Scotland Poised To Become An Independent State After September 18 Referendum
Veluppillai Thangavelu
The make or break referendum in Scotland is just a few days away. People ofScotland will vote on September 18 to decide whether to stay part of the United Kingdom or break the 307 years long union. Why the Scots did waited this long, almost three centuries, to conduct a referendum for separation?
Recent opinion polls suggest the referendum race is neck and neck. There are four million voters – which for the first time will include 16- and 17-year-olds – to be asked a single question: “Should Scotland become an independent country?”
Previous opinion polls showed support for independence at between 25% and 35%. This week’s polls put the Yes at 51% and No at 49% thus a narrow lead in favour of independence.
Even after the Act of Union of 1707, Scotland continued to keep its distinct identity differently from the rest of Britain. It maintained its own separate education system, law and justice systems, and church and sports teams. But until the vote to set up a devolved government for Scotland in 1997, all major decisions were made by the Westminster parliament in London.
A referendum in 1979 on a devolved Scottish assembly garnered 51.6% of votes in favour, but the vote was defeated on a technicality: the low turnout meant those voting in favour constituted only 32.9% of the electorate, below the 40% bench mark. Many Yes supporters felt cheated, however, this time around there is no turnout requirement. A simple majority of 50%+ will carry the day.
Scottish people tend to dislike rightwing parties; the ruling Conservative party has only one Conservative Member in the current Westminster parliament. When Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister she imposed a deeply unpopular poll tax in Scotland that led to riots. It was left to the current Tory leader, David Cameron to offer an apology to the people of Scotland in 2006. Yet, the Conservative Party remains deeply unpopular in Scotland.
The election of Tony Blair’s New Labour party in 1997 initiated change. The Scottish devolution referendum of 1997 was a pre-legislative referendum held in Scotland on September 11, 1997 over whether there was support for the creation of a Scottish Parliament with devolved powers, and whether the Parliament should have tax-varying powers. The referendum was a Labour manifesto commitment and was held in their first term after the 1997 election. This was the second referendum held in Scotland over the question of devolution, the first being in 1979. Turnout for the referendum was 60.4%. The prime minister confidently predicting the result would cement the union, not encourage further cracks. Read More
Beijing’s Control Freaks Deceive Hong Kong: So Far Narendra Modi-1, Xi Jinping-0
By Kumar David -
Prof. Kumar David
President Xi is just completing his first benighted year in office; in countries on the other side of its littoral waters China is seen as an obstreperous bully; Beijing’s control freaks have brazenly deceived the people of Hong Kong; emotions of great power nationalism have grown among the people though the economic waters of the Middle Kingdom are uncertain. Modi’s first 100 days as Prime Minister has been like an express train, sometimes sans brakes. He has scored PR goals but admittedly it is too early for substantive achievements. On the down-side, is he building a team or turning his Cabinet colleagues into pliant followers?
[Now is a good time to review the goal scoring rates of our giant neighbours since next Sunday has to be reserved for armchair philosophising about Scotland and the week after for Uva after the verdict; that is if elections are held. Why is the ruling party indulging hell for leather in vote-losing election violence? Is there a pact between the palace and the commissioner whereby the king can instruct his underling to call it all off if defeat stares the regime in the face? In recent times there has been so much perfidy in high places that the surreal is the possible].
Lying to Hong Kong
A solemn promise was recorded in 1997 at the reunification of HK with the Mainland that there would be steady progress towards universal suffrage in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to give it its full name. A high degree of autonomy was also enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984. All came to nought two weeks ago when the National People’s Congress (China’s parliament) decided that for all intents Beijing will nominate 2 or 3 persons and Hong Kong people could choose one among them – some universal suffrage! The procedure would be that Beijing appoints a “nominating committee” of 1200 Hong Kongers who will pick the candidates. In the years since 1997 a similar committee of Hong Kong tycoons, businessmen and China supporters elected previous Chief Executives. (The Chief Executive is the Chinese version of the British Governor). Read More
