Scotland Threatens to Hold the Second Referendum of Independence

• 03.16.2016, 18:20
•  Europe,  World

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk

Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon has recently stated that her country is strongly against the British withdrawal from the European Union. The largest party in Scottish Parliament and the third largest in the UK Parliament, the "National Party" even threatened to hold a second referendum on the country's independence.

"If Scotland were to vote in favor of EU membership and the rest of the UK were to vote to leave – if Scotland in other words was to be outvoted – then there is a real chance that that could lead to a second referendum on Scottish independence," Sturgeon said, according to the Scotsman.

She said the interests of a future independent Scotland would be best served by having a neighbor to the south that was a member of the 28-nation bloc, and stated: "I don’t want Scotland to become independent because the UK chooses to leave the European Union."

It should be reminded that the referendum on independence held in Scotland in September 2014 had a negative result mainly because the voting majority said they would like to see Scotland as a part of Britain, as Britain is the EU member state. Thus, many assume that Brexit would presuppose Scotland's exit from the UK. Moreover, Scotland can be followed by Northern Ireland, where certain processes towards independence will possibly start again.

However, the first minister of Scotland in her speech in London clearly urged all compatriots to give an "IN’" vote on June 23 referendum. Sturgeon said there was "no contradiction" between believing in independence for Scotland while also supporting membership of the EU.

Research published by polling company YouGov Plc showed areas in Scotland are among those with the most positive attitudes toward the EU. Still, the most recent U.K.-wide opinion poll, published Friday by ORB, showed 52 percent of respondents backing "Brexit" with 48 percent opting to stay in.  However, Scotland’s 5.3m population means the country could be easily outvoted in the EU referendum by the rest of the UK, which has a total population of 64.1m, Bloomberg writes.

In any case, David Cameron has warned that a vote to leave the European Union could increase the chances of Scottish independence. The Prime Minister has urged voters to ward off the threat of a second Scottish independence referendum by backing the campaign for Britain to remain in the EU.