Scotland sets date to vote on independence

Scotland will hold an independence referendum on September 18, 2014, on whether to stay in the UK or become an independent country.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmon announced the date for the historic poll in the Scottish parliament on Thursday, saying that leaving the UK would give his people the opportunity “to build a better country” by using their own resources and talent.

“The choice becomes clearer with each passing day, the opportunity to use our vast resources and talent to build a better country, or to continue with a Westminster system that simply isn’t working for Scotland,” Salmond said in a speech to announce the referendum date.

Pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) won a majority in the parliament in 2011 elections. The independence campaign, therefore, will pit the SNP against UK’s three main political parties, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party.

The referendum will take place in the 700th anniversary year of a military victory by Scots over the English at Bannockburn.

A single question to be asked from voters is: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”

Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum could result in breaking up of the UK after 300 years.