Scotland (overwhelmingly) and Northern Ireland (less so) have voted to stay in Europe while England (decisively) and Wales (narrowly) have voted to leave. Northern Ireland has its own choices to make, but Scotland must now hold a second referendum.
Yesterday the UK as a whole voted to leave the European Union, while Scotland voted to stay in. Unless something is done, Scotland will be dragged out of the EU against its clearly-expressed will – the margin for Remain was two and a half times the margin for No in 2014.
The temptations for Yes voters are almost overwhelming. The rage that many of them feel is genuine and fully justified. Scotland was lied to remorselessly and relentlessly throughout the indyref campaign, threatened and bullied and cowed into staying in a fantasy UK bearing no resemblance to the one we now find ourselves in.
The sheer irony of the UK plunging into exactly the sort of calamitous uncertainty we were told would befall an independent Scotland would test the character of a saint.
And for everyone whose restraint is being stretched to the very limits of its endurance today, we have a two-word message: George Square.
The game just changed, readers. We’ve been up all night. We’ll have some analysis for you in a few hours. For now, spend a few moments pondering who the “narrow nationalists” and “separatists” in the UK are.
We know it’s early doors, but we’re going to state with some confidence now that this is the Tweet Of The Night:
Yes, that really is Tim Stanley, leader writer of the Telegraph, complaining about being up against the British establishment in a referendum. (In which Leave was supported by, among others, the Sun, the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, and the Daily Express – the #1, #2, #4 and #6 best-selling newspapers in the country – along with around half of the MPs of the governing party.)
For extra fun, we might collect some of his indyref tweets later. But to the very best of our recollection, he didn’t consider the Yes campaign’s 45% – which really WAS achieved against the entire British establishment, without a single daily newspaper’s support – as a “moral victory”.
(Part of a fairly major volte-face by Harris on who should control what in Scotland, but let’s not get into that right now.)
On the face of it, this is a perfectly feasible possibility, since devolution was set up on a “reserved list” basis – any issues not specifically reserved to Westminster are devolved to the Scottish Parliament. In theory this would indeed mean that powers over farming and fishing would revert to Holyrood automatically upon exit from the EU.
(And even that view is conditional on whether you consider Scottish independence the most important political goal of your life. If it’s more important to you to be out of the EU than out of the UK then clearly you’ll be voting Leave and there’s nothing we could say that would change your mind.)
But what if you happen to be a supporter of Scottish independence who DOESN’T live in Scotland? What then?
Dan on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: ““The Port of Rosyth is an important asset for Scotland and we are committed to exploring a number of business…” Sep 17, 12:03
BLMac on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “When you see so much prevarification, you know there was not just one bad apple. The whole basketful is rotten.…” Sep 17, 11:27
TimePilot on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Police Scotland’s response to FOI requests within the 20 working days timescale is abysmal. I might submit a FOI to…” Sep 17, 09:16
James Che on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “I surmise that the SNP have also dedicated themselves to the people/ subjects within Scotland as they are a Scottish…” Sep 17, 09:13
James Che on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Do the Subjects within Scotland pay out of….their private incomes within Scotland for the Police or Crown offices in Scotland.…” Sep 17, 08:57
James Che on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Stu, The Law Society of Scotland, 2007. Article XV 111 private Rights. Which is unalterable by the parliament of Great…” Sep 17, 08:38
Willie on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Maybe Big John Swinney, assuming he’s not in pokey too, could have his old mucker Murrell back in post helping…” Sep 17, 08:37
Captain Caveman on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Multiple posters take the time and trouble to objectively, politely, patiently and provably show that Alf Baird is plain wrong…” Sep 17, 08:24
Spartan 117 on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “I see some firey Greek madam absolutely tore Empress VDL a new ring in the EU Talking Shop, sans lube.…” Sep 17, 08:09
James Che on Fear And Favour: “Aidan, The dates that I have provided are facts, They are information, The facts are from Westminster parliament own site.…” Sep 17, 07:46
Aidan on Like Responsible Citizens Do: ““General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples” General Assembly resolutions are…” Sep 17, 06:07
PhilM on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “I see now why I was confused. I read ‘taking a punt’ as metaphorical and the person taking a punt…” Sep 16, 22:13
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “‘POWER, CORRUPTION & LIES’ Bit of research on article title ‘A THOUSAND ISLANDS IN THE SEA’. Line from ‘Leave Me…” Sep 16, 21:59
Hatey McHateface on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “@ Alf Baird says: 16 September, 2026 at 7:34 pm I responded to your post with a cut and paste…” Sep 16, 21:57
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Because in the hypothetical, decent, respectable, law abiding Scotland, the idea that Murrell will be out of prison, while the…” Sep 16, 21:46
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Slightly off topic perhaps, but as Murrell was sentenced to a bit over 5 years, how long will he actually…” Sep 16, 20:17
Alf Baird on Like Responsible Citizens Do: ““the framework that actually exists”, irrespective of UN reform: General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) Declaration on the Granting of Independence…” Sep 16, 19:44
Alf Baird on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Why always so negative Hatey, anyone would think you were against Scottish independence/decolonization, such is your haste to dismiss even…” Sep 16, 19:34
Aidan on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Actually, what Northcode said is that these are facts, and not subjective viewpoints, and Northcode is right about that. I…” Sep 16, 19:32
Northcode on Like Responsible Citizens Do: ““As you imply, these are largely your subjective viewpoints.” I think you may have misunderstood the nature of the points…” Sep 16, 19:15
Hatey McHateface on Like Responsible Citizens Do: ““Hence a major restructuring of the UN is expected” If so, nobody’s writing about it in the news feeds I…” Sep 16, 18:59
Hatey McHateface on Fear And Favour: ““you just slink away” Odd, Confused, other regulars like to accuse me of being here 24/7. “if I could be…” Sep 16, 18:56
Alf Baird on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “As you imply, these are largely your subjective viewpoints, which as one can see lack definitive sources. They also assume…” Sep 16, 18:42
Aidan on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Yes absolutely – within the current framework of international law there is no route to Scotland being designated as an…” Sep 16, 18:29
BH on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Did they say ‘It would not be in the public interest to know we’re corrupt as that might make policing…” Sep 16, 18:09
robertkknight on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “I recon 75% of the Wee Ginger Fud brigade have no idea what day of the week it is and…” Sep 16, 17:34
