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Scotland's Independence Vote Could Shake Up Industry

Posted by Soulskill on from the might-have-an-effect-on-the-scots-too dept.

dcblogs writes: Scotland is not a major high-tech employment center, but it has good universities and entrepreneurial energy. About 70,000 people work in tech out of a total workforce of about 2.5 million, or about 3%. By contrast, financial services accounts for about 15% of employment in Scotland. But passions are high. "Honest, I've never been so scared in my life," said Euan Mackenzie about the prospect of separating from the U.K. He runs a 16-employee start-up, 1partCarbon, in Edinburgh, a platform that builds medical systems. "For tech start-ups, funding will be tougher to find and more expensive, there will be no local banks, access to EU markets and the freedom of movement will be curtailed," said Mackenzie. "As someone who enjoys risk and new opportunities, my company will remain in Scotland and make the best of whichever side prevails on Thursday, but the effect of independence on tech start-ups and the whole Scottish economy will be cataclysmic," he said.

3 of 494 comments (clear)

  1. I have never been there by rossdee · · Score: 4, Funny

    But I do have very distant Scottish ancestry.

    I would support and 'Aye" vote. For too long the English have ruled over Scotland after beating the Jacobites at Culloden.

    If they can't use the Pound after independence, they should switch to the Kilogram - its worth 2.2 times as much.

  2. Re:at least the nuclear weapons will be gone by archmcd · · Score: 5, Funny

    Indeed - the U.S. Navy still has a pretty big presence in Scotland. It's how I ended up with a half brother there.

    Where's the other half gone?

    --
    I'm not an expert, but I play one on slashdot.
  3. Re:at least the nuclear weapons will be gone by RDW · · Score: 4, Funny

    I was presuming that the nukes in Scotland would be moved south, as the Scots have made it clear they don't want them.

    Yes, but have you seen the recently leaked list of key military and economic assets to be targeted by Trident in the event of Scottish independence?:

    (1) Alex Salmond's secret command bunker, 'The Salmon's Lair'.

    (2) MIRV attack on all Speyside distilleries, centred on Glenlivet.

    (3) The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Global Headquarters, Glasgow.

    (4) The Gilded Balloon theatre, to neutralise the threat from Edinburgh Fringe elements, once and for all.

    (5) Submarine detonation at Loch Ness, in an attempt to create a rampaging Godzilla-style radioactive monster.