Scotland can't do referendums any time they want

Quite reasonably because one of the assumptions made in the 2014 referendum was that the UK would remain in the EU. Circumstances have changed.

Circumstances always change. Was there ever any sense that the UK would be the same in a decade's time as it is now? Is the UK really like it was ten years ago when Tony Blair was in office, we were still occupying Iraq and the financial crash hadn't even been sniffed? Of course not.

The vote in 2014 - less than two years ago - was a vote to stay in the United Kingdom, not a vote contingent on any particular policy decision. If someone assumed that it would be a UK in the EU, then they really ought to have noticed the declared policy of holding a referendum on the subject.

Foreign affairs are a reserved policy of the UK Government. The Scottish Government be using reserved decisions to agitate for independence any more than David Cameron should be suggesting the decisions of the Scottish Government are a case for reversing devolution. That's not how a stable or rational system of government operates.

A rational response to an emotional issue. I would love to agree, but it's plain that Scots are outraged and won't let this rest.

Evidence? The only poll I'm aware of after the referendum that asked if there should be a second referendum showed the balance of support was against it. Yes, some polls are showing a margin-of-error lead for independence at the moment - but it's far less than I suspect the SNP would've expected in this circumstance. (As an aside, let's not forget the pollsters underestimated support for the union, rather than overestimating support for the EU as they were shown to have done).

About 45% of Scots voters were always going to be outraged by this. They're permanently outraged anyway, so I don't see this as much of a change. As for the rest, they're just like the folk in the rest of the UK - many disappointed, many quite happy.

... but if I were a Scots No voter, I'd be utterly furious right now and would likely abstain in a future referendum.

Why?

Because I'd feel dismayed at what's happened south of the border and it would be extremely difficult to argue that Scotland is enhanced within the UK when it's just been grotesquely overriden in a major issue. Sure, there would be economic reasons for staying, but the EU referendum has shown that people ignore facts if they go against their gut.

I hope you're right, Smack. I had heard turnout in Scotland was actually highest among the UK's countries - don't have stats to hand though. I had also heard many SNP/Nats supporters deliberately voted Leave to ignite this furore deliberately.

If the majority Scottish people want a referendum, in light of this massive change, it would be dangerous not to let them have it; they would probably be a massive amount of violence.

So funny


Posted from TSR Mobile

Because when a large amount of people, through history, feel like they have been bent over a barrel, it's never ended badly, right?

60%, according to the Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/26/scottish-independence-has-nearly-60-per-cent-support-poll-finds/

Yes, it's one poll, but that's a considerable spike and even if it goes down, Yes has a built-in advantage.

Believe me, I don't want Scotland to leave, but if I were a Scots No voter, I'd be utterly furious right now and would likely abstain in a future referendum.

Because when a large amount of people, through history, feel like they have been bent over a barrel, it's never ended badly, right?

Yeah, Scotland isn't some sort of oppressed colony - it's a well-off part of the UK that's been consistently provided with higher public spending since at least the late 19th century and played an enthusiastic role in bending people across the world over the barrel through the British Empire.

Scotland had the second lowest turnout of all regions within the UK, at 67.21%. Looking at the individual councils, Glasgow, which voted Yes in 2014, had a turnout of just over 56%, and Dundee, which also voted yes, again how a lower than Scottish average turnout of 63%. Same with the other two Yes voting councils. Whether there were nationalists voting tactically to try and bring about another referendum I'm not sure, though.

Boter turnout was not as high as it has been recently in Scotland, true, but this doesn't diminish that Scotland voted for Remain to a greater degree than the rest of the UK voted for Leave.

And most parts of the UK should consider their involvement in the exploitation of countries and people for the benefit of the British Empire. I'd say Scotland is a little ahead of England in that regard.