A New Scotland: Building an Equal, Fair and Sustainable Society

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Losing free movement between Scotland and the EU is likely to add further pressure to our declining working age population.

Independence offers Scotland the chance to build a stronger economy — and a more just society — for this and future generations. The UK’s economy underperforms Underpinning the democratic deficit argument is an assumption that Scotland is a nation with a right to self-determination. [117] Were Scotland independent, Scotland's population would possess full decision-making power in regard to the political affairs of its nation. Alex Salmond stated in a May 2012 launch that "the people who live in Scotland are best placed to make the decisions that affect Scotland." [122] Campbell, Glenn (7 September 2021). "Scottish government to restart work on case for independence". BBC News. Stephen, Phyllis (17 October 2022). "Building a New Scotland – third document published today". The Edinburgh Reporter. Further details, including the range of evidence that informs the proposals, references to sources and analysis, and the rationale for these proposals, are set out in the full publication.With independence, a future Scottish Government could boost co-operatives by passing a ‘Marcora law’, helping workers organise co-operative buyouts or rescues when a business is up for sale or under threat. Impressive evidence from Europe shows that these businesses, when run on co-operative lines, can be resilient and successful. And co-operatives have the benefit of sharing wealth and power with their workers. A more dynamic and productive economy with independence In the first paper the Scottish Government published, to renew the prospectus on independence, we set out evidence showing independent countries comparable to Scotland were both wealthier and indeed fairer than the UK. In future, Westminster sovereignty of course could even allow the UK Parliament to repeal devolution through nothing other than a simple majority vote.

Scottish voters are in favour of the Trident nuclear deterrent being in Scotland. Even in the event of a vote for independence, 45 per cent of Scots polled in 2022 think the nuclear deterrent should be maintained in Scotland, compared to 34 percent against. [170] While in the Union, 58% of Scots believe in the retention of the nuclear deterrent and only 20% definitely want it axed. [171] In the event that Scottish independence meant the nuclear deterrent could no longer be in Scotland, there is a risk that the costs of relocation would make keeping a nuclear deterrent in the British Isles unfeasible. [172] In 2019, the NATO Secretary General said the maintenance of a British nuclear deterrent is important to NATO. [173] In 2022, 73 percent of Scots would want an independent Scotland to be part on NATO and only 8 percent oppose this. [174] Support for independence in opinion polling depends upon the format of the question being asked. Polling company Survation have asked Scottish voters the question "Should Scotland remain in the United Kingdom or leave the United Kingdom?". Since 2018, none of these polls have shown a lead for Remain of less than 10%. [239] The rest of the UK generally supports Scotland remaining a part of the UK. YouGov polling between late 2019 and early 2022 shows that support for Scottish independence is at around 30%, while support for Scotland remaining in the UK is at around 45%. [240] It would make sense for everyone for CTA arrangements to continue when Scotland becomes independent. It would mean that rights to travel, live, work, and access services — including housing, education, and healthcare — would continue for British and Irish citizens in Scotland, and for the citizens of an independent Scotland in the UK and Ireland. Re-joining the EU would boost trade and improve our economyThe benefits of EU membership would be felt by business and especially by exporters. This is important: the most recent data show that the value of Scotland’s exports in manufactured goods to the EU and the rest of the world was higher than the value of those exports to the rest of the UK. In the years of the Conservative government after 1979, the Campaign for a Scottish Assembly was established, eventually publishing the Claim of Right 1989. This then led to the Scottish Constitutional Convention. The convention promoted consensus on devolution on a cross-party basis, though the Conservative Party refused to co-operate and the Scottish National Party withdrew from the discussions when it became clear that the convention was unwilling to discuss Scottish independence as a constitutional option. [22] Arguments against devolution and the Scottish Parliament, levelled mainly by the Conservative Party, were that the Parliament would create a "slippery slope" to Scottish independence and provide the pro-independence Scottish National Party with a route to government. [31] Prime Minister John Major campaigned during the 1997 general election on the slogan "72 hours to save the union". His party ultimately suffered the worst electoral defeat in 91 years. [32] Like similar documents in nations around the world, we expect it would set out fundamental values such as democracy, the sovereignty of the people, freedom and the rule of law. escape the UK’s Brexit-based economic future, which is predicted to result in a long-term reduction in productivity of 4% compared with remaining in the EU Building a New Scotland is a series of papers published by the Scottish Government that seeks to lay out a prospectus for Scottish independence. [1] The Scottish Government has proposed holding an independence referendum on 19 October 2023. [2] History [ edit ]

Nicola Sturgeon to publish second paper in Scottish independence prospectus". MSN . Retrieved 17 July 2022.

It makes it clear that after a vote for independence the devolved Scottish parliament would legislate on an interim constitution, after a wide process of consultation and of engagement, this interim constitution would come into force at the time of independence. Building a New Scotland: A stronger economy with independence - summary". www.gov.scot. Scottish Government . Retrieved 18 October 2022. Paper five of the series sets out the vision of the Scottish Government to adopt an inclusive model of Scottish citizenship following independence for the population, regardless of if they were born in Scotland or define themselves as primarily or exclusively Scottish, and identifies who would become a Scottish citizen at the point of independence, and who could become a Scottish citizen through a process of citizenship application. [20] See also [ edit ] If businesses concluded that independence would yield benefits, there could be positive economic effects. However, if businesses do not, they could postpone spending or investment plans or even leave Scotland entirely. [131] :219 Uncertainty caused by independence referendums can also have negative implications for financial markets and the wider economy, depending on the likelihood that separation wins. This uncertainty has impacts not only in Scotland, but in the whole of the UK. Due to the relative size of Scotland in the UK, any negative economic effects would be felt worse in Scotland. [131] :232

In October 2014, the lobby group All Under One Banner (AUOB) was formed. AUOB stages regular public marches in support of Scottish independence throughout Scotland.

Overview

Because of that, this paper cannot say definitively what will be in the permanent written constitution of an independent Scotland. That’s a decision that can only be taken after independence, by the people of Scotland. a b c "Scottish referend Instead, Scotland’s new approach would be designed to attract working-age people and their families to live here. This is a summary of the Scottish Government’s proposals for the economy of an independent Scotland. It explains what these proposals would mean for you, for businesses, and for Scotland as a whole if Scotland became independent and if this Scottish Government were delivering independence. For example, sectors like food and drink are major employers in rural areas but are currently experiencing severe labour shortages because of both Brexit and the pandemic.