Brexit: If Scotland leaves the UK, what’ll happen to North Sea oil?

The oil and gas industry is set for fresh uncertainty following last week's U.K. referendum on membership of the European Union, as Scottish politicians call for another independence referendum.

Soon after the results of the referendum (in which around 51 percent of the U.K. voted to leave the EU), Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced she would seek a second independence referendum for her country in order to remain a part of the EU.

This announcement is a cause for concern for the energy sector, according to Andrew Speers, CEO of oil and gas recruiter Petroplan. One of the big concerns surrounding the issue of Scottish independence is the potential hit to the region's economic stability .... http://www.cnbc.com

Scottish govt agrees to legislate for 2nd independence referendum

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the Scottish government will immediately engage in talks with the EU to protect Scotland’s position in the bloc. She said steps were being taken regarding a possible second independence referendum.

"A second (Scottish) independence referendum is clearly an option that requires to be on the table, and it is very much on the table," she said, speaking outside Bute House in Edinburgh.

"To ensure that that option is a deliverable one in the required timetable, steps will be taken now to ensure that the necessary legislation is in place," she added .... https://www.rt.com/uk

Scotland's leader to start independence process after U.K. vote to leave EU

Some analysts have warned Britain's exit could trigger a domino effect, promptingother EU members to mull their own departures from the bloc. Members of the far-right in other countries quickly cheered the result and called for referendums of their own.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said her government would start drawing up legislation for a potential referendum on independence, saying she wouldn't let her country be removed from the EU "against our will."

Scots voted by 62 percent to 38 percent to stay in the EU, according to Friday's results, in contrast to the overall U.K.-wide result of 52 percent to 48 percent in favor of leaving .... http://www.nbcnews.com

Scotland would vote for independence in a second referendum, new poll finds

Scotland would vote for independence if a second referendum on leaving the UK was held tomorrow, according to a new poll.

The Ipsos MORI poll for the STV channel found that a would-be ‘Yes’ campaign would have a nine-point lead over the ‘No’ camp.

53 per cent of Scottish voters would vote ‘Yes’ while 44 per cent would vote ‘No’, with three per cent undecided which way they would vote, the survey suggests .... http://www.independent.co.uk

Scotland To Issue Vaccine ID Card To Monitor Parents Who Refuse Vaccinations

The SNP is to create a £12million database containing medical details about every child in Scotland, with officials admitting the trove of information could be stored abroad.

It will work alongside the controversial Named Person scheme, allowing health workers to “monitor” youngsters at the click of a button and flagging up parents who refuse vaccinations.

The network will join with another upgraded NHS database containing the medical records of everybody north of the Border, known as the Community Health Index (CHI) .... http://www.express.co.uk

Scotland: The Most ‘Nannying’ of Europe’s Nanny States

Many Americans, when they hear the word Scotland, will think of Mel Gibson in blue facepaint yelling: “FREEDOM!” That’s how Scotland is viewed by non-Scots the world over: as a plucky, liberty-loving nation that sits atop snooty England and longs to be free and wild and beer-soaked in a kilt.

Well, if that’s how you see Scotland, you urgently need to update your mind’s image bank. For far from being a land of freedom-yearning Bravehearts, Scotland in the 21st century is a hotbed of the new authoritarianism. It’s the most nannying of Europe’s nanny states.

It’s a country that imprisons people for singing songs, instructs people to stop smoking in their own homes, and which dreams of making salad-eating compulsory. Seriously. Scotland the Brave has become Scotland the Brave New World .... http://reason.com

Fuel Leak As Ship Hits The Rocks Off Scotland

A container ship on its way to Norway has run aground off the Scottish coast and is leaking fuel.

An operation is under way to contain any risk of pollution and free Lysblink Seaways, which has nine people on board.

The alarm was raised at around 1.50am on Wednesday when the vessel became stuck off Kilchoan, north of the Isle of Mull, in the West Highlands.

The ship, thought to be carrying paper, did not refloat at high tide at 4.35am.

Tugs are expected to try to free the vessel and the Tobermory lifeboat is at the scene. So far, no-one has been reported injured .... http://news.sky.com

Scotland's struggling North Sea oil industry WILL be bailed out by British taxpayers, Osborne admits

Scotland’s struggling oil industry will be bailed out by the UK Government, George Osborne revealed today.

The Chancellor said he had already cut taxes on North Sea oil to protect jobs in the industry, amid rapidly falling prices, but would take ‘further steps at the Budget’ in March to help.

