To want to keep my UK passport if Scotland votes YES in the 2014 referendum?

[SittingBull1]

If the majority of people actually voting votes YES in the 2014 referendum, Scotland will leave the UK. As Scots living in Scotland, will my family and I lose our UK passports? Along with a very large number of NO voters, my family and I will want to retain our UK passports, and I'm sure that a huge percentage of the non-voters will also want to keep theirs. I think that the UK government should offer to allow Scots living in Scotland to retain their UK passports. Is that unreasonable?

English dominance? There is no such thing. Please don't generalise us all.

As an English and English-born person living in Scotland, I'd expect to keep my UK passport just as I would if I suddenly went to live in any other independent state (like France for example) - unless I made the decision to naturalise. Scotland becoming independent wouldn't force me to become Scottish. Would it? At least I bloody hope not. If they gave me the choice of leaving or becoming Scottish, there are a HELL of a lot of other non-Scottish people propping up the Scottish economy who they would have to say that to as well, and who wouldn't like it much.

I do worry that if the vote is yes, it will make things more difficult for us, not least because the anti-English racists will have a field day and I don't fancy sticking around for that. They are a tiny minority IME but I have already had some anti-English gloating aimed at me wrt to the vote. (And not in a friendly teasing way, in a nasty "you'll have to go home" way.)

However I am surprised how many Scots want to vote no. No makes sense to me, as there is so much to lose (.... currency, NHS, BBC what have you) and it would be a mindbogglingly expensive admin nightmare. But I thought more Scots would be romantically inclined to vote yes. Not from what I'm hearing.

X post, sorry.

Didn't realise devolution has gone quite as far as that. Then Scotland are practically 'independent' anyway? Am I correct in saying they want independence from Westminster & the treasury?
Still, what a nightmare!

Ah but MyMILisfromHell, not wanting to be governed by another country is not the same as not liking the people of that country. Honest.

Mateysmum the problem is as I've x-posted is that you're assuming the rest of the UK have this far benevolently granted Scotland access to these things. Not so - the Scottish throne for example merged with the English in 1603 - a whole century before the parliaments united. So why wouldn't Scotland keep their monarchy, it's as much Scotland's as anyone else's even if I wish it weren't

That's interesting. If it did happen, would the queen have to be re-crowned and everything?

Yes MyMIL - that's precisely it. Control of the budget to fund all the things we currently run and for areas like defence to also be run from Edinburgh.

Annuziata - unlikely, as the coronation includes the title Queen of Scots since the unification of the crowns.

Thanks :)

EyeofNewt I'm appalled to hear you've had nasty comments. Nope you wouldn't be Scottish unless you'd like to be (ah, go on...!) :)

If you want to get nitpicky the Queen is more Scottish than English anyway

(Elizabeth II is a direct descendant of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, not of England’s Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I)

True ItsAllGoingToBeFine .

The yes campaign should adopt your username as a slogan!

Going to the 16th century is very nitpicky, you have to say

Okay, I have another question. Since the Army have gone to the Philippines to help, could an independent Scotland manage that?

forgetmenots, I've experienced it and I've heard others' stories of it, but I do think it's very rare.

Um, the reason that Scotland gets to keep the queen is because she is queen of Scotland before England. Elizabeth the first of England was called the virgin queen for a reason. She died without heir, and her crown passed to James the 6th of Scotland, the direct ancestor of Elizabeth the second of England. If you are nice, we'll let you keep her.

I think they could manage but obviously proportionally lower numbers.

Good analysis of defence here
www.theguardian.com/news/reality-check-with-polly-curtis/2012/mar/01/how-would-an-independent-scotland-defend-itself

What about me? Born in Scotland, lived in England for 20 years, English dh English DC and not entitled to vote! Hasn't occurred to me that I wouldn't be entitled to keep my British passport! Have no idea if i would be entitled to a Scottish one But presumably if Scotland are in eu it's all academic!?

Scotland always had a separate legal and education system. The differences are not a result of devolution.

Bar my DF, I know of no-one planning to vote for independence. Every poll suggests that a majority of Scots will vote to retain the union.

I support the monarchy. It's what is keeping 'Great Britain' great IMO.

Scotland could be a free country within Britain, couldn't it? & still break away from Westminster. Why couldn't we all keep our passports? Under place of birth you'd still have your town, under country it could say Scotland or WaleOr NI or England, UK & then nationality could change from British to your actual country of birth, ie Scottish, etc.

Or wouldn't that be good enough for the yes voters?

Ah, British identity is a peculiar thing!

There is no way the EU can afford to expel or suspend E/W/NI and there is no precedent for dealing with a newly autonomous region (places like USSR or Yugoslavia not being members - though there might be a sliver of precedent in the latter as the rest of Yugoslav kept its international memberships when Croatia and Slovenia were recognised and the latter places had to seek new memberships of other bodies).

It's only when the EU actually reveals how it is minded to treat such a case that anyone can plan with certainty.

The Queen would not be re-crowned. There was no separate coronation in any of the dominions an her accession, just legal moves which acknowledge the role of the Crown.

Altogether then why is there so much emphasis on the Queen being called the 'Queen of England'. When she'd just as well be called 'Queen of Scotland or Wales'?

Thats an interesting idea MIL.

I wonder if you could have completely devolved power but still be in a Union. Kind of like the UK in the EU....

why is there so much emphasis on the Queen being called the 'Queen of England

I guess it is that whole thing of people assuming UK=England

Thank you for the article!

The snp, I think, suggested a three question referendum, with an option for full devolution, but Westminster refused it, and said it had to be a straight yes or no.