I never understood the campaign for an independent Scotland.... Until now

[bronxiteforever]

The London Economic
By Jack Peat
June 15, 2019

...Like many people, my thoughts on IndyRef at the time were not dissimilar to my attitude towards Brexit. It was, in my opinion, a nationalistic, populist, narrow-minded bid to reclaim what control Scotland had purportedly lost at the hands of Westminster, but it would ultimately be a punishing move to erect borders in an increasingly open World.

Of course, Brexit supersedes all of that. Brexit takes Scotland out of the European Union. It dictates its trading relationships with countries on its doorstep, it impacts the country’s prosperity, jobs, connectivity and its ability to compete against comparative countries.

The effect it has will ultimately be dictated by the path the United Kingdom takes out of the European Union, but even that will be out of their hands. Put simply, Scotland is about to be governed by a new UK Prime Minister elected by 160,000 Tory members, of which only 9,000 are based in Scotland, from a party that hasn’t won a major election in Scotland in 64 years, to deliver a Brexit that 62 per cent of Scotland’s voters rejected, and if that doesn’t justify another chance at independence I don’t know what does.

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/opinion/i-never-understood-the-campaign-for-an-independent-scotland-until-now/15/06/

[dawg day]

1. I wonder how many Brexiteers considered this could be the actual end of the UK--

... when Scotland, with its vast oil wealth, impressive history of contributions to science and medicine, and geographic importance, decides to stay in the EU.

[bronxiteforever]

2. The Brexiteers never considered Scotland or NI

And the Good Friday Agreements. These parochial minds are leading their land to decades of instability. The real fault of the West, in my opinion, is the failure to appreciate stability and the institutions that make stability possible.
As the song goes, “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”.

[T_i_B]

7. Brexshitters continue to actively dismiss such concerns

Usually with cries of PROJECT FEAR. Essentially we have a large proportion of the population going round with their fingers in their ears going la-la-la I can't hear you.

I'm firmly on the unionist side of the argument, but these idiots need to understand that the United Kingdom is not a one way relationship. Until we deal with these delusional fools we won't be able to tackle Scottish nationalism. Essentially we on the unionist side need to sort ourselves out before we even think about lecturing the SNP.

Similar story with Northern Ireland, not helped by the relationship between the government and the DUP

[bronxiteforever]

8. Brilliant. +1

[Doodley]

3. Gordon Brown? A Scotsman who was PM over all of the UK? Or how about Tony Blair?

Or what about John Smith?

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. What are you saying or asking about them? (nt)

[Doodley]

6. I'm saying the idea that Scotland gets a raw deal democratically is ridiculous.

[Denzil_DC]

9. On what do you base that opinion?

The accident of a few UK party leaders' birth has nothing to do with what sort of democratic deal Scotland has or has not had. That assertion is certainly ridiculous. As you'd know if you had any background knowledge of Brown's ardent campaigning for the Union during the first indyref and since then, and the hollow promises of devolution-plus he proclaimed with no authority. At the next general election, Labour was roundly rejected at the polls in Scotland - reduced to one seat. That didn't happen without good reason. As for Smith and Blair, Labour had to be dragged by the nose to very grudgingly eventually allow a Scottish Assembly. The powers of that assembly are under threat from a number of the current Tory leadership contenders.

But since the last time you steamed in here full of opinions you didn't bother sticking around to respond to those who replied to you, it's probably a fool's errand to bother to engage with you.

[TomSlick]

4. Scotland and Ulster should finally have had enough.

Brexit is a Sassenach dream that will drag Scotland and Ulster out of Europe and into an uncertain political and economic mess. It is time to for the people of Scotland and Ulster to remember they are a distinct people from the Sassanachs. The choice is whether to remain a part of Europe or knuckle under the Westminster.

Scotland and Ulster should leave the UK and form a new Celtic nation.