. Its just that you guys always provide Westminster with Labour members. Politically it'd be an advantage for the Tory.

Now, if I was a Scottish I'd be rather frightened of leaving the Union. I can't imagine what a SNP single-party rule is capable of doing over 2 decades of government.

For the sake of the Union Jack, however, its a bit better to remain together. Just hurry: as of the last polls, the Yes was making huge gains over the No.

[Tieteobserver]

I've only been following this from headlines. What's caused the upswing in support for independence? Have the paid communications started?

Crimea and Putin. Its very agreed that the Crimean (and also Eastern Ukraine to a lesser extent) helped sparking secessionism across Europe. Not that it didn't exist before. Just that their success gives them some moral support.

[Tieteobserver]

If I was English, I would be a bit happy to see Scotland leaving the UK. Calm down dear Scots. No problem with you, ethnically speaking. Its just that you guys always provide Westminster with Labour members. Politically it'd be an advantage for the Tory.

Long-term, perhaps, but short-term, no.
Cameron is sure to lose in 2015 if Scotland leaves UK. Voters will blame him for that.

Yeah, it was precisely long-term I was referring to.

The Tory is doomed for the next decade anyways.

[Tieteobserver]

I believe every population has a right to self-determination. Its a very supreme value for me. Non-negotiable, really. Therefore, if the Scots wish to break from their Union, they should have this right.

They certainly have loads of reasons. Whilst America, Canada and Australia adopted federal forms of government, with relatively little power in Washington, Ottawa and Canberra, most of it being concentrated on their states/provinces, the UK apparently was resistant upon following this path. Instead of allowing Scottish, Welsh and Irish folks to govern themselves, London has, for these last 3 centuries, held quite a huge of a lock upon power. Only recently the Scottish Parliament was opened and given some degree of autonomy. Had the UK federalised long ago, and I bet even Ireland wouldn't have seceded. London chose the wrong path.

That DOES NOT, however, justify the current movement on the part of the Scots. Scotland has a relatively old population, has a reputation for unhealthy citizens, and SNP, from all accounts, is visibly a populist left-wing party. I don't see Scotland well managed in their hands. They will conquer freedom from London, thats true. But I doubt Scotland will be able to be an independent successful nation at least for a while.

Besides, I love the Union Jack. But if I was English, I very certainly would vomit upon the quickest glance at this: