By Professor John Robertson
In the highly influential finance magazine, Forbes, yesterday, there is a discussion of the above question which inevitably focuses on as, they put it ‘household finances‘:
At the time of the referendum, there was great interest in the prospect of Scotland going it alone, and the way the Scots might dis-engage their economy from England was the focus of attention. In many respects the downfall of the independence side was that they became mired in an argument over the kind of currency arrangement Scotland might have, and the resulting impact that this could have on household finances. In the land of Braveheart, this battle by spreadsheet proved too much.
Absolutely! We must avoid the mire this time and engage the emotions with a bigger vision of a better land, different from the toxic image of the UK that is now so easy to paint. However, the economic argument is stronger than it was in 2014, with the surge in renewables, the apparent longer life of oil and gas and the terrible unfairness of energy costs in this land of plenty, when it comes to production.
Very recently, the movement has surely become stronger now that Labour have been given one last chance and revealed their inherent contempt for Scotland.
Most entertaining, little use for any debate and a hoot in its last two words in this introduction:
There is a theory abroad that the British Empire was so vast and dominant, simply because a large country (England) was attached to a brilliant small country (Scotland). It is true that many of the individuals we associate with the advancement of Britain are Scottish – economist Adam Smith, scientists James Watt, Alexander Fleming and Alexander Graham Bell, and writers like Arthur Conan Doyle and Walter Scott. More recently, some of the more prominent political figures in Westminster have been Scottish – such as Gordon Brown.
Next time, we can leave all of that in the cupboard and, hopefully, all can now see Broon for what he was (over-rated) and what he now is (irrelevant).
Where the writer misses completely, ignoring the recent polls revealing steady support for independence and a Labour collapse in support, is this:
My sense is that the death of Alex Salmond, and the near implosion of the SNP amidst a series of leadership crises (and the resurrection of the Scottish Labour party who have increased their tally of Scottish MPs in Westminster from 2 to 37) will gravely diminish the political momentum towards an independent Scotland.
Full text at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeosullivan/2024/10/19/will-scotland-ever-become-independent/
Support Scots Independent, Scotland’s oldest pro-independence newspaper and host of the OBA (Oliver Brown Award) at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/shop/
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About Oliver Brown, the first Scottish National Party candidate to save his deposit in a Parliamentary election: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Brown_(Scottish_activist)
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
The August of 2013 Report of the The Westminster All Party Parliamentary Group on Tax (APPGT) on which sat Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, it was stated clearly that in the event of Scotland becoming independent they believed that (I paraphrase for I no longer have the document, but the essence of it is here) “using the Pound Sterling in the transition phase of the UK would be best and advisable in the transfer of shared assets.” This is because it would be beneficial and cost less to both sides in the negotiations. It may have been they were worried Scotland could attach its currency to a stronger one than the Pound Sterling. Of course, after agreeing this was the best way to go Mr Alexander walked right out the room and said the very opposite to Scots. Anyhow, it was clear that the best option for the UK was for Scotland to use the Pound Sterling. I had found this Report in the summer of 2014 on a trawl of the Westminster Parliamentary Library. While watching the currency debates I wondered why our side didn’t have that report in hand. It would have spectacularly blown Darling out of the water.
I had this report for along time on my PC but I think it got lost in a file transfer. I have all my old hard drives and search them every now and again. Who knows, it might just turn up again. I asked the ‘Library’ for it in 2019 but was told these were with each of the APPGs but that they usually delete them after a time. I asked the APPGT a number of times if they would forward a digital copy to me but never once got a response. Of course, having lost the report, I cannot prove this, but I shared some of it on my Facebook page at the time.
As it is, I have never needed a spreadsheet to tell me Scotland is a great success waiting to happen.
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The next Scottish election will have a great say on that question.British Labour have shot themselves in both feet with their Toryesque economic policies which have not gone down well with their supporters.Meantime,the British Tory party is shifting even further to the right which will also definitely not appeal to Scots.
So,a great opportunity for a Scottish party with social democratic policies to fill the gap.The only problem with that is that the London treasury still holds the purse strings and will make increased spending on public services extremely difficult.
Fiscal autonomy from the London treasury is the minimum requirement for Scotland going forward but how we achieve that is not going to be easy.They covet our resources but not our people.
