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Opinion

Scotland may be heading for independence in name only – will Wales follow?

11 Feb 2020 5 minute read
Scottish independence rally 2018. Picture by Azerifactory (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Neil Anderson

As a man of fully Scottish descent I have long taken a close interest in Scotland’s pursuit of independence, which I firmly support.

Now well settled in Cymru, I recognise that our country has much to learn from their experience.

Public opinion in both countries has been moving towards independence, albeit in fits and starts, and now beyond a significant minority in Scotland.  The tantalising prospect of a majority appears to be within the SNP’s grasp.

The unionist parties are at sea.  Labour is much diminished.  Despite the Conservative’s election victory in Westminster, the Tories are isolated and impotent in the Scottish Parliament.  They will surely follow the Liberal Democrats and Labour into the margins.  Further gains for the SNP are likely.

Divisions over Brexit will also likely re-emerge in the years ahead as the reality hits home.  Consensus and unity will be difficult and time-consuming to achieve.  There must be a strong likelihood that they may never be.

In the meantime, Boris Johnson’s strategy seems to be entirely based on the short term, keen to to delay the break-up of the Union for the remainder of his premiership but doing little to avoid growing support for independence in the meantime.

A more astute PM than Johnson, intent on preserving the Union, would promote a referendum in Scotland (and possibly Wales) forthwith.  There are unlikely to be majorities for independence today or tomorrow, and further referenda could be shelved indefinitely.

But as it stands London has little to offer Scotland, with little will to do so.  With yet another government in London that Scotland did not vote for, and will gain little succour from, support for independence can only increase and may soon seem inevitable.

 

Weaxit

But while independence supporters in Scotland and Wales are developing white line fever, an impatience to get indy done and sort the details out later, others are more cautious, believing that the case the SNP have put forward for independence is hardly robust or inspiring.

The SNP know that at best they are likely to win a a Farage-style ‘overwhelming majority’ of 52% or so in favour of independence. They will inherit a divided country and unlike the Brexiteers are keen to avoid pushing for the hardest interpretation of the vote possible and therefore putting independence at risk altogether.

This fear is understandable in some ways. While no country on attaining independence in modern times has ever opted to return to its former status, there is concern that London may push for a looser arrangement – for example, federalism. One might imagine important concessions being extracted in the early days…

They also know that the rUK Government may not be particularly helpful and magnanimous a newly independent Scotland. Some readers might recall the churlish behaviour of British politicians and diplomats at the Hong Kong Handover event.  That would not happen in this case, surely?  But it could be oh, so tempting with many levers at the former’s command to cultivate some, shall we say, buyer’s remorse.

So the form of independence envisioned by the SNP has been more modest. As Professor Richard Murphy and Dr Tim Rideout point out, the retention of sterling immediately concedes control of the Scottish economy to the Bank of England and the City.  Other compromises, like the continued use of Faslane for Trident, have been mooted.

In short, an independent Scotland as currently envisaged by the SNP may not be very independent at all.  It would be a weak exit from the United Kingdom – a Weaxit!

What difference will a Weaxit make would surely be a fair question? How much enthusiasm would there be for maintaining a clone of England north of the border?  Scotland in name only?

Transform

What if a more radical programme were offered?  Complete independence, a Scottish currency, no membership of Nato, phasing out nuclear power, a Green New Deal, not rejoining the EU until its manifest problems are sorted – in short, a strong exit – a Strongxit!

As in Cymru, I suspect that younger Scots are seeking a very different society, not one so in thrall to the money economy, a nurturing culture where well-being would be prioritised.  To them, Weaxit would be a sell-out.  More importantly, a Weaxit may pre-empt the deep reforms that Scotland’s politics and governance needs.

What chances then for a Strongxit in Scotland?  If the SNP stalls, and starts to lose ground among younger voters in particular, the choice may be a reversion to a Unionist stalemate or real independence.

The Welsh independence movement also needs to decide on what it wants for the nation. Independence for the sake of independence, in name only, or a radical vision that can transform the country?

The latter would certainly be a stirring rallying cry.  Scots wha hae!  Hwyl!


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Plain citizen
Plain citizen
4 years ago

Really good article, I’d not considered ‘Strongxit’ or ‘Weaxit’before. The authors later remarks about young people not being in thrall to the money economy is true. They aren’t until it runs out and then the subsidised lifestyle they are used to stops which together with much higher taxation would inevitably happen with Independence in Scotland and Wales. ‘Poorxit’ perhaps?

John Ellis
John Ellis
4 years ago
Reply to  Plain citizen

‘The author’s later remarks about young people not being in thrall to the money economy is true.’

Seems to be pretty much what Irish voters opted for on Saturday, too …

Walter Hunt
Walter Hunt
4 years ago

The “Independence in name only” jibe is a last ditch Unionist “No real change, so what’s the point” argument. The point is this: independence gives Wales the freedom to make choices: currency, trade, external relations, defence pacts, head of state and makes available a wide range of fiscal and constitutional options etc. not possible as part of the UK. Changes don’t have to coincide with independence day AND THEY SHOULD NOT. The future direction of Wales is too important to be rushed through Brexit-like on a wave of emotion. Plus, the Independence movement must avoid being divided by factional agendas.

T N D Anderson
T N D Anderson
4 years ago

For ‘Weakxit’ and ‘Strongxit’, please read Wexit and Sexit.

Editorial licence!

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
4 years ago

I am a little disappointed at the general tone of this article; there will be problems to be resolved but we must face them in a positive way and not provide our enemies with ammunition. Speaking of which, Neil quotes two Scottish academics that Scotland’s continued use of the pound “immediately concedes control of the Scottish economy to the Bank of England and the City.” Nonsense! The Bank of England will set interest rates, the simple effect of which will be the cost of your credit card and overdraft – no change there! Interestingly, with interest rates at or close… Read more »

Leigh Richards
Leigh Richards
4 years ago

Think it would come as surprise to countries that are members of both the eu and nato – like germany, denmark, croatia, belgium, france and the netherlands – that they are independent in name only.

The cautious approach the author fears is probably explained by the understandable belief in the snp that they need to maximise support for scottish indy as much as possible if they are to win a referendum.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
4 years ago
Reply to  Leigh Richards

‘In name only” – how so? Contrary to populist/ Brexit belief, neither the EU or NATO force these countries to do anything. These countries are free to choose and their veto is as effective as the UKs was in opting out of the Euro, for example. This fear mongering over these institutions must stop if Wales is to prosper and remain save.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
4 years ago

I don’t relate strong independence with breaking every tie – a ‘strongxit’. We can not be as bloody minded as the Brexiteers and aim to break off relations in every area, driven by emotion and ideology – it’s likely to make us weaker and poorer. Like most things in life – moderation is the key – not extreme lurches as what is happening with Brexit. What these ‘moderations’ are will have to be deeply discussed and involve everyone not just those in power. I believe Scotland will achieve independence within the next decade – it depends on how well we… Read more »

j humphrys
j humphrys
4 years ago
Reply to  Steve Duggan

I hope we can begin with a residency law, followed by educating for bilingualism.
But the Residence law must come first.

Clive Sway
Clive Sway
4 years ago
Reply to  j humphrys

Please tell me more about this residency law.

Penderyn
Penderyn
4 years ago

Scotland must have its own central bank though or be in big trouble in any global economic crisis.. Greece proved that

Ernie The Smallholder
Ernie The Smallholder
4 years ago
Reply to  Penderyn

If Wales and Scotland want independence we must control our own economy and that means a central bank and a Welsh independent currency.
We can support a Welsh currency with GOLD !!!!!!
It will also give us a strong position if we should decide to enter membership of the European Union.

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