Supporters of Scottish independence gather for a rally in George Square, Glasgow, Scotland September 17, 2014 in advance of the referendum on Scotland separating from the United Kingdom. (Paul Hackett/Reuters)
Scotland overwhelming voted in favour of staying in the European Union—62 per cent of the country voted Remain, the highest of any region in the U.K.—though voter turnout was a relatively low 67 per cent. That means less than two years after Scotland had a national referendum to decide if it should remain part of the U.K., the Scots now find themselves leaving the EU against their wishes.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says such a fate would be “democratically unacceptable.” The ruling Scottish Labour Party campaigned against holding another independence referendum unless something “material changed,” and obviously the Brexit vote qualifies. Sturgeon now says a second referendum for Scottish independence is “highly likely.” The leader of the official opposition, Ruth Davidson of the Conservative Party, says a new vote won’t help the country’s stability, though she too had been campaigning for the “Remain” side.
MORE: Scotland on Brexit results: ‘We do not want to leave the EU
Based on the independence and Brexit referendums, Scotland clearly wants to be part of both the European Union and, to a lesser degree, part of the United Kingdom. Since they can no longer have both, the question is: Which side will they choose?
Goodbye, UK. https://t.co/HMRA0AnlWR
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 24, 2016
