Dr Nicola McEwen

University of Edinburgh

ESRC Scottish Centre on Constitutional Change

THE SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM 2014

“Should Scotland be an independent country?”

“If more people vote ‘Yes’ than vote ‘No’ in the referendum, Scotland would become an independent country. This would not happen straight away. There would need to be negotiations between people representing Scotland and people representing the UK.” 

Joint Statement

Scottish Government & UK Government June 2014

The ACT OF VOTING You must be registered by 2 September 2014

You will receive polling card around 5 weeks before referendum (details where you should vote).

Go to polling station (7am-10pm) on 18 September.

Postal/proxy votes can be arranged IN ADVANCE – by 5pm on 3 September

Mark one X on ballot paper (Don’t write or draw anything else on it!)

Fold it and place it in ballot box. You do not need to tell anyone how you voted.

WHAT THE BALLOT PAPER WILL LOOK LIKE

What difference would it make?

Simple question - “Should Scotland be an independent country?”

BUT What does “independent” mean? Separation v a new relationship And what are the alternatives if we vote

No?

Current contextRESERVED POWERS• The Constitution • Foreign policy, including

relations with the EU• Defence and national

security • Immigration and the

protection of borders• Social Security • Fiscal, economic and

monetary policy• Employment legislation• Energy

• Transport safety and regulation• Broadcasting• Aspects of health and

medicine, including abortion and human genetics, fertilisation and embryology

• Elections and Political Parties registration and funding

• The Civil Service• Outer space!

Scottish Parliament’s powers =

all areas not reserved

KEY DEVOLVED POWERS• Health• Education (pre-5 to Higher

Education, exc. research)• Training• Environment• Agriculture, Fisheries &

Forestry• Economic Development• Transport• Law and Home Affairs• Social Work• Housing and Building

standards

• Promotion of Renewable energy/energy efficiency

• Sport and the Arts• Research and Statistics• Local Government and Local

taxation• Limited tax-varying power

If Yes wins… A vote for Independence would mean

negotiating the transfer of all powers currently reserved to Westminster

Agreeing a division of assets and liabilities

Negotiating nature of new relationship with rUK

Negotiating membership of EU/NATO

The Case for Independence (i):DEMOCRACY

• Independence as completion of devolution process

• Government in and for Scotland, accountable to the people

• Always get the government that Scots vote for

“With independence, Scotland will always get the governments we vote for. For 34 of the 68 years since 1945, Scotland has been ruled by Westminster governments with no majority in Scotland”

The Case for Independence (ii):ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Key economic powers affecting Scotland’s future remain at Westminster.

Exploitation of natural resources, inc. ownership of/revenues from North Sea oil & gas

Independence as the best condition for sustainable economic growth

The Case for Independence (iii):FAIRNESS/SOCIAL JUSTICE

Objection to levels of inequality within UK and an appeal to social solidarity

Opposition to UK government’s welfare reforms

Promise of a fairer welfare state

“With independence we can create a social nation: a country that acts and feels like a community, a vibrant society where we know the benefits of looking out for each other”

Is it really independence?A NEW PARTNERSHIP

Independence & interdependenceShared institutional arrangements, e.g.:

currency union Common Travel Area & labour market Strategic energy partnership Defence and Security co-operation Co-operation in public service delivery Common research area Cross-border functional bodies ‘National’ Lottery BBC/SBC Joint Venture

Salmond’s ‘six unions’

“Scotland will continue to have a close and special relationship with the other nations of these isles. This will be a new, updated partnership of equals between the people of Scotland and the rest of the UK”

The Case for Union (i)LOVE & SOLIDARITY

Appeals to stay within ‘the UK family’

Celebrations of Britishness and British institutions; “Team GB”

Pooling resources – shared solidarity – a “union of social justice”

“I believe that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are stronger together than they would ever be apart… It is time to speak out, whatever the consequences, because something very special is in danger - the ties which bind us in the country we call home.”

David Cameron

16 Feb 2012

The Case for Union (iii)STRENGTH

“And in the world of uncertainty, we

are quite simply stronger as a bigger

entity… Together we’re stronger at

getting out there and selling our

products to the world… together we’re

stronger to lead in the industries of the

future… we’re stronger together (in)

our place in the world. Together we get

a seat at the UN Security Council, real

clout in NATO and Europe, the prestige

to host event like the G8”

PM David Cameron

UK government ‘Scotland Analysis’ series

Union presented as the best of all possible worlds

“Stronger together, weaker apart” - the benefits of the UK’s broad shoulders, size and influence in the world

THE CASE FOR UNION (II):FEAR

Strategy of heightening uncertainty, e.g. on Scotland’s EU membership, currency, etc

Rejection of SNP version of independence-lite

Difficulty for Scotland to meet social needs, security needs, etc, from own resource

“…the value of the pound lies in the entire

monetary system underpinning it. A system that

includes the Bank of England and the tens of

millions of UK taxpayers who stand behind that

financial system. It is a system that is

supported by political union, banking union and

automatic transfers of public spending across

the United Kingdom. A vote to leave the UK is

also a vote to leave these unions and those

transfers and those monetary arrangements…

If Scotland walks away from the UK, it

walks away from the UK pound. ”

George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer

WHEN NO MEANS MORE

Any questions?

More information at:

www.futureukandscotland.ac.uk

Twitter: @UKScotland or @McEwen_Nicola