Scottish independence

techman1

Another thing not often mentioned is the importance of Scotland to the British military and defence, there is a huge naval base up there along with nuclear missile sites. In the light of the Ukraine war the importance of British nuclear deterrence has only increased given that putin is always talking about nuclear strikes.

Given that Britain and France are the only nuclear armed countries in Europe I doubt the EU would be doing anything to weaken that given the threat from putin. Therefore the last thing they would be encouraging would be a break away of Scotland, they have plenty of other bigger candidates to join like Ukraine, Moldova and balkan countries

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357343#Comment_122357343

BJ and his buddies in the ERG were pulling the strings in the party for a long long time before Cameron called the referendum. Nicola Sturgeon was correct to point out "the tories" at the time although I accept that the way she did it probably didn't register very well

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357562#Comment_122357562

But the SNP, and most of the Scottish public, are very pro-EU so the EU would have a third nuclear armed country in your scenario (and a second one today)

On the flip side - if you look at how close the Brexit vote was, the EU were possibly hoping that Scotland remaining in the UK would sway the vote in favour of the UK remaining in the EU. And it nearly did to be fair

A Dub in Glasgo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357562#Comment_122357562

The nuclear weapons belong to the UK and can be relocated to rUK when Scotland is independent or Scotland can lease the facility to rUK

serfboard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357562#Comment_122357562

I'd be fairly certain that an independent Scotland would join NATO and so these could be renamed NATO Naval bases rather than British Naval bases for those people who might care about such things. Of course the submarines would be British but they could also be American as well.

Peregrinus

FWIW, the position of the Scottish government in 2014 was that an independent Scotland (a) would join NATO, but (b) would not host nuclear weapons, and therefore that rUK would be invited to relocate its nuclear bases away from Scotland (which, in all likelihood, is something rUK would want to do anyway). So no drama.

serfboard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357382#Comment_122357382

The difficulty for the independence supporters in Scotland is that neither they nor anyone else can guarantee that Scotland would be better off, economically, as an independent country.

Indeed, and had economic arguments only been used, the case for Irish independence would never have stood up either.

And it seems the population of Scotland want such a guarantee.

That was one of the winning strategies in the independence referendum - frightening the sh1t out of older people as to what would happen to their pensions after independence. IIRC the big demographic divide in the referendum was age - with younger people voting in favour of independence and older people voting against it.

Randycove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358299#Comment_122358299

that was prior to the SNP ditching the Greens though, so that position may change.

CrabRevolution

Boris Johnson wasn't even an MP at the time of the Scottish referendum though.

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122360214#Comment_122360214

It could. And, in any event, that was only ever a proposal. Obviously, if Scotland ever does acheive independence, it will be the post-independence Scottish government and parliament that forms and executes defence policy and nuclear policy, and we don't know who will be in government then, any more than we know who will be in government in the UK.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122360973#Comment_122360973

Neither was Nigel Farrage, he wasn't even a TD at the time of the Brexit referendum

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122361651#Comment_122361651

And he's not even a TD now.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122361655#Comment_122361655

He is, well, he's the British version of a TD

https://news.sky.com/story/nigel-farage-on-track-to-become-mp-as-he-hails-huge-early-election-results-13161816

Kermit.de.frog

Alex Salmond has died suddenly aged 69. RIP.

I wonder is it the end of the road for Scottish independence in any case. He and Sturgeon were the two driving forces.

With the demise of the SNP at the last Westminster election it seems to me to be firmly down the list of priorities now for Scottish voters. I wonder is it destined to move back to the political fringes.

ancapailldorcha

Scottish independence died some time ago. It was always a fortunate (for the SNP) convergence of Labour's unpopularity, the Tories' toxicity, a capable SNP and resentment at austerity.

RIP Alex Salmond.

A Dub in Glasgo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122712623#Comment_122712623

Salmond drove it forward, Sturgeon pushed it back

The news of his death is a shock and it is a pity he will not be alive to see the truth come out about his stitch up

RIP