There are three defensible answers, depending on how strict you want to be. Let’s have a look at all three, from hard legal to modern democratic. 1. It was born illegitimate This is the uncomfortable one Westminster never wants examined. Why? Because in 1707: - There was no popular consent - No referendum - No mandate - Widespread public opposition in Scotland - MPs were bribed, pressured, or financially dependent - Protests were suppressed, not heeded By any modern definition of legitimacy: - The people were never asked - The decision was elite-driven - Consent was assumed, not given So strictly speaking: The Union did not become illegitimate. It never was legitimate in the first place. It was legal under elite-controlled law, but illegitimate by democratic standards. 2. It became illegitimate when democracy arrived This is the argument even moderates can’t dodge. Once democracy becomes the basis of authority, ongoing consent becomes mandatory. Key shift: - The UK evolves into a parliamentary democracy - The moral basis of rule changes from “Crown + Parliament” to “people” At that moment, something critical happens: An agreement made without the people now requires their consent to continue. But Scotland was never re-asked. No ratification. No renewal. No mechanism to withdraw. From that point onward, the Union survives not on consent — but on inertia. That’s when legitimacy starts decaying. 3. It became illegitimate the moment Scotland voted to leave and was told “no” This is the cleanest, most devastating argument. You don’t even need history for this one. In a modern democracy: - If a people express a sustained, majority desire to leave - And are blocked from doing so - The governing structure loses legitimacy immediately Why? Because consent has been explicitly withdrawn. At that point, the Union stops being a union and becomes: - A constraint - A containment - A control structure Legality may continue.

We spend a lot of time talking about history, politics, and Westminster but at the end of the day, independence is about people. Us. So let’s flip it around today: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 When you think of an independent Scotland, what’s the first thing that comes to mind for you? Is it pride? Justice? Jobs? A fairer future for your family? Something else entirely? There’s no wrong answer here, I’d love to hear everyone’s take. Drop your one-liner, or your whole essay if you fancy, and if someone says something that resonates with you, let them know. This isn’t just about debating the past. It’s about shaping the vision of what we want tomorrow to look like.