"A Separate Scotland" Topic

"Informing electors of the importance of the opportunity now afforded them, one of Scotland's most prominent nationalists declared that:

For the first time since the Union, they will have it in their power to determine whether Scotland is to recover the management of its own affairs.

At first glance we may naturally assume that this comment relates to the independence referendum that takes place this September, but it was actually written 121 years ago by William Mitchell, treasurer of the Scottish Home Rule Association (SHRA). In the same piece Mitchell urged that the time had come for his fellow countrymen to throw off the shackles of the Westminster party system and support solely those who were pledged to the restoration of a Scottish parliament. The SHRA, formed in 1886 in the midst of an acute constitutional crisis, sought the passage of ‘legislation for Scotland in Scotland' and used the term ‘Home Rule' to ‘express shortly the right of the Scottish people to manage their own affairs'. They counselled that only a reinstated legislature could ‘carry out what the people of Scotland want', for ‘the Scottish people know their own business best'…"

Full article here
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Amicalement
Armand

Sometimes the Scots forget that a majority of the members of the previous independent Scottish Parliament voted to join the English and Welsh in the newly named United Kingdom.

Since then Scots have elected MPs, and over recent years have occupied the office of Prime Minster more than any other 'nationality' … and then complain about 'English' domination.

Of course it is not considered polite to remind them of this :)

Have anyone made a cost-benefit analysis? Just curious.

Plus, of course, British Royalty doesn't mean English Royalty – James VI of Scotland became James I of England, not the other way round, calling himself 'King of Great Britain and Ireland. So really you could say that England joined Scotland.

Have not been following this issue closely, apologies, but is the thinking that a separation would also include separate armed forces?

Indeed it would. The proposal is for "progressively building to a total of 15,000 regular and 5,000 reserve personnel" and "securing the speediest safe withdrawal of nuclear weapons from Scotland".

The information on this, and all sorts of other subjects, is in the white paper at:

PDF link