The End of a United Kingdom?

[Sovius]

My condolences to the patriots. It looks like the next logical step will be to kick everybody who voted "no" out of the country and have another go at it.

[Thorvald]

I'm going to be very disappointed if they end up with a majority NO vote. Shame on the English for all their fear mongering.

Exactly...

[Philosopher]

"According to what our observers at the polling offices tell us, there were more Yes votes during the vote count. Scotland found itself under immense pressure… Those on the UK side campaigning for a No vote resorted to every violation imaginable," Georgy Fyodorov, the head of the Association for the protection of electoral rights "Civil control," told RIA Novosti on Friday.

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140919/193097294/Russian-Observers-Say-Westminter-Put-Pressure-on-Scots-on.html

[Risto the Great]

The next time they have a go at it, they will be able to measure the reality of all the recent promises made by Great Britain.

[VMRO]

England were never going to let them go... plus 300+ years of English assimilation reminded me of some Macedonians who have developed Pro Greek, Bulgarian and Serb feelings...

[vicsinad]

Good points Risto and VMRO.


On semi-related news, Catalonia's parliament approved an "independence vote." I put it in quotes because apparently if the voters vote in favor of independence, what they're really doing is granting their Catalan president to negotiate independence from Spain.

The Spanish government says the vote is illegal because any independence vote would need to include all Spaniards. Really?

[Gocka]

Sons of bitches!

[vicsinad]

A little more about Catalonia:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/19/us-spain-catalonia-idUSKBN0HE11T20140919

(Reuters) - The leader of Spain's Catalonia region said on Friday he would defy Madrid to hold a non-binding independence vote in less than two months, saying his people deserved the same right to determine their future as Scots who voted to stay in Britain.

With its own language and culture, and a long-standing pro-independence movement that has gathered momentum in recent years of economic hardship, Catalonia has sought a referendum on independence similar to the one held in Scotland on Thursday.

Unlike London, which allowed the Scottish vote, Madrid says even a non-binding referendum would violate the Spanish constitution and has pledged to block it in the courts.

Spanish political leaders, including centre-right Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Socialist opposition leader Pedro Sanchez, hailed the Scottish "no" vote and said the outcome demonstrated the value of unity for Spain.

The government opened the door on Friday to revising how Spanish regions are financed but said any such move would not be linked to the Catalan independence movement.

Catalan leader Arturo Mas denied that the Scottish rejection of independence had hurt the Catalan secessionist cause.

"What happened in Scotland is not a setback for us, because what we really want in Catalonia is to have the chance to vote," Mas said.

The Catalan regional government was due to pass a bill later on Friday giving Mas the power to call a non-binding referendum. Mas said he would sign it and would hold the vote on Nov 9.

A late surge in polls for Scottish independence had galvanized supporters of secession for Catalonia, and many expressed disappointment that Scots had ultimately held back.

"As a Catalan, I would have liked to have seen a 'yes' for independence, because it would have been a boost for us," said Jordi Prosa, a 54-year-old business administrator in Barcelona.

Nevertheless, others seized on the enthusiastic Scottish vote as proof that whatever the outcome, regions should be permitted to choose their own future.


PEOPLE WANT TO VOTE

"What is clear here is that people want to vote," said Josep Roda, a 55-year-old lawyer. "Scotland is a good example of allowing people to express their opinion."

Madrid's refusal to grant a referendum has angered many Catalans, even some who favor continued union with Spain.

Hundreds of thousands of people marched last week in the streets of Barcelona for the right to hold a referendum. Polls show around 80 percent of people in the region of 7.5 million want a say on secession.

The Scottish "no" vote caused yields on Spanish bonds to tighten as investors saw it taking momentum away from Catalan secessionists and reducing risk. Yields bounced off Friday's lows after Mas's defiant comments.

Prime Minister Rajoy said the Scots' "no" was the best outcome "for themselves, for all of Britain and for the rest of Europe".

Opposition leader Sanchez said the outcome held lessons for Spain: "Scots have chosen self-government, the strengthening of their institutions and of their links with the United Kingdom, and that's the read-through that should be made in Spain."

Announcing the referendum date puts Mas on a tricky path by opening the prospect of a court fight with Madrid. The Catalan leader did not lay out clear steps for his next move if Spain's central government blocks the vote.

He is under pressure from his coalition partners to go ahead with a referendum even if it is declared illegal, though many believe he would shy away from such a move.

"It is unlikely that he would opt for defying Madrid by holding the vote," said Antonio Barroso, analyst at Teneo Intelligence. If the referendum were declared illegal, Mas would not want to risk losing international credibility by going ahead with it anyway, he added.

[Dimko-piperkata]

BOOM! PROOF 'SCOTLAND INDEPENDENCE VOTE' WAS RIGGED!


http://youtu.be/kUR-HgAtwtg

http://youtu.be/LbJif7vISQg

[Thorvald]

BOOM! PROOF 'SCOTLAND INDEPENDENCE VOTE' WAS RIGGED!


http://youtu.be/kUR-HgAtwtg

http://youtu.be/LbJif7vISQg

I saw this on other sites too...Actually, why should be suprised? London will dont give up the Scottish Oil. Lets be clear about that. The whole referendum turned out to be a practical yoke. Poor Scotts.

[Constellation]

There is talk of a new referendum or new action for independence. Scotland may still declare independence.

[Dimko-piperkata]

put some webcam´s in the counting rooms and the folks can follow the results...so easy it can be.

[Dejan]

There is talk of a new referendum or new action for independence. Scotland may still declare independence.

I didn't think it would go away, now that the people had acted upon it

[The LION will ROAR]

Check out Egeska i Pirin Macedonia

Here's How The Map Of Europe Would Be Redrawn If All The Separatist Movements Get Their Way
Dina Spector Sep 17 2014,

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/map-of-separatist-movements-in-europe-2014-9#social

The Scottish independence movement will embolden other active separatist groups in Europe to win their freedom, whether or not Scotland votes to secede from the United Kingdom on Thursday.

From Catalonia and Basque Country in Spain to Veneto, South Tyrol, and the island of Sardinia in Italy to Flanders in Belgium, “the precedent of the vote on self-determination will reverberate around the Continent,” The New York Times writes.

If you want a rough idea of how European borders would have to be redrawn if regions with a separatist agenda got their way, you can look at the map below, put together by the European Free Alliance, to which “40 progressive nationalist, regionalist and autonomous parties throughout the European Union” belong