Scottish Independence

ARGUMENT Too bad about the forfeiture. This is an old argument of mine. D1: Economic Reasons1. UK's DebtsCurrently the UK has a debt of about £1 trillion, and part of this debt is created by Scotland. Should Scotland vote to become independent, they would be forced to pay a solid percent of the national debt. While currently the debt that Scotland would have to inherit would not be too overwhelming (about £130 billion) it could prove to be a difficult challenge to overcome given that Scotland would be a brand new nation just beginning to get its bearings [1].2. British PoundOne major concern for the Scottish voters is whether or not they would be able to continue using the British Pound and a form of currency after a separation from the UK. When asked this question Chancellor George Osborne clearly stated that it would be "highly unlikely" that Scotland would be able to continue usage of the Pound. This presents a major issue for Scotland, as the only two options for currency that remain after the Pound would be the Euro or to create their own currency. These are two equally dreadful paths as the Euro is currently tanking throughout Europe and it is unlikely that a new currency would succeed in the short term for a brand new nation. 3. North Sea Oil Currently the oil in the North Sea has employed over 450,000 people across the UK, most of which are Scottish, and provides for 67% of the UK's oil needs [2]. Given the separation of Scotland, the UK is put in a very bad position as they will be forced to find other sources of oil/energy. However, this could prove to be a bad thing for Scotland as well due to the fact that the North Sea Oil will dry up in around 40 to 50 years. This would be particularly strenuous on Scotland due to the fact that it has no other natural resources outside of the oil. So while the economy of Scotland is currently quite good, it is likely to flounder in no less than half a century should they separate from the UK. D2: Political Reasons1. Loss of Political InfluenceThis point is obvious, yet important none the less. Given a separation of Scotland from the UK, Scotland will lose a significant portion of their political influence around the world given that they are no longer a powerful nation. This could result in nations attempting to manipulate Scotland into giving them the North Sea Oil, or at least a portion of it.2. EUScotland is currently hoping that if they become independent, part of the blow of the loss of the UK would be joining the EU. However it is not guaranteed that Scotland would be admitted into the EU. The reasoning for this is that the EU does not want any other sub-countries to become inspired by Scotland's independence (i.e. Barcelona, Basque, Flanders) and declare a referendum of their own [3]. While it is unlikely that Scotland will be rejected into the EU, their is still the possibility. Should they not be accepted into the EU, Scotland will be stuck without allies and will not be able to set up trade networks that could prove to be necessary given the dwindling supply of North Sea Oil. 3. Nuclear Weapons One slightly awkward problem that is presented with the upcoming referendum is what happens with the UK's nuclear weapons that are stationed in Scotland if Scotland becomes independent. There is some debate about what should happen to the nuclear weapons, some wanting them out of Scotland instantly after the deceleration of independence while some are more lenient. However the whole situation could turn into a diplomatic nightmare for the brand new nation given that they won't have any allies to help them in the matter. ConclusionTheir are simply too many negative events that could occur given the event of Scottish independence. I have clearly shown that their are many political and economic reasons for Scotland to stay within the UK (and the EU). Sources[1] http://www.theweek.co.uk.........[2] http://www.bbc.co.uk.........[3] http://www.vice.com.........