On September 18, 2014, the people of Scotland will take part in a referendum regarding independence from the UK. Scotland has been part of the UK for over 300 years, and it is not the first time the local government is attempting to split off the kingdom.
The First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, announced the referendum date last Thursday. He is convinced a farewell to the UK will pave the way for building “a better country”. Choosing September 18 was a well-weighed decision. In 2014, September 18 will be the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, when Scots triumphed over England.
Despite the vote failure at 2011 parliamentary elections, the Scottish National Party advocates secession from the United Kingdom too.
However, not all Scotland’s people would be happy to be out of the UK. The opinion poll found that just 30% of Scots opt for independence against 50% supporting the status quo.
The main reason why the Scottish National Party is so keen to separate is a secondary role the Scottish Parliament plays when it comes to foreign and economic policy. The party representatives claim that the English Parliament always takes the lead in decision making. Moreover, the party frowns at that Scotland’s interests are partly overlooked in London.
On top of that, Scottish nationalists are sure a sovereign Scotland will be more successful at finding solutions to challenges and will develop relying on oil and fish in the North Sea, agriculture, and alcohol production.