But Mr Osborne also revealed that MPs representing Scottish constituencies could be barred from voting on parts of the Budget after the election – once the Edinburgh government had been handed sweeping new powers over tax and spending .... http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Police In Scotland Tweet Out Plans To ‘Investigate’ Any ‘Offensive Comments’ On Social Media

So we just had a story about a 19-year-old guy being arrested for making a (bad) joke tweet about an out of control garbage truck. The Northumbria police who arrested Ross Loraine are insisting that the bad joke was a “malicious communication” under The Communications Act. Many people have been calling out this rather ridiculous attack on free speech, but police in Scotland seem to be doubling down .... https://www.techdirt.com

Radioactive leak as fire strikes Scottish nuclear plant

A fire at a Scottish nuclear power plant has caused the release of radioactive particles “via an unauthorized route.” Site officials insist the leak poses no threat to the public.

The fire at Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) began at 01:30 GMT on October 7. Fire services at the plant were able to extinguish the blaze within 30 minutes.

Subsequent monitoring of the fire, reportedly caused by “procedural non-compliances and behavioral practices” by staff, showed that low levels of radioactive particles has been released into the atmosphere as a result of the incident .... http://rt.com

Scotland would now vote for independence, poll finds

Just six weeks after majority voted no, YouGov survey finds 52% of people in favour of leaving UK

Scotland would vote yes to independence if another referendum were held today – just six weeks after a majority voted no, a poll has found.

Independence now has the backing of 52% of people in Scotland compared with 48% for the union, a YouGov poll for the Times has found .... http://www.theguardian.com

With Scotland, Cameron’s taken broken promises to a whole new level

Even by the standards of political leaders, the speed and scale of the broken promise about Scotland has been glorious. Two days after signing a “vow” to hand over “extensive new powers”, David Cameron announced he would indeed act swiftly to ensure Scottish MPs had less power .... http://www.independent.co.uk

Pro-Union demonstrators give the Nazi salute at 'Yes' voters in Glasgow face off

Supporters of the No Campaign making Nazi salutes during a standoff between supporters of opposing sites in the runup to the independence referendum.

Scottish referendum: Police investigate electoral fraud probe in Glasgow

Police at the Emirates Stadium in the Scottish city said they were investigating possible cases of double vote impersonation where people pretend to be someone else, cast a vote and then the real person later turns up to vote again.

Colin Edgar, spokesman for the Counting Officer, said: “What appears to have happened is somebody has arrived at the polling station and given their name and asked to vote.

“The polling clerk has gone to cross off their name and it appears that they have already voted, so what we did was contact the police straight away .... http://www.express.co.uk

More Blatent Vote Rigging During Scottish Independence Count In Edinburgh

Vote Fraud in Scottish referendum

In Dundee, a strong YES area, the count was suspended twice due to fire alarms.

The turnout in the strong YES area of Dundee was 78.8%, which is lower than the 85% turnout in Scotland as a whole

In Dundee, ‘Yes’ ballot papers were spotted on a ‘No’ table .... http://aanirfan.blogspot.co.uk

BOOM! PROOF 'SCOTLAND INDEPENDENCE VOTE' WAS RIGGED!

Glasgow votes Yes in Scotland's independence referendum; 53.5% Yes, 46.5% No

Although it is unlikely to make a difference to the overall outcome at this point, Scotland's biggest city, Glasgow, has supported independence, though without the landslide predicted by the SNP .... http://rt.com/uk

David Cameron faces Tory ‘bloodbath’ over ‘unfair’ cash for Scotland

David Cameron faces a “bloodbath” at the hands of Tory MPs after all three parties pledged to continue high levels of funding for Scotland if it rejects independence.

The Prime Minister is facing mounting dissent among English backbenchers after promising that Scotland’s special funding arrangements will continue even when the country is given control over its own taxation and spending.

One Tory MP said the promise to Scottish voters, issued by Mr Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg in the Daily Record newspaper, “smacks of desperation” .... http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Scottish referendum: David Cameron begs Scots not to leave the UK

If you don't like me, I won't be here forever, the Prime Minister tells voters during an impassioned final plea in Aberdeen
David Cameron begged the people of Scotland not to leave the United Kingdom as he promised them that he “won’t be here forever”.

In a final plea before Thursday’s referendum, the Prime Minister warned Scottish voters in a speech in Aberdeen that separation would be a “painful divorce” .... http://www.telegraph.co.uk