scotland news.docx

scotland news.docx

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scotlandnews

Backgrounder:

Scotland'sroadtoindependencereferendum

EDINBURGH-ScotlandistoholdahistoricreferendumonwhetheritshouldbecomeanindependentcountryonThursday.Whiletheindependencereferendumitselfhasbeenarelativelynewcreation,theScots'bidforbiggerautonomyhastraversedalongwaysincecenturiesago.

TheScottishpeople,orScots,areanethnicgroupnativetoScotland.Theyarebelievedtohaveemergedfromanamalgamation（合并混合）oftheancientPictsandGaels.TheKingdomofScotlandemergedasanindependentsovereignstateintheearlyMiddleAges.

ScotsfoughtdecadesofwarofindependenceagainsttheirsouthernneighbortheKingdomofEnglandinthe13thand14thcenturies.

Between1296and1328,ScotsledbyWilliamWallacedefendedagainstEnglishaggressionafterKingEdwardIofEnglandinvadedScotlandin1296,whichwasfamouslydepictedinHollywoodblockbustertheBraveheart.In1314,ScotlanddefeatedtheEnglishatBattleofBannockburn.

From1603,inwhatwasknownastheUnionoftheCrowns,KingJamesVIofScotlandwasdeclaredKingofEnglandandIreland,enablingthecountriestosharethesamemonarchina"personalunion."

Inthelate17thcentury,theKingdomofScotlandsufferedamajorfinancialsetbackafterafailedcolonizationinitiativeinPanama,knownastheDarienDisaster.

In1707,theindependentScottishkingdomceasedtoexistwhenitformedapoliticalunionwiththeKingdomofEngland,withthepassageofTreatyofUnionandsubsequentActsofUnion.TheScottishParliamentwasthusdissolvedandmergedwithitsEnglishequivalent.

WhilethenewlyestablishedKingdomofGreatBritainallowedScotlandtoshareEngland'sinternationaltraderoutesandgrowinginfluenceoftheBritishEmpire,majorScottishresistancetotheunionpersistedthrough1746.

ReluctanttobegovernedbyWestminstergovernments,whichsomeScotsbelievedoftenoverlookedtheScottishpriorities,supportfordevolutionandevenindependencebegantogrowinScotlandfromthemid19thcentury.

In1934,thepro-independenceScottishNationalParty（SNP）,nowtherulingpartyinScotland,wasformed.

In1979,areferendumwasheldonScottishdevolution,butfailedtogainthemandatory40percentoftheelectorate.

In1997,asecondreferendumwasheld,withanoverwhelmingmajorityofvotersbackingdevolution.

In1999,adevolvedlegislature,theScottishParliament,wasreconvenedwithauthorityoversomelimitedareasofhomeaffairs,followingareferendumin1997.In2007,theSNPformedaminoritygovernmentwithsupportfromtheScottishGreenParty.

In2011,afterwiningamajorityinthe129-memberScottishparliamentwith69seats,theSNPwasabletoformthefirstmajoritygovernmentinScotland.

InOctober2012,BritishPrimeMinisterCameronandScottishFirstMinisterAlexSalmondsignedtheEdinburghAgreement,allowingScotlandtoholdanindependencereferenduminautumn2014onthequestionof"ShouldScotlandbeanindependentcountry?

"

InNovember2013,theScottishgovernmentpublisheditsindependencewhitepaper"Scotland'sFuture",withaplantocreatejobs,boosttheeconomyandincreaselong-termeconomicsecurityif"Yes"campaignwinsthereferendum.

ThewhitepaperarguesthatanindependentScotlandcanbeamoredemocraticandprosperouscountrywithafairersociety.

AllthreemajorpoliticalpartiesinBritain,includingtheConservatives,theLaborPartyandtheLiberalDemocratshavebeenopposedtotheScottishindependence,butpromisedtooffermoredevolvedpowersforScotlandifScotsvote"No."

