The Scots vote for or against their independence from the United Kingdom on September 18. Strangely, even the separatists want almost everything to remain the same.
When Alex Salmond talks about the future even his hair seems to tremble in excitement: “Great Britain is increasingly unbalanced socially”, the charismatic Scottish First Minister said last Tuesday at the “New Statesman” lecture around the corner from the Houses of Parliament in Central London. “When we Scotts are independent, we will build a socially just country.”
On September 18 5,3 Million Scots in the North of the United Kingdom will vote for or against their independence. It is the first time since 1707 – since the Scots established a political Union with the English. So far only 32 percent of those who plan to vote want an independent state. But that could change.
What would independence mean for Scotland? Not too much, apparently. Because even the “Scottish National party” of Alex Salmond, who promotes a Yes-vote would like to keep almost everything the same after independence in 2016.
- The Queen will be also queen of the Scots, even if they leave the United Kingdom.
- They want to keep the Pound as currency, too. This might be more tricky as chancellor George Osborne just announced that the Scots would not be allowed to keep the British Pound Sterling after separation. But there is no final decision on this so far.
- Same with the borders. A souvereign state would keep open borders with the then shrunk UK.
- Not only this, the Scots want to keep the British “rebate”, too. Margaret Thatcher had negotiated this part retribution of EU membership payments to the UK in 1984. The tough prime minister had argued that Great Britain profited less from agricultural subsidies then other member states.
- The other British Opt-Outs from EU law the Scots would naturally also like to keep after they separate. They are islanders after all. Neither the Schengen agreement nor the common currency Euro tempts the Scots. All these extras, however, Scotland could only try to claim in case the EU is ready to accept Scotland as a new member state in the first place.
- Further more Scotland plans to be NATO member and also wants to be in the United Nations. The mini state would loose the permanent seat t the security council which the UK sits on. And the G8 - or G7 in case that Russia will be kicked out – will also not see a Scot again in the near future.
So what is the independence then for? The Scots could get their own passports. And 70 to 90 new embassies around the world. Edinburgh with his half million of inhabitants could become capital.
Left behind would be Small Britain – as England, Wales and Northern Ireland would be called from then on. A third of its territory – lost. The blue colour in the Union Jack – gone. No miracle that most English and Welsh are against Scottish independence. Many Scots would like to stay Brits, too. Alistair Carmichael, minister of Scotland in the British government, made his case last week at a meeting with foreign correspondents in Scotland house, which is located in the same building complex than Downing Street 10: “My wife is English, my kids are half Scots and half English – I do not want their grand parents to suddenly live in a foreign country.” He also mentioned that the Scots already control their own health service and autonomy, but could also feel safe under the protective wings of the bigger United Kingdom in case of trouble.
But the Scottish nationalists do not want to listen to the voices of reason in London. They have a really good reason for their separatism: They want control over their oil. It is the biggest oil wealth within the European Union and worth 4 trillion Pound. This is what Alex Salmond plans to build his just society with.
For all Scots.