On September 18, the Scottish National Party held a vote regarding the independence of Scotland from the United Kingdom. Over half of voters (55.3%) chose “no” and Scotland remains a part of Great Britain along with England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
A “yes” vote would have given Scotland the power to govern on its own. Scots were promised a better life. The government would have gained control over North Sea oil and gas on Scottish territory. They also said that they would have managed the energy industry better, boosted production, and created a wealth fund. A report done by the Institute of Fiscal Studies did not see this as a positive though. The report, done in March, had said that Scotland’s budget deficit had worsened compared to the rest of the UK because of the North Sea production and excess spending. This would not have proved to benefit Scotland as much as they had hoped. The Scottish government did say that they had other sources of income to support themselves such as their diverse economy, tourism, industry, manufacturing, and financial services. Scotland would also have had to create and use a new currency. Scotland also shares a debt with the UK. This could be complicated after the separation. They would also have to create a written constitution, but Queen Elizabeth II would remain the head of state. Lastly, Scotland would have to find a way into NATO and the European Union.
This decision also impacted other countries including the United States. President Barack Obama said, “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.” British Prime Minister David Cameron was also strongly against Scottish independence. He wrote, “Let no one in Scotland be in any doubt: we desperately want you to stay; we do not want this family of nations to be ripped apart.” If the vote had been “yes,” Cameron might have been forced to resign as Prime Minister. The advantages of the “yes” vote do not seem to outweigh Scotland’s pre-existing status as part of Great Britain.