Thepollsarescheduledtoopenat7amonThursdayandcloseat10pmCountingofthevotesbeginsat32regionalcentersofScotlandaftertheendofpolls.Firstresultsareexpectedtobeginfromaround1amonwardsonFriday.

Thefinaloverallresultofall32localtotalswillbeannouncedbytheChiefCountingOfficerinEdinburghataround6:

30am-7:

30amonFridaymorningattheearliest.

About4.29millionpeoplehaveregisteredtovoteinthereferendum,andbothcampaignsexpecttheturnouttobehigh.

BritishPMmakesfinalappealagainstScotlandindependence

Britain'sPrimeMinisterDavidCamerongesturesashedeliversaspeechattheAberdeenExhibitionandConferenceCentreinAberdeen,Scotland,September15,2014.[Photo/Agencies]

EDINBURGH--BritishPrimeMinisterDavidCamerononMondayurgedScotstorejectindependenceandvoteNoinalastditchbidtosavetheUnionaheadofThursday'sScottishindependencereferendum.

JettingintoAberdeeninnortheastScotland,CamerontoldlocalConservativeactiviststhataYesvoteisadecisionthatmeansScotscan'tgobackand"theUnitedKingdomwouldbenomore".

ScotlandandtherestoftheBritain"willgoourseparatewaysforever"ifthereisaYesvote,hewarned,stressingthat"There'snogoingbackfromthis.Nore-run.Thisisaonce-and-for-alldecision."

"ThisistheweekthatcouldchangetheUnitedKingdomforever,"saidCameron,admittingthat"manypeopleacrossScotlandwillvoteYes"and"onFridaymorning,theremaybenomoreBritishpensions,passportsandpound".

"Scottishindependencewouldnotbeatrialseparation,butapainfuldivorce,"saidtheBritishprimeminister,stressing"Pleasedon'tbreakupthisfamilyofnations"and"Let'ssticktogether".

HeemphasizedthataNovoteisavotefor"concretechange"afterthereferendumandthechangeisimminentas"thestatusquoisgone",pledgingmajornewpowersontaxandspendingtoScotland.

CamerondismissedYesvoteasapositivevision,sayingthat"wewantyoutostay,fromhead,heartandsoul"and"wearebettertogether".

"Noonesaysyoucan'tbeaprideScotandaprideBriton,"henoted,concludingwith"pleasevotetosticktogether,votetostay,andvotetosaveourUnitedKingdom".

CameronmadethetripafteraseriesofpollsattheweekendsuggestedthatthebattleforScotland'sfutureisstilltooclosetocall.

EarlieronMonday,ScottishFirstMinisterAlexSalmondappearedatEdinburghAirportandjoinedagroupofprominentpro-independencebusinesspeopletohitoutatthe"scaremongering"ofthe"No"campaign.

Salmonddescribedthereferendumasa"onceinalifetimeopportunityforScotland",insistingthat"apositivecampaignwillalwaysbeatthescaremongeringcampaign".

Lastweek,anumberoffinancialservicesfirmsthreatenedtoheadfortheexitdoorifScotlandvotedYestoindependence.DeutscheBanklikenedavoteforScotlandtoleaveBritaintothemistakeswhichledtotheGreatDepressionofthe1930s.RetailersJohnLewisandAldibothwarnedScottishshopperswouldfacehigherprices.

Accordingtoasurvey,65percentof200oftheCityofLondon'stopinvestorsbelieveScotland'seconomyisatriskifitvotesYes.

OnSunday,QueenElizabethurgedScotstothink"carefully"aheadofThursday'sScottishindependencereferendumafterattendingChurchnearBalmoralCastleinnorthernScotland.

InOctober2012,CameronandSalmondsignedtheEdinburghAgreement,allowingScotlandtoholdanindependencereferendumonthequestionof"ShouldScotlandbeanindependentcountry?

"