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Scotland Independence Referendum (2014)
The Scotland Independence Referendum was on the September 18, 2014 ballot in Scotland, United Kingdom. The referendum was defeated. The measure would have provided for a Scotland independent from the United Kingdom. Therefore, Scotland would have become a sovereign nation state.[1]
If approved, independence would not have occurred immediately. Negotiations between the Scottish parliament and the United Kingdom government would have occurred for an indefinite period of time, and the two would have decided on an independence date.[1] However, the Scottish government proposed a March 24, 2016 independence day.[2]
A simple majority "yes" vote was required in order for the referendum to pass.[1]
Election results
The referendum was defeated. Voter turnout was 84.6 percent.[3] For comparison, the highest voter turnout in the history of the United States was 81.8 percent and was for the 1876 presidential election.[4]
| Scotland Independence Referendum | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 No | 2,001,926 | 55.30% | ||
| Yes | 1,617,989 | 44.70% | ||
- Official election results are from the Scotland Electoral Management Board.
Text of measure
The official ballot text was as follows:[5]
| “ |  [6]
|
” |
Support
The campaign in support of the referendum was led by Yes Scotland.[7]
Supporters
- Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party)[8]
Arguments
Both the yes campaign and no campaign featured a one-page argument in The Electoral Commission's 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum Voting Guide. Yes Scotland included the following supporting statement in the voter guide:
| “ | The referendum on September 18th is a choice of two futures.
A Yes vote means a future where we can take our own decisions and build a more prosperous nation, a Scotland where we can all truly flourish. As one of the richest nations in the world, Scotland can afford to be a successful independent country. We can make this vast wealth work better for everyone who lives here, from looking after older Scots to making life easier for young families. A No vote means a future stifled by the repeated failures of Westminster governments, governments we didn't even vote for. September 18th is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a thriving new nation. Let's grasp it with both hands. [6] |
” |
| —Yes Scotland[1] | ||
Campaign contributions
Total campaign cash  as of September 5, 2014 | |
 Support:
|
£1,822,120 |
 Opposition:
|
£2,742,723 |
The final pre-poll campaign finance reports were filed on September 5, 2014.[9]
Campaigners in support of the referendum raised £1,822,120. As of September 15, 2014, that number was roughly equivalent to $2,958,631 US Dollars.[10]
Campaigner info:
| Campaigner | Amount raised |
|---|---|
| Yes Scotland, Limited | £1,503,000 |
| Business for Scotland Ltd. | £209,120 |
| Christians for Independence | £100,000 |
| Wealthy Nation | £10,000 |
| Total | £1,822,120 |
Opposition
The campaign against the referendum was led by Better Together.[11]
Opponents
British officials
- Prime Minister David Cameron (Conservative)[12]
- Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrats)
- Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband (Labour)
Foreign officials
- Former US President Bill Clinton (D)[13]
- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D)[14]
- Canadian PM Stephen Harper (Conservative)[15]
- Australian PM Tony Abbott (Liberal)[16]
- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (Communist)[17]
US President Barack Obama (D), who did not take a public position, said, "And we obviously have a deep interest in making sure that one of the closest allies that we will ever have remains a strong, robust, united and effective partner. But ultimately these are decisions that are to be made by the folks there."[18]
Arguments
Both the yes campaign and no campaign featured a one page argument in The Electoral Commission's 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum Voting Guide. Better Together included the following oppositional statement in the voter guide:
| “ | We believe that we can have the best of both worlds in Scotland as part of the UK. We can have a strong Scottish Parliament, with more powers guaranteed, and we can have the strength, security and stability that comes from being part of the bigger UK.
We don’t need to choose between the two. Voting for separation would be a huge leap into the unknown. If we leave then we lose the strength of the UK pound. This would mean we would pay more for our mortgages, credit cards and loans. If we leave we are putting our pensions at risk. If we leave we are risking big companies being forced to move south and Scottish jobs being lost. If we leave the UK there would be no going back. In September we face a choice about our future. Let’s say no thanks to all of the risks and uncertainties of independence. Let’s say loud and clear that we want the best of both worlds for Scotland. [6] |
” |
| —Better Together[1] | ||
Campaign contributions
The final pre-poll campaign finance reports were filed on September 5, 2014.[9]
Campaigners in opposition of the referendum raised £2,742,723. As of September 15, 2014, that number was roughly equivalent to $4,453,442 US Dollars.[10]
J.K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter, donated £1 million to Better Together.[19]
Campaigner info:
| Campaigner | Amount raised |
|---|---|
| Better Together 2012 Ltd. | £2,416,475 |
| No Borders Campaign | £125,000 |
| Let’s Stay Together | £81,501 |
| The Scottish Research Society | £74,747 |
| Mr. Angus MacDonald | £25,000 |
| WFS2014 Ltd. | £20,000 |
| Total | £2,742,723 |
Path to the ballot
The act permitting the referendum was known in the Scottish Parliament as the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill. The measure was introduced into the parliament by Scottish National Party MSP Nicola Sturgeon.[20] The act passed the Scottish Parliament on November 14 and received Royal Assent on December 17, 2013.[21]
See also
External links
Basic information
- Scottish Independence Referendum Bill
- The Electoral Commission's 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum Voting Guide
Support
Opposition
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Election Commission, "The 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum Voting Guide, accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ Yes Scotland, "How Will Scotland Become Independent?" accessed September 18, 2014
- ↑ Scotland Electoral Management Board, "Homepage," accessed October 1, 2014
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Scotland Had 85% Turnout; Has U.S. Ever Come Close to That?" September 19, 2014
- ↑ The Electoral Commission, "The Scottish Independence Referendum," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Yes Scotland, "Homepage," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ Irish Times, "Alex Salmond’s greatest gamble: Scottish independence," September 13, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Electoral Commission, "Donations and loans reported by campaigners at the Scottish referendum," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bloomberg, "GBP to USD Exchange Rate," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ Better Together, "Homepage," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ The Guardian, "David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg unite to urge Scots to vote no," September 10, 2014
- ↑ The Guardian, "Bill Clinton says Scotland should remain part of the United Kingdom," September 16, 2014
- ↑ BBC, "Scottish Independence: Hillary Clinton opposes 'Yes' vote," June 13, 2014
- ↑ BBC, "Scottish independence: Canadian PM backs Scotland staying in 'united' UK," September 4, 2014
- ↑ BBC, "Scottish independence: Australian PM Tony Abbott's comments 'offensive'," August 16, 2014
- ↑ BBC, "Scottish independence: Chinese premier calls for a 'united' UK," June 17, 2014
- ↑ The Guardian, "Barack Obama suggests Scotland should stay in UK," June 5, 2014
- ↑ BBC, "Scottish independence: JK Rowling donates £1m to pro-UK group," June 11, 2014
- ↑ Scottish Parliament, "Scottish Independence Referendum Bill," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ Scottish Parliament, "History of Scottish Independence Referendum Bill," accessed September 15, 2014
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