Scotland in the Whirlwind of the Referendum on Britain’s Membership in the EU

In the 2014 referendum, 55% of the residents of Scotland who had the right to vote voted against independence for Scotland. In the arguments of Westminster, this percentage of people voting against independence showed the will of the Scottish nation.1 However, 45% of those Scottish residents who had the right to vote did vote for independence, which means that over 1.5 million people wanted to leave a union that has lasted in its current form for 308 years.

This cultural and political schism has shown no signs of disappearing. The opposite in fact, as English nationalism has gained new popularity first and foremost through UKIP, while Scottish nationalists who strongly support the European Union have started to support the SNP and Scotland’s current first minister Nicola Sturgeon. It is important to mention that nationalism is expressed in different forms in England and Scotland. In academic circles, UKIP is considered a far-right party that is historically known primarily for its Euroscepticism. Likewise, UKIP may be said to be a conservative nationalist party characterised by the view that supranational organisations threaten a state’s cultural and national identity. The SNP, on the other hand, is a social democratic party that is engaged in developing the Scots’ self-awareness as a nation and promotes the view that the Scottish people have a different identity from that of the English. Thus it is a liberal nationalist party that supports the right of national self-determination. Therefore, in England, one of the driving forces of the EU referendum is Euroscepticism, and the Scottish opposition to this is based on national self-awareness.

Discussions held after the independence referendum have shown that even those residents of Scotland who voted against independence a year ago are in favour of remaining in the EU, and the EU referendum is becoming a point of support for the SNP.

• Primary Source

Website: International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS / RKK) http://www.icds.ee/

ESO: Background information: European Union Referendum Bill 2015-16 http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-union-referendum-bill-2015-16/

Blog: UK in a Changing Europe, 26.10.15: How the EU divides Scotland http://ukandeu.ac.uk/how-the-eu-divides-scotland/

---