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bringiton, you say correctly it’s not going to be easy. Without wishing to be too pessimistic, I would say bloody near impossible. The U.K Government, at the time headed by Cameron, nearly made a fatal error of judgement in agreeing to an Independence Referendum in 2014. They, any unionist party, are not going to make the same mistake again. So by what legal means do we achieve our aim? I don’t know, but please, if anyone has an answer, please let me know.
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Alex I have to agree with much of what you say.
The various political parties , who as UK governments, will never want to let go of a country that they rely upon for so much in way of our resources that both gain profit and practical use for their whole UK, but as resources is mainly needed in parts of the UK that are not as abundant as Scotland in these same resources.
However the other major stumbling block for us is those within Scotland who for various reasons, some of which to them , may be, as reasons honest ones, but really I suspect are as a result of either their own ignorance (lack of knowledge) or they are way too susceptible into believing all of the MSM propaganda against Scottish independence.
While others within Scotland seem to be what amounts to them being viciously opposed but only because of some illogical and outdated sense of wanting to be British, to include , them still being the subjects of English royalty.
I mean a real start on the road to independence would be for everyone in Scotland stopping voting for any pro UK parties.
Then start being proactive , via a clear majority in Scotland, in supporting and demanding another independence referendum.
That at least would make the claims of the pro UK media and also pro UK politicians then seem utterly ridiculous if they both continued to claim that no one in Scotland wanted independence but instead, via a majority, we supposdley wanted to remain in the UK .
However that is parallel universe stuff.
As there are none so blind as those who cannot see but also those who will not (refuse to) see.
That unfortunately is currently where we seem to be at !
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Predictions of polls for 2026 at HR put the SNP at 49 seats winning a majority. (Ballot Box Scotland Sept 24) This is backed by Prof John Curtice who rarely gets a prediction wrong. Labour have 18 months to prove themselves and let’s face it, they aren’t doing so good cutting the WFA and maintaining the 2 child cap so creating and maintaining a poverty trap Then you look at the SNP policies for Scotland functioning on a two thirds possible full budget due to WM payments. You can find this at www dot snp dot org forward slash record. This time we will succeed as the UK no longer offers Scotland anything other than abject poverty. The empire is over folks, wake up and smell the coffee. Pl us the plundering of our natural resources must cease and with 10% of all U8K assets in settlement we will be fine, including military, BOE, embassies and all shared assets. Game over. Time England stood on it’s own two feet. Only answer if you know how Barnett works thanks
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it is ludicrous that we need Westminster’s permission to run an independence referendum. Is there any other country who achieved independence from the British authorities by asking permission of the UK to be an independent country? For many independence was achieved after a long struggle, often violent until the UK government were pressured into letting go of their authority over these countries. In Scotland, the union with Westminster was agreed to by a few nobles and not in any way by democratic means. These few nobles entered Scotland into the union out of self interest and had nothing to do with the people of Scotland who suffered greatly in the years following the union. To this day, because of the union, Westminster has freely availed themselves of Scotland’s rich natural resources to enrich England as the Scottish people become poorer. These nobles are long dead and today we have a democracy and its democracy by the people of Scotland where the right sits to determine Scotland’s future. Permission by Westminster is not required for Scots to take charge of their own future. Westminster is not going to give permission for another independence referendum and it is relying on a weak and controlling clause in the devolution agreement to deny the right of Scots to self determination by democratic means. Withdrawing from the EU has allowed the UK government to determine their own rules regarding human rights, which on the surface would appear to tighten their grip on Scotland and its resources. But Europe still has power to support human rights, which includes the right of self determination. Westminster withdrawing from the EU doesn’t change that. Scotland is, and for centuries have been part of Europe, and Westminster by severing Scotland’s membership in the EU denies Scotland the right of self determination upheld by Europe. The EU must do more than pay lip service to Scotland’s predicament. They must actively and more forcibly support Scotland’s right to self determination and put pressure on Westminster to recognise the democratic rights of Scotland’s people. At the same time, Scotland must be ready for independence with policies, currency, etc., all in place for the transition. Once independent, Scotland has no obligation to pay off debts incurred by Westminster. However, it would not be to Scotland’s advantage to cripple England economically. It would, therefore, be to England’s advantage to negotiate with Scotland to minimise the impact on their economy.
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Scotland will get Independence when people vote for it. Vote out all the unionists. Support is increasing.
Win at Holyrood. Then the GE. Vote out all the Unionists. There will be no opposition
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