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Boris Johnson's election victory means Scotland could end up leaving the United Kingdom
Business Insider ^ | 12/16/2019 | Adam Bienkov

Posted on 12/16/2019 8:02:53 AM PST by SeekAndFind

Could Boris Johnson's election victory mean that Scotland now leaves the United Kingdom? That's the question lots of people in the country are now asking after the dramatic result on Friday.

The issue was brought into focus on Friday after Johnson won a large majority of seats mostly off the back of votes in England, whereas seats in Scotland were won almost entirely by the separatist Scottish National Party.

Despite Johnson's pledge to form a "one nation" government, a quick glance at the UK's new electoral map reveals a nation more politically divided than ever.

In England, Johnson swept the board, winning dozens of opposition seats, some of which his party has never held before in its history.

Meanwhile in Scotland, the SNP won 48 out of 59 seats, while in Northern Ireland parties which want a united Ireland won a majority of seats over unionist parties for the first time ever.

Immediately after the result, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared the result in Scotland a "mandate" for her government to push ahead with a second Scottish independence referendum.

"Boris Johnson has a mandate to take England out of the EU but he must accept that I have a mandate to give Scotland a choice for an alternative future," she said.

So will Scotland hold an independence referendum?

Scotland last held a referendum on independence in 2014, which returned a clear majority against breaking up the United Kingdom. At the time SNP politicians promised that it would be a "once in a generation" decision.

Johnson has repeatedly used those comments to rule out holding another referendum.

However, his dismissal does not carry much water in Scotland where the settlement with the UK has been dramatically altered by the 2016 referendum on Brexit.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: bojo; borisjohnson; brexit; cronoseutroll; eu; scotland
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Back then Scottish voters backed remaining in the EU by a significant majority and Sturgeon has continued to oppose Brexit as First Minister.

The last Scottish independence referendum was won by a fairly healthy majority by the unionists and opinion polls conducted since that vote have not shown a significant shift towards independence.

However, Sturgeon hopes that Johnson's huge victory, which suggests at least another decade of Conservative dominance over the UK, could start to tip the balance of public opinion in Scotland towards independence.
1 posted on 12/16/2019 8:02:53 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

What about Northern Ireland?

The situation in Northern Ireland is arguably even riskier for Johnson. His Brexit plans will create new border checks on the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and Great Britain and are widely opposed in the province.

Johnson's party has already lost the support of his main allies in the province, the Democratic Unionist Party, over the issue, and this week's election result shows a surge in support for republican parties.

One opinion poll this year even found majority support in the province for leaving the United Kingdom.

2 posted on 12/16/2019 8:04:06 AM PST by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: SeekAndFind

William Wallace fought for it...


3 posted on 12/16/2019 8:07:14 AM PST by richardtavor
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To: richardtavor

RE: William Wallace fought for it...

FREEEEEEDOM !! ( to receive more welfare ). :)


4 posted on 12/16/2019 8:09:18 AM PST by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: SeekAndFind

All I can say about Scotland is that the smart ones all left a LONG time ago! Wanting to separate from the UK and remain part of the fantasy that is the EU, is the height of stupidity! Of course, Scotland is generally quite socialist, pro-Labour Party, so they would love the EU. Silly beggars.

(I am of Scottish descent but multi-generations in Kanadahar.


5 posted on 12/16/2019 8:15:07 AM PST by A Formerly Proud Canadian (I once was blind but now I see...)
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To: SeekAndFind

YES! fOLLOW THE MONEY!


6 posted on 12/16/2019 8:17:49 AM PST by gr8eman (Stupid should hurt! Treason should hurt more!)
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To: SeekAndFind

10. Scotland would have to pay $$$ to EU and ...
9. Scotland would stop getting $$$ from UK.
8. Scotland would be ruled from Brussels in which it has very little voice, ...
7. instead of being ruled from London where it could have a significant voice if it wasn’t so left-socialist.
6. Scotland would have free trade with EU, and ...
5. Wouldn’t have free trade with UK.
4. Scots would be able to move to any country in the EU (and visa versa), and ...
3. Scots wouldn’t be able to move to the UK (and visa versa).
2. Who would defend Scotland from Russia or China? Not the U.K., and therefore not the U.S.
1. Who cares?

Let Scotland serve as an example for Wales and Northern Ireland, and also for California.


