Scotland decides to be with the UK
IN a historic referendum held Thursday, the Scottish people have had their say about what future they like for themselves: To be an independent entity or remain part of Great Britain. It was an extraordinary sight of how a people decide its political future in a democracy through freely exercising their right to self-determination.
Clearly, pragmatism of the Scottish people has got the better of their emotion through this referendum.
The majority of the electorate, 55 per cent of them, came up with their mature decision that they would continue their union with the UK. Evidently, considerations like the advantages of being part of a larger economy weighed heavily in their decision-making.
Though the vote has been convincingly in favour of the union, the fact that 45 per cent of the Scots opted for independence is something that has to be reckoned with. If anything, the referendum has brought to the fore a stark reality--Scotland will no more be the same again.
It is now time for the ruling Conservatives. Labour and the Liberal Democrats to deliver on the pledge they made during the persuasion campaign that if the Scots reject independence, Westminster would devolve more powers to Scotland. Notably, Scottish MP Gordon Brown, who is a former UK prime minister, had also set out a timetable for the devolution. And the sagacious prime minister David Cameron has given a directional speech on the devolution plan.
As a friend of the people of Great Britain and of the Scots in particular, we greatly admire the way they have settled a critical national issue in the highest spirit of participatory democracy. Hats off to them.
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