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Most Scottish newspapers are unionist and oppose Scottish independence. But even they have to operate in an environment, rife with secessionism, that thanks to the economic disaster that is Brexit (most of all for the UK), got a new lease of life, after the failed independence bid of 2014. So even “The Scotsman” occasionally has to give voice to those who promote secession and within the current Scottish political context that is the SNP and the Greens.
The English love to express a certain dédain for the economic prospects of an independent Scotland, but the reality is that within the EU, Scotland can be expected to thrive, even more than Ireland has done, and they are currently one of the richest per capita countries in Europe. Not bad for a country, once known for “too much whiskey and too few potatoes”. Why is Ireland so rich and attractive?
1. it is a loyal EU member
2. the population speaks English (sort of)
That makes it attractive to foreign investors from all around the world, not just from the US. The point to make is that the same conditions apply to Scotland as well. There is sufficient reason to assume that Scotland could become another “Celtic Tiger”. Certainly if you realize this:
“Scotland has the potential to provide 25% of Europe’s renewable energy”
Say what?!
According to an op-ed by Lorna Slater, a Scottish politician for the Greens Party, does Scotland have the potential to become for Europe a renewable energy Saudi-Arabia (our words). With 65/km2, Scotland is sparsely populated. In the waters of Scotland there is a lot of potential for tidal energy, the field of Lorna Slater. And then there is on- and offshore wind. Renewable energy could be a major export product into continental European markets and a guarantee for future Scottish wealth.
[scotsman.com] – Renewables can power economy of an independent Scotland
P.S. What Lorna Slater failed to mention is that, apart from renewable energy generation, Scotland also has great potential for renewable energy storage, far greater than required for domestic needs:
[deepresource] – World-Record Pumped-Hydro Storage for Scotland?
[deepresource] – Great Potential for Pumped Hydro in Scotland