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WORLD NEWS Saturday 7 december 2019
Independence not on ballot but on voters’ minds in Scotland

By RENEE GRAHAM dom,” said Honess, 69. “I
GREGORY KATZ think we’re very good at
Associated Press complaining, actually the
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland U.K. works very, very well. If
(AP) — Ask voters in this the SNP (Scottish National-
picturesque university ist Party) were to succeed
town in eastern Scotland in breaking up the United
how they’re voting in Kingdom that would defi-
next week’s election, and nitely weaken NATO, and
they’re likely to transition I’m a huge supporter of
seamlessly from talking NATO.”
about which candidate If no party gets an outright
they want to send to Parlia- majority in the upcoming
ment to discussing whether vote, SNP leader Nicola
or not they want another Sturgeon had made clear
bite at voting for Scottish in- that any party looking for
dependence, which voters her backing in a coalition
rejected in 2014. government will have to
The question of Scotland’s agree to authorize Scot-
independence from the land to hold another inde-
rest of the United Kingdom pendence referendum —
is not on the ballot, but it’s and to accept the results.
uppermost in the minds of Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon launches the party’s election campaign bus, John Curtice, a professor
many voters in St. Andrews, featuring a portrait of herself, at Port Edgar Marina in the town of South Queensferry, Scotland, of politics at the University
before setting off on a tour of Scotland for the final week of the SNP’s General Election campaign,
and elsewhere in Scotland, Thursday Dec. 5, 2019. of Strathclyde, said the de-
as they make their final Associated Press bate over independence
choices. and Brexit are now closely
That’s because the deci- with implications for the fu- ed Kingdom’s last general forge its own way as an in- “interlaced” in Scotland.
sion to take the United King- ture of the United Kingdom, election only two votes dependent nation. The Lib- He says the results in North
dom out of the European a structure often taken for meant victory for the Scot- erals, meanwhile, remain East Fife and many Scottish
Union — known as Brexit — granted because of its fa- tish National Party over the committed to remaining in- districts in the coming elec-
has upended the political miliar symbols — the queen Liberal Democrats in 2017 side the U.K., even if Britain tion are extremely hard to
landscape and exposed who has reigned for more and the foes are grappling extricates itself from the Eu- predict.
old divisions among Eng- than six decades, the Par- again. While they are unit- ropean Union as scheduled “When you’re talking
land, Scotland, Wales and liament that is centuries old ed in their rejection of Brex- on Jan. 31. about Brexit, you’re also
Northern Ireland, fraying but is vulnerable as it en- it, they are divided over Retired boxer Chris Hon- tending to talk about inde-
the ties that bind the U.K. In gineers a radical change whether Scotland should ess has no doubt where he pendence,” he said. “Änd
Scotland, that means talk in its relations with the rest vote, again, on its own in- stands: He’s going to vote when you’re talking about
of independence. In North- of Europe. Voters in Scot- dependence. against the Scottish Nation- independence, you’re also
ern Ireland, it means fears land overwhelmingly chose The Scottish Nationalists alists with the hope of quell- talking about Brexit.”
that the sectarian violence to remain in the EU in the say yes, that Brexit is so ing talk of another inde- It’s not just in Scotland. In
that plagued it for decades 2016 referendum, so it’s dire it merits another vote pendence referendum. He Northern Ireland, some be-
could return. fair to say Scotland is be- on whether Scotland, an thinks the whole structure of lieve the election, if it brings
These issues, and Brexit it- ing dragged through Brexit economic player in its own European defense would the current Brexit deal to re-
self, are just below the sur- against its will. right, blessed with ample be threatened if Scotland ality, could nudge Northern
face in the Dec. 12 gen- The North East Fife district energy resources, natural breaks away. Ireland away from the U.K.
eral election. Rarely has an that is home to St. Andrews beauty, and a rich tradition “I am 100% against the and closer to the Republic
election been so fraught was the tightest in the Unit- of self-sufficiency, should breakup of the United King- of Ireland. q

Greece: Thousands rally to mark

police shooting anniversary

Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece (AP) —
Thousands of protesters A great opportunity exist to work in a dynamic
marched through central company, for compelling, ambitious individuals.
Athens amid heavy securi- We have openings for;
ty Friday, to mark the anni-
versary of the fatal police
shooting of a teenager Gemologist
that sparked extensive ri-
oting 11 years ago. Diamond Grader
Police said about 5,000 Protesters gather during a rally in Athens, Friday, Dec. 6, 2019. Jewelry Appraiser
people took part in an Associated Press
evening demonstra- 2,000 attended a midday the capital in an attempt
tion that included youths rally organized by student to prevent the violence
from anarchist and anti- groups. that has marked similar
establishment organiza- About 3,500 police officers commemorations in past
tions, while earlier some took up positions around years. q