With the Holyrood Election in May rapidly approaching, and the Scottish National Party (SNP) looking to secure a fifth term in power, questions over Scottish Independence are once again at the forefront of political discussions. Despite the 2014 referendum resulting in a 55 per cent majority in favour of remaining in the UK, demands for a second referendum, especially within the SNP, are growing, citing factors like Brexit, immigration, and foreign policy as reasons behind renewed demands.
The main group campaigning for Scottish Independence on campus is the Yes Society, which was established in 2023 after the SNP society collapsed due to a lack of membership. Rory Young, the society’s president, spoke about the importance of student involvement in politics: “We’re going to be the ones at the forefront of building a new Scotland so we need to be at the centre of it.” Young asserts that the impact of student movements cannot be understated, as they can “bring a real energy and freshness to the campaign” and provide “new energy to keep the momentum going.”
Support from non Scottish residents does not go unnoticed in the society. Young notes that “26 per cent of all students are Scottish compared to Glasgow, which is about 60 per cent.” Most of the society’s membership comes from European students, which Young attributes to their sympathy over Brexit, attitudes towards strict immigration laws and admiration of Scotland’s services.
Young also expresses pride in the society’s involvement in the student coalition for Palestine. He explains how they believe it’s important to “campaign against Trump’s threats against Greenland and Venezuela and support the people of Palestine,” arguing that “the values that we campaign for do not stop at our borders.” “We just broadly want to be a voice for our values because we believe in values of democracy and human rights, and in freedom and self-determination. Because of the UK supporting Israel, we’re forcibly complicit in the genocide.”
When asked about attitudes to Scottish independence, Rosie, a geography student, states that she feels that “increasingly people want it, and are getting more antsy about it,” adding that “if the referendum happened after Brexit it would have had an entirely different result.”
Shams, a second year student, states that her opinion on independence is rooted in a ‘Palestinian perspective’ as there is no price to put on “independence, national freedom, national identity and cultural independence.” Whilst recognising the journey may not be straightforward, her overarching belief is that “all the struggles that come with it are so worth it.”
However, not all students express the same sentiment. A recent YouGov poll suggests there is still a majority who think Scotland should remain in the UK. Harris, a university student and former researcher in Holyrood, says: “[if] I thought [..] Scotland could thrive as an independent country, I would absolutely vote for it. But the facts just simply say otherwise.” He goes on to explain how “I think a lot of the motivations behind Scottish independence are the same ones that led to a lot of English people voting for Brexit.” Despite sympathising with the feeling that “Scotland is not taken seriously in Westminster” he maintains that “when you look at what the benefits of being part of the UK give us, it’s almost a no-brainer.”
Speaking to Anna, an English student, she voices her opinion that whilst she personally may not think that Scotland should leave the union, she wouldn’t vote in the referendum as she believes the issue should be left to be decided by the country’s nationals.
The Edinburgh Union was repeatedly credited for the conversations they started on campus. Jess, a regular attendee of the debates, states the issue of Scottish independence “is more recurring than any topic, even more than Brexit,” coming up outside of the debate directly dedicated to the issue, which she believes to be a reflection of the topic’s strong opinions amongst students.
Other students felt that engagement with Scottish independence was largely limited to conversation rather than visible action on campus, particularly when compared to other political issues. One student comments that “if people didn’t talk about it, they wouldn’t be very aware of what’s going on.” Nevertheless, many agreed that political discussions are common, with debates arising “in pubs, in tutorials, and in societies.”
With the Holyrood elections less than 100 days away, the message to students is clear: whether you support independence or not, you must vote in this election. Regardless of your political beliefs, student engagement with politics is vital to help shape the future of a world we are going to be at the centre of.
Image by Eve Robertson for The Student