An Englishman’s take on the future of the ‘Scottish Question’
From the first infection of a British citizen with Coronavirus to everyone beginning to get to grips with ‘the new normal’ as we slowly head back to work and education, the media’s focus on every development of the COVID-19 pandemic succeeded in pushing coverage on standard politics (if there is such a thing) to the sidelines. It is easy to forget that there were supposed to be local elections in May, as well as the choosing of a new Mayor of London, all of which will now take place on the same day as the Scottish Parliamentary elections in 2021. However, for a politically infused individual such as myself, elections are something that one does not forget, and this next set of elections to Scotland’s devolved Parliament deserve full attention. They are extremely crucial given the SNP’s 48 MPs returned to Westminster last year, which subsequently renewed Nicola Sturgeon’s confidence in demanding a second vote on Scottish Independence.[1] As the year has progressed, polls have shown increased support for the Scottish Nationalist Party to the point that they could move from minority to majority government,[2] which would surely make it much harder for Westminster to then deny another referendum. The movement to preserve the precious union of this unitary state is now more important than ever, and though I would not have the right to vote “No” in any second exercise, this Englishman still wants to speak about this topic that he holds so high in importance.
Firstly, with my love for the UK extending to Scotland as an individual nation, it is fair to say that although I would prefer it if there was no second referendum at all, there are good times and bad times to begin such significant constitutional change. Now is certainly not a time that fits with the former. The Coronavirus pandemic has left this country in the deepest recession it has seen since records began, GDP having dropped by 20.4%.[3] In comparison with the recession of 2008, the pandemic has caused the UK four times the amount of economic damage – the amount of time we need to recover could not be more unclear. In this sense, it is also worth bearing in mind that the path set out by the SNP for an independent Scotland to re-join the EU is not one laced with certainty either. Despite its unique history and assurances from SNP representatives, an independent Scotland would have to apply for EU membership in the standard fashion; this would likely take four or five years, including the predicted three that it would take for Scotland to separate from the UK.[4] On top of this, the Scottish people should be aware that re-joining the EU would almost definitely require adopting the Euro, which only 18% of Scots supported in January this year, and it would also entrail remaining part of the Common Fisheries Policy, which is detested by many fishing communities.[5]These circumstances could contribute to a delay in the granting of any second referendum and so the unionist movement must use this time effectively to convey the economic benefits of remaining in the UK to our most northern state as we work together in restoring our GDP to pre-pandemic heights.
In my view, the protection of Scottish/British citizens’ wellbeing is an important responsibility for the UK government as well as the devolved administration of Holyrood, and it is one more easily attained by Scotland’s place in the union. Breaking away from the rest of the United Kingdom would mean the construction of a border between England and Scotland, thus creating a hard division between many families and friends that live close to said border and adding unnecessary difficulties to their lives. Breaking away from the rest of the United Kingdom would mean the construction of a border between England and Scotland, thus creating a hard division between many families and friends that live close to said border, and adding unnecessary difficulties to their lives. As Alistair Darling summed up in 2013, “We’ve got friends and relations north and south of the border and we don’t want to make each other foreigners.”[6] An independent Scotland would also mean these citizens would no longer benefit from the world-renowned protection, against both domestic and international threats, offered by Her Majesty’s security and intelligence organisations.[7] This is a weakness that we now know our enemies would gladly take advantage of. This is a weakness where, in some cases, they are even going as far as to make their own contributions to breaking up the UK. The fact that Russia interfered in the Scottish independence referendum to try and bring about a “Yes” vote should be a great warning to nationalists that our enemies also want Scotland to become independent – but they want it only to take advantage of the fallout and Scotland’s weakened position.[8] Sir John Scarlett, former Chief of MI6, believed that the SNP proposals made in 2014 for ensuring national security would not offer the same levels of protection currently provided.[9] From what the Intelligence and Security Committee found out, it seems Vladimir Putin agrees.
Of course, as much as I believe in the benefits of our union, I cannot get through this piece without speaking about the Scottish Nationalist Party. Even from my home in Barnet, London, the SNP has still made it that whenever I am watching PMQs and the Member of Parliament for Ross, Skye and Lochaber stands, I either change the channel for five minutes, or if I’m in a good mood, put it on mute until he sits down. The SNP, to be quite frank, come across as incompetent and hypocritical; they allow their desire for independence to take centre stage and interfere with their job of governing, and it is the average Scot that suffers. Under successive SNP administrations since 2007, Scotland’s drug death rate has increased to no.1 out of all EU countries.[10]Police stations crumble away while deprived communities go without investment for public services.[11] The gap between the Scottish employment rate and that of the rest of the UK has widened.[12] The government failed on education, a self-proclaimed priority from the First Minister herself, when they fell short of their own target to improve standard’s in Scotland’s most deprived schools.[13] And while Mr. Blackford might like to criticise the COVID response of the UK government, his party’s devolved administration has made many errors of its own. Scotland lagged far behind England in terms of testing capacity and PPE during the peak, a pro-independence think tank ruled the amount of care home deaths as possibly “the single greatest failure of devolved government”, and they even went as far as to try and keep a Coronavirus outbreak secret from the general public.[14] Taking into account all of this as well as the SNP’s inability to answer basic questions on independence, such as what currency would be used, I hope that I would be forgiven for using a common political jab: I would not trust the SNP to run my bath, let alone a devolved administration and certainly not to navigate a country towards something so huge as independence.
