Scotland independence vote: The idiot's guide
On September 18, Scottish voters will take to the polls to answer one yes or no question: Should Scotland be an independent country? It might sound simple, but the issue of Scottish independence is a bit like a complicated divorce (well, that's how British Prime Minister David Cameron is describing it). The relationship between Scotland and the United Kingdom goes back more than 300 years - and already the main players are worrying about the potential custody battles that could follow if the Scots vote yes.
Aye, breaking up is hard to do. And hard to understand. So for all you wee lassies and laddies out there, we have prepared this Idiot's Guide to the Scottish Independence Referendum.
What is the situation in Scotland right now?
In 1707, the kingdoms of Scotland and England united to form the United Kingdom. It has its own legal and education systems, and in 1999, it was given its own devolved parliament. This means it has some of its own powers, but other things, such as defence, immigration and taxation, are controlled by the United Kingdom parliament (also known as Westminster). The Queen is the head of state of the United Kingdom.
Hang on, what's the difference between Great Britain and the United Kingdom?
Great Britain refers to the island that contains England, Wales and Scotland. The United Kingdom consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So currently, Scotland is a part of Great Britain, which in turn is a part of the United Kingdom.
What started this whole referendum business?
In 2011, the Scottish National Party, whose key aim is independence, achieved an outright majority in the Scottish Government elections. This was seen as a sign of the demand for the independence referendum, and in 2012 the United Kingdom and Scottish governments agreed to hold one in what is known as the Edinburgh Agreement.
Of course, the history of Scottish independence goes back quite a bit further than that (see Mel Gibson's Braveheart for more information).
Who are the main players?
It's easiest to focus on the two main sides. For the pro-independence camp (a "yes" vote) we have Yes Scotland, and anti-independence (a "no" vote) is Better Together.
The Scottish National Party and its leader, Alex Salmond, are on the Yes team. Leading the No team is Scottish Labour Party politician Alistair Darling and United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron.
Both sides have a swag of celebrity endorsements.
Then there is the Queen, who is meant to be politically neutral but is said to have warned Scots to "think carefully" about their future. The royal family is reportedly worried about what Scottish independence would mean for their own future.
Last, but certainly not least, are the more than 4.29 million Scots who have registered to vote in the referendum, which is open to all Scots aged 16 years and over living in Scotland on the day of the referendum. With 97 per cent of the adult population registering to take part, it is the largest electorate the country has ever known.
Who is arguing what?
The Yes side argues Scotland is in need of a change after 300 years, and says it can manage its own affairs better than the Westminster government can.
The No side argues independence would ruin Scotland's economy. They say the United Kingdom has been one of the world's most successful unions, so why try to fix what isn't broken?
What will happen if Yes wins?
Both the United Kingdom and Scotland have agreed to recognise the outcome of the referendum, and have declared the provisional independence day as March 24, 2016.
This is the deadline for all major negotiations and decisions for how the two new geographical boundaries - independent Scotland and the Scotland-less United Kingdom - will work.
The tricky thing is both sides already have very different views on this. For one thing, the Scottish National Party says it wants Scotland to remain in the United Nations, the European Union and NATO. But opponents say there's no guarantee of this happening.
For another, the Scottish government wants to keep the pound as the official currency, to show stability.
But British officials and bankers say it's not that simple - and in an unprecedented move, the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has said "a currency union is incompatible with sovereignty."
A win would also be bad news for United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron. Though he has said he won't resign if this happens, it would be extremely embarrassing for him, and it is likely he will come under pressure from both his own party and the opposition to call it quits.
Whatever the outcome, both sides have agreed the Queen will still be Queen of Scotland. Though it might seem a bit counter-productive, the independence movement is not republican. It's purely about cutting the metaphorical apron strings with the United Kingdom.
What will happen if No wins?
While some commentators have said that no matter what, this referendum has set the ball rolling for Scottish independence sooner or later, Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond has described it as a "once in a generation" opportunity and said he would not open another referendum if Scots choose to remain as part of the United Kingdom. Considering the last referendum was in 1997, and the one before that in 1979, it will probably be about another 20 years before the question comes up again.
Who's going to win? The latest polls have all been too close to call. We probably won't know the result until around 7am Friday local time (or 6pm Friday New Zealand time).
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