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Salmond and Cameron quarrel over Scottish referendum on Independence
By: Alexandra Fasulo
October 30th, 2012
British Prime Minister, David Cameron, will announce next week that 16 and 17 year olds will
be permitted to participate in the 2014 Referendum on Scottish Independence.1 This new
development on the referendum will replace the request for a devolution max, known as devomax. Devo-max would have been a second question represented on the referendum, which
essentially involves transferring more power to the Scottish capital Holyrood, just short of
independence.2
Instead, the referendum will contain a simple “yes” or “no” question, asking Scottish citizens if
they want complete independence from Great Britain.3 Alex Salmond, the Scottish Prime
Minister, was not pleased with the removal of the devo-max option. Polls show that the addition
of 16 and 17 year olds will not help sway the vote in the direction of the Scottish National Party.
Only 26% of teenagers in Scotland are in favor of complete independence from Great Britain. 4
Salmond is under the impression that England will gladly play “kind neighbor” with Scotland
after a successful referendum. Salmond has stated that he expects British regulators to continue
to supervise Scottish banks and bail out the Royal Bank of Scotland, even if independence is
achieved.5 Salmond also wants to continue to use the British pound as Scotland’s national
currency and abandon any question of joining the euro. However, Cameron states he has yet to
be approached by Salmond for these arrangements. Cameron has said that Salmond needs to
find some answers before he continues to make open-ended promises.6
Another dilemma facing Salmond’s independence plan is the question of automatic European
Union membership.7 Salmond assumes that if Scotland were to secede from Great Britain, it
would remain a member of the EU without question. In order for Scotland to inquire the answer
to this question, England would have to file a report with the European Commission.8 England
has stated that they have no interest in pursuing a problem they believe will not occur.
The President of the EU, Jose Manuel Barroso, recently made a statement than an independent
Scotland would be considered an entirely new state and would therefore have to apply to become
“The post-Braveheart generation” The Economist. October 12th, 2012.
2 Cook, James. “Analysis of referendum consultation responses” BBC News: Scotland Politics.
October 23rd, 2012.
3 Buchanan, Raymond. “Has Scottish government ignored its own independence consultation?”
BBC News: Scotland Politics. October 23rd, 2012.
4 “The post-Braveheart generation”
5 “The economy, stupid” The Economist. June 30th, 2012.
6 “The economy, stupid”
7 Cusick, James. “Alex Salmond ‘caught out’ on EU legal advice” The Independent. October
28th, 2012.
8 “Scottish independence: UK ministers not seeking advice on Scotland in EU” BBC News:
Scotland Politics. November 1st, 2012.
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an EU member state.9 However, senior members of the European Commission believe that
Scotland would not have to apply. It is a messy situation Cameron is not interested in fixing.
Salmond’s assumptions have been damaging to his credibility; some Scottish newspapers have
branded him an “EU liar.”
In the meantime, Salmond has been making offensive statements towards the British, calling
them “fundamentally unattractive” and “thugs and racists.”10 Salmond’s nationalist party, the
SNP, feels that the profits England reaps from the Scottish offshore oil deposits could be
considered “international larceny.” Alex Salmond is the first Prime Minister produced from this
extremist Scottish Party, and he is determined to bring about a referendum on independence for
the second time in Scotland’s history.11 The first referendum, held in 1979, was obviously
unsuccessful.
England’s Conservative Party has said that they want Scotland to be released from Great Britain.
The British Labour Party, however, would lose a substantial amount of parliamentary seats. The
Labour Party of Scotland has been pursing a “No” campaign, emphasizing Scotland’s glorious
history being apart of Great Britain. Cameron has stated that he is determined to keep the British
“family” together.12 Plus, the successful London Olympic Games this past summer have
definitely strengthened the arguments of those who oppose separation.
For now, the referendum is set to take place in autumn of 2014.13 England argued that this
would give Scotland substantial time to articulate their arguments. Others wanted the
referendum to happen within a year because the uncertainty would be detrimental to the Scottish
economy. Either way, Salmond and Cameron managed to agree on a time frame. They recently
signed the Section 30 Order in Edinburgh and concluded, “A statutory order to be legislated at
Westminster, granting Holyrood powers to hold a single-question independence referendum by
the end of 2014.”14 The two leaders have stated that they will work together for the best interests
of Scotland and England. Hopefully Salmond and Cameron can manage to stay on good terms
between now and autumn 2014.
Bibliography
Cusick, James. “Alex Salmond ‘caught out’ on EU legal advice”
“Alex Salmond, Little Englander” The Economist. January 21st, 2012.
11 “The economy, stupid”
12 “Deal launches independence debate” The Belfast Telegraph. October 15th, 2012.
13 Cook, James.
14 “Scottish independence: legal order goes to parliaments” BBC News: Scotland Politics.
October 22nd, 2012.
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“Alex Salmond, Little Englander” The Economist. January 21st, 2012.
<http://www.economist.com/node/21543150>.
Buchanan, Raymond. “Has Scottish government ignored its own independence consultation?”
BBC News: Scotland Politics. October 23rd, 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ukscotland-scotland-politics-20042571>.
Cook, James. “Analysis of referendum consultation responses” BBC News: Scotland Politics.
October 23rd, 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics20048107>.
Cusick, James. “Alex Salmond ‘caught out’ on EU legal advice” The Independent. October 28th,
2012. <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/alex-salmond-caught-outon-eu-legal-advice-8229386.html?origin=InternalSearc h>.
“Deal launches independence debate” The Belfast Telegraph. October 15th, 2012. <
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron-to-sign-scotlandindependence-referendum-deal-16224297.html?r=RSS>.
“Scottish independence: legal order goes to parliaments” BBC News: Scotland Politics. October
22nd, 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20031869>.
“Scottish independence: UK ministers not seeking advice on Scotland in EU” BBC News:
Scotland Politics. November 1st, 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland20164826>.
“The economy, stupid” The Economist. June 30th, 2012. <http://www.economist.com/no
de/21557781>.
“The post-Braveheart generation” The Economist. October 12th, 2012.
<http://www.economist.com/blogs/blighty/2012/10/scotlands-referendumindependence>.
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