What do President Obama, Prime Minister David Cameron, and J.K. Rowling have in common? They all oppose the referendum that could grant Scotland independence from United Kingdom. However, only Rowling is allowed to cast a vote.
On Sept. 18, individuals living in Scotland will vote on a referendum that asks, “Should Scotland be an independent country?” British, Welsh, and Northern Ireland citizens who reside in Scotland may vote. Scottish citizens living abroad may not. A long-time citizen of Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, Rowling has donated 1 million pounds, about $1.68 million, to the Better Together campaign that hopes to swing Scots to vote “no” on the referendum.
“This separation will not be quick and clean: it will take microsurgery to disentangle three centuries of close interdependence, after which we will have to deal with three bitter neighbours,” Rowling wrote of the matter.
Most of the citizens of UK have no say in the matter. The decision is entirely up to the people of Scotland, which leaves some world leaders wary.
Prime Minister, David Cameron, has made it clear that UK will not hold Scotland’s hand through the process. Because United Kingdom has no Constitution, there is no designated procedure for how these nations will handle it. One thing Cameron has made clear is that the vote is up to the Scottish people, but if they vote for independence, “There will be no going back.”
The decision has potential for some enormous political and economic shifts, not only for Scotland and United Kingdom as a whole, but also for the nations that are members of the European Union (EU). While the majority of Scotland desires membership in the EU, and expects a fast-track into the EU should they secede, many Brits would prefer to be out of the EU. Without Scotland’s voters, which take up about a twelfth of UK, Britain may vote itself out of EU. Their departure would make huge ripples in European politics. It is also possible that Britain’s union with Whales and Northern Ireland may be questionable as a result.
“We obviously have a deep interest in making sure that one of the closest allies we will ever have remains a strong, robust, united and effective partner.” President Obama weighed in.
Photo: ALAMY
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