I'm quite pleased by what the Scottish referendum says about the UK.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

Some people in Scotland want to leave the UK and become a separate nation.
Some people in Scotland want to stay in the UK.

A referendum has been arranged.
Campaigning has been non-violent.
I'm pretty sure no-one is trying to rig the vote.
Whatever the outcome on Thursday, I'm pretty sure it will be honoured by both sides, and life in Scotland will go on.

This may be counting chickens before they're all hatched - I don't know what is going to happen on Thursday - but, fingers crossed, I think that both the independence movement and their opponents can hopefully be held up as models of such things to other countries where disputes over separatism are causing massive strife.





For what it's worth, I'm personally hoping for a "no" vote - not so much on rational grounds of it being to the advantage of either Scotland or the rest of the UK to stay together (I think it probably is, but I'm not confident), but on the grounds that I'm mildly ASD and hate things changing, and having to relearn which bits are "my country" and which bits are not will make me feel like someone has come into my house and rearranged my furniture. But, either way, it won't be the end of the world.

[Warpy]

1. Well, there is a bit more to it than that

such as a lack of North Sea oil revenue going to Scotland and being ruled by right of center fake Laborites and far right Tories when Scots tend to be quite left plus a lot of simmering resentments that span centuries. But it's mostly about having the oil revenues sucked up by London.

A lot of Scots feel this is their last chance for independence and there will never be another.

It's very close, though, so whatever happens will be a surprise to someone.

[ladjf]

2. Personally, I hope that Scotland votes yes and that put together a healthy, happy new Country. nt