A second independence referendum was the question, but the chamber ended up judging the authority to ask it: No won by a clear margin, even as the Yes case occupied at least as much of the room’s argumentative space. The result sounded firm, but not triumphant.
The most-respected No voices made the case for finality, competence and economic caution. “We can’t just rerun the same arguments again and again,” said one, while a Scottish law graduate argued that “12 years is not a generation”; others warned of frozen investment, upheaval and a “forever ballot”.
Yes voters returned to democratic permission rather than predicted outcomes. Their strongest formulation was that “Anything else may not be convenient but it is not democracy”, while another reduced the principle to “I cannot say no”; the underlying case was that Scotland should decide for itself, after the experience of the last referendum and the pandemic.
But Yes was hardly a single-minded bloc. Some wanted compulsory voting, a clear threshold, published separation terms, control over currency and subsidies, and room for the islands to choose their own status; another proposed a UK-wide vote, followed by cutting Scotland loose. No, meanwhile, talked about the previous settlement, the Union and the interests of voters outside Scotland — “Where's my vote.” The two sides were often answering different questions: who has the right to decide, and whether the decision would be wise.
That places the vote inside the live constitutional argument over whether a devolved mandate can compel Westminster to exercise a reserved power. On this self-selected platform, the decisive instinct was not to settle independence’s merits but to resist turning the referendum into a recurring constitutional mechanism.
The gate, rather than the destination, carried the vote.
11 Opinions
YES I'm getting fed up of the ridiculous amount of hours and time spent on Scottish issues.. Give them the referendum, but let the rest of the UK vote too, that should see them gone... And once they are gone cut Scotland off completely from the rest of the UK (including not letting them use the pound)! Then let's see how long it is before they're asking to rejoin the United Kingdom
Yes, why keep these poor downtrodden people imprisoned against their wishes. But, vote should be compulsory, exclude those living outside of Scotland, and clear basis of separation terms published in advance. End of English subsidies. Use of own currency. Allowing Isles to self determine - Shetland possibly favours stay with England? Need clear majority before change of status quo, say >55% or 60% Scots living/working in England pay English tax Last vote for 40 years
Scotland should be allowed to make up its own mind what to do
Referenda are not enforceable and cause way too much upheaval. We have the best democracy in the world with freedoms many can only dream of. Very few people do not have a mixture of Scottish English Irish Welsh and or ulster Scots blood. I myself have all that blood and in me United we stand.
As a Scot, and as a Scots law graduate, I consider the United Kingdom, for all its imperfections, preferable to separatism. It is not a workable constitutional settlement for a sovereign legislature to be bullied into permitting a devolved one the power to repeat their referendumb a mere 12 years after the first failed attempt. 12 years is not a generation. The 18 years between the 1979 and 1997 devolved legislature referenda is potentially a more defensible benchmark.
As believer in direct democracy I cannot say no.
Until I get a vote on independence as an English man then no. They had one and it should not end up as a forever ballot. Where's my vote.
The Scots already had their say in 2014 and voted against independence. I don’t think there is evidence they would vote to leave, nor would they do well if they did. We can’t just rerun the same arguments again and again.
The majority of Scots don't want independence or a referendum, allowing a neverendum situation where a movement with 30% of the vote can hold us hostage is wrong. Referendums are not free they damage the country economically with frozen investments and damage social cohesion. Putting a simple question on the ballot of do you want a referendum with a standard of 60% if electoral register in favour to vote for it makes more sense
Scotland wants independance and should have it. The last referendum and covid farce allowed the Scots to see where they stand. Once they have it we can all move on.