The UK Supreme Court has ruled that the Scottish government cannot hold a second independence referendum next year without the approval of the British Parliament. The Chief Justice of the United Kingdom announced that the Parliament of Scotland does not have the necessary power to hold a referendum on the independence of this country and that this referendum requires the approval of the British Parliament. With this verdict, the Supreme Court dealt a fatal blow to the Scottish nationalists who want to hold a referendum and independence from the United Kingdom. This is even though after the election of Rishi Sunak as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Nicola Sturgeon in a series of tweets called Sunak an unelected prime minister for the people of Scotland and called for general elections to be held as soon as possible and to lay the groundwork for Scotland’s independence from the United Kingdom. She emphasized that to stay away from the damage of the political crisis in London and determine the future task by the Scots themselves, this country should become independent from the United Kingdom.
How can Sturgeon hold an independence referendum?
Sturgeon plans to hold a referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom on October 19, 2023, but the British Conservative government in London refuses to do so. Sturgeon said that if her Edinburgh-based government loses the case, she will make the next UK general election a two-way referendum on ending the political union with Britain that has existed since 1707. The Minister did not say how she could do this. A referendum will not be legally binding without the approval of the UK government.
Does Nicola Sturgeon obey the court’s decision?
The SNP leader said: “If the courts prevent the holding of a referendum, the case will be put to the people’s vote in the elections, otherwise we will give up on Scottish democracy.” She said: “I want to have a legal referendum.” Nicola Sturgeon said that she was disappointed by the UK’s Supreme Court verdict but respected it. Sturgeon said she would continue the path toward Scottish independence with a commitment to democracy and respect for the rule of law. According to Sturgeon, achieving Scottish independence is essential to avoid the catastrophe of Brexit and economic inequality.
How popular is the Royal Family among the youth?
The media and various institutions in England have always presented an image of Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family that the continuation of the monarchy system is a guarantee for maintaining the political-economic life of this country, which also includes public satisfaction or the majority of this society. This is while changing the system of “kingdom to the republic” has always been one of the demands of a section of the people, especially the youth of this country, and various political and social figures and groups have pursued this demand in different periods of history. The results of numerous polls in the last few years indicate that the royal family is not very popular among the British people, because the names of many members of this family have been associated with moral scandals and domestic and foreign financial abuses.
What do the recent polls show?
The results of a survey that was reflected in the international media in May 2021 indicated that young people in Britain no longer think that the country should retain the monarchy and that they want an elected head of government. According to a YouGov poll, 41 percent of 18- to 24-year-old Britons said there should be an elected head of government, while 31 percent supported a king or queen at the head of the country’s political system.
While the British people have been looking for a republican system instead of a monarchy for a long time, as 65% of the youth have officially demanded the end of the monarchy after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the rulers and statesmen of England have not considered this demand for the survival of the monarchy. A few days after the undemocratic and unpopular election of the former Prime Minister of England with the votes of 160,000 members of the Conservative Party instead of the votes of 47 million eligible voters, Buckingham Palace announced Prince Charles as the deceased Queen’s successor.
Will Monarchy be abolished?
The important point is that the results of such polls show that there is a difference of opinion among young people and middle-aged and old people in this field, and the idea of changing the monarchy to an electoral system and referring to ballot boxes is more acceptable among young people. In other words, the young people in England have distanced themselves more and more from the institution of monarchy in this country.
Many considered the Queen to be the guarantor of the union between England and Scotland. Political commentators do not trust the new king, Charles III, to have such competence. However, even among supporters of independence, opinions differ on what form of government Scotland should adopt if it were to become independent – remaining part of a kingdom like Canada or Australia, or becoming a republic with a secular head of state.
The presence of the king or queen at the head of the British government conflicts with the main idea of democracy, which is the equality of all members of the society. The king and queen do not need to adhere to many rules; things that make them different from other citizens and question democracy.
In 2022, when in most of the world the monarchy is long forgotten, Britain is still governed by a reactionary system. It is even more strange that the ruler of this country, in addition to England, is also the head of government of 15 other countries in the world!
Will the parties’ coalition be helpful?
Scotland is voluntarily part of the United Kingdom. But this union works only by consensus, that is, based on mutual consent. However, the Scottish Government says this is no longer the case in Scotland, as in the May 2021 election, almost 49% voted for independence parties, namely the Scottish National Party and the Greens. According to the Scottish government, this is a clear signal of the broad Scottish desire for independence, and therefore banning a second referendum is undemocratic on London’s part. However, a second referendum is only legally possible with London’s approval.
Who will be the loser of the energy crisis?
Philippa Whitford, one of the defenders of Scottish independence, said on German radio that London authorities want to regain control of Scotland’s raw material reserves. According to her, Scotland produces two-thirds of British gas and a quarter of its green energy. However, due to the energy crisis, there is a risk that more than 70% of Scots will be energy-poor next year, according to a study.
Is it easy to apply for EU membership?
Nicola Sturgeon promised an independence referendum on October 19, 2023. Of course, it is too early for a new referendum, even for the Scottish Government because, for that, independence defenders need a stable and clear majority in polls. Otherwise, the second referendum will end like the 2014 referendum.
The European Union also wants the return of pro-European Scots because if part of Britain comes back, it will be a political success for the EU. But this process is complicated because then the Scots have to start from scratch. They must first apply for membership and then meet all economic, political, and legal requirements. However, Scotland’s high budget deficit is an obstacle for the EU.
Will blaming suffice?
“Keir Starmer” issued a statement and announced: The Conservative Party has shown that it no longer has the support to govern and the British people deserve a better situation. Referring to the country’s economic problems, he said: They have ruined the economy so much that people’s mortgage installments have increased by 500 pounds per month. According to Starmer, this crisis was created by the prime minister, but the people are paying the price.
The leader of the Labor Party stated: The British people deserve to have a say in the future of the country. They should have the opportunity to compare the Tories’ mess with Labor’s plans to solve their problems, grow the economy for workers, and rebuild the country for a fairer and greener future. He added: We must have a chance for a fresh start and in this regard, we need a general election.
At the same time, Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Party, said: Boris Johnson destroyed the country and Liz Truss blew up the economy. Conservatives have proven time and time again that they are unfit to lead the country. We don’t need another conservative prime minister who moves from crisis to crisis; we need a general election and real change. Davey pointed out: It’s time for conservative representatives to do their patriotic duty, put the country first, and let the people have their say.
Conclusion
“Nicola Sturgeon” also called the holding of national elections a “democratic necessity” and said that the British people need the opportunity to comment on the future of the country. In addition, Scotland’s entry into the EU means that Europeans will have an external border with the UK. This makes the situation very complicated as can be seen from the example of Northern Ireland. Therefore, the European Union will face a very serious political problem.
Another obstacle is currency. The European Union is not interested in accepting a country with its currency but wants to accept a new member of the euro. However, Scotland is still undecided. However, if the Scots go, it will be a profound turning point for England. One might speculate that this could be the beginning of the end for Britain. Because it’s not just the Scots who are unhappy in the kingdom – many Northern Irish people are also increasingly interested in the idea of leaving. However, these are possible developments over a very long period. Nothing will change overnight in Britain.
