If Scottish votes are responsible for keeping the UK in the European Union on June 23, it could well ignite a new row over its status within the United Kingdom.
Pro-independence campaigners have long argued that Scotland has no influence over UK politics, but a deciding vote on the EU would give ammunition to opponents, who argue that Scotland can be more influential as a part of the UK.
Scottish nationalists should back #Brexit to bring democracy home says @NaeFear, former Deputy Leader of @theSNP: https://t.co/43cIb92Q5C
— LEAVE.EU (@LeaveEUOfficial) May 10, 2016
One of the long-running arguments since the failed Scottish independence referendum of 2014, has been that a Brexit vote — against the wishes of the Scottish electorate — could create the climate for a second vote on independence.
Will one consequence of the #Brexit referendum be to show that EU more popular in Scotland than UK?
— Angus B MacNeil MP (@AngusMacNeilSNP) May 10, 2016
Ironically, opposition to an EU exit — Brexit — now seems so high that it could swing the entire vote and provide one of the strongest arguments for a united Britain yet.
The editor of pro-Scottish independence blog 'Wings over Scotland' — Stuart Campbell — told Sputnik that this could maybe fuel a backlash amongst voters elsewhere in the UK.
"I suspect a very large number of people in England would suddenly not be so keen on the idea of the [United Kingdom] any more. If England and Wales had both voted to leave [the EU] and were forced to stay in by Scotland, they wouldn't be terribly well-disposed towards the idea of a union with those pesky jocks," Campbell told Sputnik.
Gorgeous day & lots of support for #Strongerin on #Myeuropeday #EuropeDay2016 in Glasgow! pic.twitter.com/KPR6RLzRiV
— Scotland StrongerIN (@scotstrongerin) May 9, 2016
"From the perspective of Scotland you can say 'oh look, this proves we've got influence', but then you could counter-argue 'look what happens when we exercise that influence', because there would be a barrage of hatred for it."
The UK will hold a referendum on its membership of the European Union on June 23, and most recent polling shows support for the EU in Scotland at 76%, compared to just 44% UK-wide.