7 posted on 12/16/2019 8:18:04 AM PST by Redmen4ever (u)
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To: SeekAndFind

Don’t let the socialism hit you in the ass on your way out.


8 posted on 12/16/2019 8:18:04 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: gr8eman

And all the productive Scots will just move to England, and leave behind the parasites to fend for themselves.


9 posted on 12/16/2019 8:18:37 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Risk? Having heavily Labor-leaning regions of the UK leave would guarantee Tory governments for the foreseeable future.


10 posted on 12/16/2019 8:19:22 AM PST by Bruce Campbells Chin
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To: A Formerly Proud Canadian
Scots are naive to think they can suckle more from the teats of EU taxpayers than from English taxpayers.
11 posted on 12/16/2019 8:19:47 AM PST by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
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To: richardtavor

They’re demanding the right to be ruled by unelected Brussels bureaucrats. That’s worse than responsive English lords. This is as opposite William Wallace’s dream as possible.


12 posted on 12/16/2019 8:22:09 AM PST by tbw2
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To: tbw2
They’re demanding the right to be ruled by unelected Brussels bureaucrats.

The Left believes in benevolent government that can control all aspects of your life, and all aspects of society, and lead everyone into a wonderful Utopia.

Of course, in the past, this has always gone horribly wrong. But I guess they didn't have the right people in charge. So, next time, Scotland can trust that the benevolent Belgians will do right by them.

13 posted on 12/16/2019 8:26:31 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (If White Privilege is real, why did Elizabeth Warren lie about being an Indian?)
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Scotland would be a good place to purge muslims to


14 posted on 12/16/2019 8:27:41 AM PST by dsrtsage (Complexity is merely simplicity lacking imagination)
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To: SeekAndFind

SNP big wins do not equate to “Independence”...

Even the SNP party leader on election night admitted as much, that not all those that voted SNP what to leave the UK..

What you had was a punishment of LABOR for not getting Brexit Done... IN Scotland the SNP was the beneficiary of that, and in the rest of the nation the Conservative Party was the major beneficiary.

Scotland needs something bigger to be part of, they have tried tying themselves to the mainland in the past, nothing more than another attempt at this... Will they leave the UK? They had a vote on that in 2014 and it lost 55-45. There is no reason to think in 5 years time that that this has moved.

There is no likelihood of another vote for Scotish independence anytime soon.

It may happen again, but don’t look for it to happen anytime soon


15 posted on 12/16/2019 8:27:46 AM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: SeekAndFind

My understanding is that the Scots are net takers in tax revenue....so they need to think long and hard about independence and alliance with the EU.

Their oil could provide revenue, but the EU Green Agenda will destroy that industry.

Then, you consider Spain may oppose Scotland joining the EU for fears that Catalonia would break away from Spain and request membership.

Many dynamics here beyond Brexit and Boris Johnson.


16 posted on 12/16/2019 8:28:40 AM PST by Erik Latranyi (The Democratic Party is now a hate-group)
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To: SeekAndFind

Northern Ireland indeed.

Possibly Ireland will join UK in a new direct relation outside of the EU. Let’s just take this one step at a time.

In any case, Fianna Fail - the center-right counterpart to Sinn Fein - is organized in Northern Ireland, but hasn’t contested any elections. Currently, right of center in Northern Ireland means Orange or Protestant. While left of center could mean either Green or Orange.

Ireland, by the way, is doing great. It was hit very hard by the Financial Crisis of 2008. But, the country has come back strong.


17 posted on 12/16/2019 8:30:16 AM PST by Redmen4ever (u)
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To: dsrtsage

Exactly—send all “refugees” to virtue signaling Scotland.

Win. Win.


18 posted on 12/16/2019 8:34:13 AM PST by cgbg (The Democratic Party is morphing into the Donner Party)
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To: All

Scotland has been overtaken by the leftists. I used to be proud of my Scottish heritage. The good Scots must have been taken by aliens when they took the vikings.


19 posted on 12/16/2019 8:37:02 AM PST by gibsonguy
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To: SeekAndFind

That map matches what my Scottish friends say. They like the EU much more than what they call “England”, and were Remainers because of the ease of travel, etc within the EU. But after watching the clownshow over Brexit, they despise London even more and now not only want out of the EU but out of the UK. If this is indeed a trend it would be great for Scotland as they may have a chance to reverse the trend and become a productive independent nation again (instead of a shite-hole).


20 posted on 12/16/2019 8:39:39 AM PST by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan.)
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