Absence of Constitutional Changes May Revive Scottish Independence Issue

Subscribe
Should the British government fail to go ahead with constitutional change now that Scotland will remain part of the UK, the pressure for independence may rise again, Mark Shephard, a senior lecturer at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, has told RIA Novosti.

MOSCOW, September 19 (RIA Novosti) - Should the British government fail to go ahead with constitutional change now that Scotland will remain part of the UK, the pressure for independence may rise again, Mark Shephard, a senior lecturer at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, has told RIA Novosti.

"Obviously, if Westminster does not go far enough with constitutional change, pressure for independence may rise again," Shephard said. "We need a period of national reconciliation where all sides come together to work for the common good."

He noted that the result of the independence referendum is a win-win situation for both Yes and No vote supporters.

"This is not just a win for No, it is also a win for Yes in a way because No means change - constitutional change… It is also a win for Yes in the sense that 45% is way higher than was predicted at the outset of the campaign," the expert said.

"I think this will have knock-on effects for policies (e.g. welfare and employment) at both levels of government, Westminster/London and Holyrood/Edinburgh," Shephard said. "It [the referendum] was needed, and could lead to new and creative ways of doing things but all in a very British way of testing the waters and gradual change," he added.

Overall, Shephard said, the referendum will have a positive effect on all regions of the UK.

"I think many regions will react positively, particularly those who see the current political and economic system as too London centric," he stated.

The Scottish independence referendum took place on September 18, with 55.3 percent of Scots voting against independence, resulting in Scotland remaining part of the UK. The independence of Scotland was supported by 44.7 percent of the population. The referendum saw a turnout of 84.59 percent.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала