Independence for Scotland?
by Mike James
In early May, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon promised to push ahead with another Scotland independence referendum after her party gained a strong result in Scottish Parliament elections. Sturgeon commented that an independence referendum was the "will of the country" when her Scottish National Party (SNP) and pro-independence allies took a majority of the 129 seats in an early May election.
BANNOCKBURN, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 19: Supporters of Scottish independence gather at the site of the battle of Bannockburn for an 'All Under One Banner' event on August 19, 2020 in Bannockburn, Scotland. The organisers held a socially distanced rally in support for Indy Ref2 at the site of the Battle of Bannockburn, where the army of the King of Scots Robert the Bruce defeated the army of England’s King Edward II in 1314, during the first war of Scottish Independence. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
The SNP wants another try at an independence vote, which it lost in 2014 by 45 to 55 percent. The SNP feels views have changed since the 2016 vote to break with the European Union (E.U.) (Brexit), which 62 percent of Scottish voters opposed. Since 2014, Scotland has voted overwhelmingly against Brexit, 62 percent to 38 percent.
Since Britain has left the E.U., many Scots have experienced more negatives than positives. "Brexit has seriously, seriously undermined support for union north of the border," said John Curtice, Scotland's leading pollster and a politics professor at the University of Strathclyde.
The SNP says it wants a referendum by 2023 at the latest, while most polls suggest most people don't want one in the next couple of years.
The British government says that Scotland needs permission from the British Parliament to hold a referendum. But even if the SNP has to rely on support from the Green Party, it may have enough votes to pass referendum legislation.
"The Scottish problem is Boris Johnson's biggest single political headache," said Jonathan Tonge, a politics professor at the University of Liverpool. Johnson, the British Prime Minister, has vowed he will never allow a second referendum to happen while he is in charge.
Most young people are in favor of Scotland breaking away from the United Kingdom. One recent poll found that 72 percent of voters ages 16-34 would vote in favor of Scottish independence.
According to Alex Massie, the Scotland editor for the conservative Spectator magazine and a London Times columnist, "There is some grounds for thinking, if you just wait a decade, there's a possibility it would happen quite easily."
Talk of fractures in the U.K. mirror indicators in the United States. Our country seems to be becoming more divided with each new election cycle. Could this lead to a division of the United States in the future? It's too soon to tell. Mainstream and social media can make things appear more dramatic than they really are. But one thing that is interesting about all this is how it has some similarities to what happened to ancient Israel.
When we look back in biblical history at the nation of Israel, we see bickering and squabbling as soon as Israel exits Egypt. This continues throughout their history until God had finally had enough. In 1 Kings 11:26-40, we read about the demise of the nation of Israel. In verse 33 we get to the heart of the matter. God explains that His nation will be divided due to their lack of obedience to God. Israel had begun worshipping other gods long before, but finally, God had enough of it, and He was going to punish the nation.
One of the primary parallels between ancient Israel and Judah and the modern nations of the United States (U.S.) and the United Kingdom (U.K.) is our common Judeo-Christian religious values and laws. Just like Israel split into two nations (Israel and Judah), the history of the U.S. began with a break from the U.K. Just like the U.K. has fought against itself in the past, the U.S. experienced a civil war.
Many in the Church today believe the blessings and cursings (Deuteronomy 28) God promised ancient Israel will hold true for the modern followers of the Judeo-Christian God. Since the majority of people in the U.S. and U.K. claim the God of the Bible as their God, we need to be wary. God will punish His modern followers just as He did His ancient followers if we don't heed His Word. Breaking up the U.K. and the U.S., whether politically or culturally, will have a negative impact on these nations (Matthew 12:25).
Sources:
"Sturgeon Pledges 2nd Bid to Leave U.K.," by Karla Adam and William Booth, The Washington Post, May 9, 2021.
"'Front and Center' in Election: Independence for Scotland," by William Booth and Karla Adam, The Washington Post, May 6, 2021.