On Monday, Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon followed through with her post-Brexit promise to seek a second referendum for independence. As MPs in Westminster find themselves embroiled in contentious negotiations to leave the European Union, Sturgeon and her independence-minded Scottish National Party, or SNP, are moving forward with plans to fragment the United Kingdom and dissolve historically precarious political bands with London.
“With Britain poised to trigger the start of its E.U. departure by month’s end, Sturgeon said she will push for a vote on Scottish independence in autumn 2018 or spring 2019 — likely just before the United Kingdom leaves the union,” reports The Washington Post. “The move, Sturgeon said, will allow pro-E.U. Scots to decide whether ‘to follow the U.K. to a hard Brexit or to become an independent country.’ ”
Scottish voters largely opposed the Brexit decision to leave the European Union, parting ways with the rest of the UK. Edinburgh tends to vote to the left of London, with Scottish MPs favoring further integration into the EU.
Capitalizing on another opportunity to push forward an independence vote, the SNP cited Scotland’s unique opposition to the Brexit vote as reason enough to finally sever ties with 10 Downing Street. This comes less than three years after Scottish voters rejected a vote for independence, with a 55.3% majority voting to remain a semi-autonomous entity within the United Kingdom.
Ironically, Sturgeon rose to power as the leader of the SNP on the political ruins of former leader Alex Salmond, who championed a failed referendum in 2014. The vote, held on September 18, 2014, was strongly opposed by both the Conservative and Labour parties.
The second referendum is strongly opposed by Tory Prime Minster Theresa May.
Sturgeon’s announcement paves the way for “uncertainty and division,” stated May on Monday, noting that a majority of Scots oppose another referendum vote.
“The tunnel vision that SNP has shown today is deeply regrettable,” she added. “Instead of playing politics with the future of our country, the Scottish government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of Scotland. Politics is not a game.”
Sturgeon claims that her calls for a soft-Brexit have fallen on deaf ears, forcing the SNP to take the nuclear option.
“All of our efforts at compromise have been met with a brick wall of intransigence,” Sturgeon said.
Despite the fact that the Scottish government itself once called the 2014 referendum a “once in a generation” vote, the SNP leader hailed the new push for independence as a victory for democracy and self-determination.
“It will be Scotland’s choice,” she explained. “And I trust the people to make that choice.”
Sturgeon’s optimism notwithstanding, Scotland’s post-independence dream of joining the EU will likely face a brick wall of its own. EU leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have expressed little to no interest in incorporating Scotland into its bloc of nations. The fact is, Germany, France, and other powerhouse economies fail to see any value in creating a political bond with a country that has long been dependent on tax dollars and resources from London. With low GDP-output and no standing army, Scotland may very well fade into oblivion if it decides to divorce its de facto and far more productive patrons down south.