MOSCOW, April 16 (RIA Novosti), Daria Chernyshova – An independent Scotland could follow its own preferred policies, which is impossible within the UK, Neil McGarvey, a teaching fellow with the University of Strathclyde, told RIA Novosti.
“Scotland would take its place among the other nation-states of Europe and the world and be able to follows its own preferred policies,” McGarvey said.
“Within the UK it is a stateless nation,” he noted, adding that Scotland has its own parliament, government, legal system, education system, even football team, but the apparatus of the state, such as economic and defense policy, is controlled in London.
A new poll published Wednesday by TNS showed a growing support for the Scottish independence bid. Twenty-nine percent of voters plan to support Scottish independence in the upcoming referendum, up from 28 percent a month ago, while 41 percent would vote against, down from 42 percent.
The data demonstrates that the gap between supporters and opponents of the bid is slowly closing, and has lowered from 14 points a month earlier and 19 points in September, when TNS started conducting monthly surveys.
“It looks as if it will be closer than originally anticipated. However, the 'Better Together' No campaign led by the established UK parties – Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat – is still the favorite to win,” McGarvey said. “The bookmakers put the odds on a 'Yes' victory at 3-1. It is possible, but not probable."
Opponents of Scottish independence claim the nation will face a deep impact in all spheres, including in the economy and defense.
“All of the assets and liabilities will be up for negotiation in the event of a 'Yes' vote. Other things being equal, these will be shared proportionally on a per capita population basis,” McGarvey said.
That would mean Scotland, which accounts for some 10 percent of the UK population, would inherit its share of the UK navy and defense forces.
Independence bids have recently spread all across Europe, with Spain’s Catalonia and Italy’s Venice demanding to hold referendums as well. Despite having many parallels, the cases are all different.
“One of the key differences is that Catalonia is relative to Spain stronger economically than Scotland is to the UK, though Scotland would inherit the vast bulk of governmental revenues from North Sea Oil ,” McGarvey said. “Also Scotland historically has always had a degree of autonomous government. The Catalans did not under the Franco dictatorship,” he added.
The Scottish independence referendum will be held on September 18, while the Spanish parliament rejected Catalonia's bid to hold an independence vote in autumn.
