Author Topic: Are Scottish and English attitudes to foreign policy that different?  (Read 229 times)

Nearly Sane

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Interesting article highlighting the research. Lot of the findings are not that surprising but as is covered, there's very little work been done on this.

I suspect that were Scotland to be independent, its size would have a major influence on public attitudes to foreign policy.


https://archive.vn/chCnm

jeremyp

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For example, 68% of English respondents agreed that “the UK needs a strong military to be effective in international affairs” while only 58% of Scots felt the same.

Curiously, the data showed that SNP supporters were less militaristic than other Scottish people with only 51% of the former agreeing with the need for a strong military compared with 61% of the latter.

I don't find those numbers to be curious at all. If you are in favour of Scottish independence, you are, almost by definition, accepting that Scotland will not be a big player on the World stage. You are prioritising your level of input into whatever foreign policy your country has over your country's ability to execute its foreign policy. What's the point of the UK being able to project its foreign policy, if you don't agree with it?

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Nearly Sane

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I don't find those numbers to be curious at all. If you are in favour of Scottish independence, you are, almost by definition, accepting that Scotland will not be a big player on the World stage. You are prioritising your level of input into whatever foreign policy your country has over your country's ability to execute its foreign policy. What's the point of the UK being able to project its foreign policy, if you don't agree with it?
I don't disagree with that but it would be possible to want a strong military and not for the global.role thar the UK pretends to but rather as a bulwark for internal defence.  That said I suspect that the SNP has a younger cohort that would be less military inclined.