The fact of the matter is though that there is one decisive, simple reason why I instinctively revolt to the idea of Scottish independence; why I am so passionate about our union. It’s because it’s who we are. English and Scottish alike speak the same language, share so much history, have so much potential. I have no problem with stating I have an emotional attachment not to England as one country, but to the unitary state that is the United Kingdom. The British identity is a central part of me, and the thought that one day I might have to consider that identity disappearing because Scotland ceased to be a member of this nation coats my heart with dread. It is a point that I have not given as much time to as those proceeding but that’s because I don’t have to. Despite what Scottish nationalists might want to believe, I am ecstatic that there are many a Scot who feel as passionately about their British identity as I do. They are passionate about being good friends and neighbours into the foreseeable future, but only in one way. Because while an independent Scotland could offer this cooperation through an alliance, the feeling of unison that many in this country enjoy can only be created from one United Kingdom.
The SNP’s focus on remaining in the EU during their 2019 General Election campaign means one can genuinely argue that the election of 48 MPs for their party does not necessarily translate into a majority desire for independence. In the run-up to the Scottish Parliamentary elections scheduled for nine months’ time, the SNP should run on a crystal clear platform that a vote for them is a vote for a second independence referendum so that this issue can be put to bed once more. During this campaign, I implore my unionist friends to consider all the options. Prof. John Curtice has said the best hope for the Scottish Conservatives of stopping an SNP majority would be a revival of Scottish Labour, for it is to them that the SNP would lose any votes.[15]If that is what is required, perhaps a unionist electoral pact is in order. From there, all unionist parties can argue the economic benefits, the stronger security, the weaknesses of the SNP and the British identity we share.
The future of the UK will be questioned next May. This Englishman hopes that Scottish unionists understand this and put party allegiances aside to unite for our union.
Luke Stewart
Bibliography
1. BBC News, Scotland election results 2019: SNP wins election landslide in Scotland, 13th December 2019, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50766014
2. Wikipedia, Opinion polling for the next Scottish Parliament election, accessed 31st August 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_Scottish_Parliament_election
3. The Guardian, COVID-19: UK economy plunges into deepest recession since records began, 12th August 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/12/uk-economy-covid-19-plunges-into-deepest-slump-in-history
4. Anthony Salamore, What would it take for Scotland to rejoin the EU as an independent state?, 3rd February 2020, https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2020/02/05/what-would-it-take-for-scotland-to-rejoin-the-eu-as-an-independent-state/
5. The Scotsman, 10 reasons against Scottish Independence, 3rd March 2017, https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/10-reasons-against-scottish-independence-1454805
6. The Metro, Russia ‘poses immediate and urgent threat to UK national security’, 21st July 2020, https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/21/russia-tried-influence-2014-scottish-independence-referendum-report-confirms-13017392/
7. The Scotsman, Nine dismal lowlights that demonstrate the SNP is failing Scotland – Pamela Nash, 30th January 2020, https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-independence/nine-dismal-lowlights-demonstrate-snp-failing-scotland-pamela-nash-1395675
8. The Spectator, The SNP’s media war conceals their COVID failures, 20th May 2020, https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-snp-s-media-war-conceals-their-covid-failures
9. Holyrood, The Scottish Conservatives ‘badly need the Scottish Labour Party to revive between now and next May’, says Prof. Curtice, 12th August 2020, https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,the-scottish-conservatives-badly-need-the-scottish-labour-party-to-revive-between-now-and-next-may-says-prof-curtice
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50766014
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_Scottish_Parliament_election
[3] https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/12/uk-economy-covid-19-plunges-into-deepest-slump-in-history
[4] https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2020/02/05/what-would-it-take-for-scotland-to-rejoin-the-eu-as-an-independent-state/
[5] Ibid
[6] https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/10-reasons-against-scottish-independence-1454805
[7] Ibid
[8] https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/21/russia-tried-influence-2014-scottish-independence-referendum-report-confirms-13017392/
[9]https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/10-reasons-against-scottish-independence-1454805
[10] https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-independence/nine-dismal-lowlights-demonstrate-snp-failing-scotland-pamela-nash-1395675
[11] Ibid
[12] Ibid
[13] Ibid
[14] https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-snp-s-media-war-conceals-their-covid-failures
[15] https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,the-scottish-conservatives-badly-need-the-scottish-labour-party-to-revive-between-now-and-next-may-says-prof-curtice
"Saltire flag" by Neil T is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0