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I think Scotland leaving would make it more likely. Scotland has a population of only 5 million people - and London will soon have double of that. Also London

I think Scotland leaving would make it more likely. Scotland has a population of only 5 million people - and London will soon have double of that. Also London's economy would boast in a massive way since 97% of its income goes to Westminster unlike New York, the mayor of London needs to actively lobby for things London needs. ( this is outside the boost provided by things like staying in the EU ). Its also more practical - its far easier to secure London's borders then it is to secure all of UK's ( nothing stopping people from Spain riding up Cornwell in a boat ) Westminister could relocate to Sunderland since it would be the new heartland.

lhnz 10y ago
Will it matter to Scotland's goal of joining the EU after getting independence from the UK that they would have the worst deficit in the OECD [0] and have, in the past, only been a net contributor to the UK economy in three of the last fifteen years [1]? It seems to me that the EU might require Scotland to make huge cuts to public spending. Would Scotland's independence be worth more to them than say free university tuition? I guess the SNP would avoid making cuts to certain nationally loved items, but something would surely have to give; either they would get higher taxes, or public spending would have to fall. Of course, the EU might agree to let them remain and also allow them their deficit, but there looks to be an increasing strain on the EU's richest members, so who knows whether that would be allowed. [0] http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03/if-scotland-had-gone-independent-today-it-would-be-facing-sado-austerity/ http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03/if-scotland-had-gone-in... [1] http://chokkablog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/simple-summary.html http://chokkablog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/simple-summary.html
- mike_hearn 10y ago
  It would be very difficult to justify letting the Scots maintain a deficit worse than Greece but without the same German-led austerity.
- dragonwriter 10y ago
  > Will it matter to Scotland's goal of joining the EU after getting independence from the UK that they would have the worst deficit in the developing world You probably intended to say "developed" instead of "developing", but the link actually says worst in the OECD, which is not equivalent to the developed world (though most OECD members are in the developed world, lots of the developed world is not in the OECD.)
  - lhnz 10y ago
    You are correct - I was trying to avoid the acronym and ended up completely bodging the meaning; I modified my comment in response.
ZenoArrow 10y ago
I find the whole argument of Scotland rejoining the EU bizarre... work for years to gain independence, just to give it away again. As for the linked article, I'd like to know what the author meant by 'worldview'. I have a feeling people are getting the EU confused with Europe, as if leaving the EU meant we were no longer European. The media in the UK have clearly done a great job at brainwashing people, the amount of nonsense I've heard in the last few days has been staggering.
- tremon 10y ago
  They wanted independence from Westminster, not from the EU.
  - ZenoArrow 10y ago
    Why? What do the gain from independence from Westminster that they wouldn't have to give up by rejoining the EU?
  - lliamander 10y ago
    Which (to my American eyes) strikes me as odd. Isn't the average Scot given more democratic say by being a part of the U.K. than the E.U.? As I understand it, the E.U. is not a particularly democratic institution to begin with, and without the Westminster to back them up I would think Scotland would be more vulnerable to E.U. politics. Perhaps I am mistaken?
    - themihai 10y ago
      EU is as democratic as it gets but I think it failed to market itself as such. There is an elected parliament so what's undemocratic?
      - ZenoArrow 10y ago
        I feel like a broken record at this point, but... The European Parliament has less power than every other parliament that I know of in one crucial way... They cannot propose new laws. Without the power to propose new laws, they cannot set the agenda for the EU. Only the European Commission can propose new laws, and Commissioners are not voted for by the general public. That's the key reason that the EU is not as democratic as the UK's political system, elected representatives do not have the full power to represent your interests, they can only shape what other people propose.

lhnz 10y ago

Will it matter to Scotland's goal of joining the EU after getting independence from the UK that they would have the worst deficit in the OECD [0] and have, in the past, only been a net contributor to the UK economy in three of the last fifteen years [1]? It seems to me that the EU might require Scotland to make huge cuts to public spending. Would Scotland's independence be worth more to them than say free university tuition? I guess the SNP would avoid making cuts to certain nationally loved items, but something would surely have to give; either they would get higher taxes, or public spending would have to fall. Of course, the EU might agree to let them remain and also allow them their deficit, but there looks to be an increasing strain on the EU's richest members, so who knows whether that would be allowed. [0] http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03/if-scotland-had-gone-independent-today-it-would-be-facing-sado-austerity/ http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03/if-scotland-had-gone-in... [1] http://chokkablog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/simple-summary.html http://chokkablog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/simple-summary.html

mike_hearn 10y ago
It would be very difficult to justify letting the Scots maintain a deficit worse than Greece but without the same German-led austerity.
dragonwriter 10y ago
> Will it matter to Scotland's goal of joining the EU after getting independence from the UK that they would have the worst deficit in the developing world You probably intended to say "developed" instead of "developing", but the link actually says worst in the OECD, which is not equivalent to the developed world (though most OECD members are in the developed world, lots of the developed world is not in the OECD.)
- lhnz 10y ago
  You are correct - I was trying to avoid the acronym and ended up completely bodging the meaning; I modified my comment in response.

ZenoArrow 10y ago

I find the whole argument of Scotland rejoining the EU bizarre... work for years to gain independence, just to give it away again. As for the linked article, I'd like to know what the author meant by 'worldview'. I have a feeling people are getting the EU confused with Europe, as if leaving the EU meant we were no longer European. The media in the UK have clearly done a great job at brainwashing people, the amount of nonsense I've heard in the last few days has been staggering.

tremon 10y ago
They wanted independence from Westminster, not from the EU.
- ZenoArrow 10y ago
  Why? What do the gain from independence from Westminster that they wouldn't have to give up by rejoining the EU?
- lliamander 10y ago
  Which (to my American eyes) strikes me as odd. Isn't the average Scot given more democratic say by being a part of the U.K. than the E.U.? As I understand it, the E.U. is not a particularly democratic institution to begin with, and without the Westminster to back them up I would think Scotland would be more vulnerable to E.U. politics. Perhaps I am mistaken?
  - themihai 10y ago
    EU is as democratic as it gets but I think it failed to market itself as such. There is an elected parliament so what's undemocratic?
    - ZenoArrow 10y ago
      I feel like a broken record at this point, but... The European Parliament has less power than every other parliament that I know of in one crucial way... They cannot propose new laws. Without the power to propose new laws, they cannot set the agenda for the EU. Only the European Commission can propose new laws, and Commissioners are not voted for by the general public. That's the key reason that the EU is not as democratic as the UK's political system, elected representatives do not have the full power to represent your interests, they can only shape what other people propose.