Scotland’s Independence Movement: A Decade On

In 2014, Scots voted on independence, narrowly deciding against it. Ten years ​later, the issue remains a pressing concern.

According‍ to Kirsty Hughes,⁤ a political expert from⁣ the Scottish Center on European Relations, the desire‍ for ‍independence ​in Scotland remains unwavering. In recent surveys, almost‍ half of Scots still support independence, with a clear majority in younger age groups.

On ​September 18, 2014, Scots voted against secession in a referendum by 55% to 45%. Since then, the⁢ proportion of supporters of independence has increased slightly, with some surveys indicating a narrow majority.

The drop in support for the Scottish independence party SNP, which suffered a ‍bitter defeat in the recent British parliamentary elections, has not affected the overall desire for independence.

Expert Hughes believes that ‍the issue is far from ​being silenced, ⁣despite the Labor government’s reluctance to revisit the ⁣topic. The public discussion is currently focused on other pressing issues, such ⁤as the ailing health system and the changing ‍economic ⁤situation.

“I think the only way to have another referendum is for the numbers to go up and for it to become a real democratic issue,” said Hughes. If the proportion of supporters in surveys increases to 60% or more, the issue would become difficult to ignore.

Hughes also believes that the independence movement could get a new boost‍ if the question of secession from Great Britain gained momentum in Northern Ireland.

Former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, a prominent face of the independence movement, remains confident that ‌secession will succeed. “I am as confident as ever that we ⁣will achieve this goal, and faster⁢ than seems likely at the moment,” Sturgeon wrote in an op-ed for the Daily Record‍ newspaper.

The British central government would need to agree to a new referendum, according ⁤to a ruling by the Supreme Court in London. However, proponents of ⁢independence‌ argue that Brexit has changed the initial situation, ‌as a clear majority of Scots rejected Britain’s exit ‍from the EU in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Key Takeaways:

• Almost half of Scots still support independence, with a clear‌ majority in younger age groups.
• The proportion of​ supporters of independence has increased slightly since the 2014 referendum.
• The drop in support for the SNP ‌has not affected the overall desire for independence.
• A new ⁣referendum is possible‍ if the proportion of supporters⁢ in surveys increases to 60% or more.