Malcolm Campbell, resident, Coldstream, Scottish Borders
Malcolm Campbell is a lifelong Scottish independence supporter and professional fisherman in Coldstream, Scottish Borders area. Credit:
Andrew Connelly/The World
“The word ‘nationalist’ almost makes you sound like a terrorist.” Campbell said. “People often kept quiet about it. The SNP used to be classed as a fringe lunatic party but look at them now.”
In a 2014 referendum on the matter of Scottish independence, 55% of voters decided to stay part of the United Kingdom. In the days leading up to the referendum, the English press reflected panic at the growing “Yes” poll lead.
But since Brexit and the election of Boris Johnson who most Scots don’t like and didn’t vote for support for independence has climbed. Some polls suggest that pro-independence parties could gain a narrow majority in the Scottish parliament on Thursday, keeping the issue of a second referendum on the agenda.
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Unionists claim new figures on Scotland s notional deficit make plans to rejoin the EU highly implausible – but experts aren t convinced EUROPEAN experts have poured cold water on claims Scotland’s finances would prevent it from rejoining the EU after independence. A new study by Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) claims the country’s notional deficit – the gap between Scotland’s spending and tax revenue – has risen from 8.6% of GDP in the financial year before the pandemic to between 22 and 25% in 2020-21. Speaking earlier, IFS associate director David Phillips said Scotland is relatively rich but would start life [as an independent nation] with a large deficit .
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Michael Mann, the EU’s envoy to the Arctic, gave his views in a podcast with Dr Kirsty Hughes A TOP European Union official has signalled that Brussels would look favourably on an independent Scotland joining the bloc. Michael Mann, the EU’s envoy to the Arctic, also said that the new state could benefit from speedier membership process than other countries which had joined in recent years. The senior civil servant gave his views in a podcast with Dr Kirsty Hughes, director of the Scottish Centre on European Relations in Edinburgh. Hughes asked Mann if Scotland became independent in a legal and constitutionally valid way, how would the EU respond if the country applied to join the bloc.