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4 THE PROMISE: THE BENEFITS OF IMMIGRATION FOR SCOTLAND

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The Politics of Immigration in Scotland
This chapter is in the book The Politics of Immigration in Scotland
904THE PROMISE: THE BENEFITS OF IMMIGRATION FOR SCOTLANDThe central UK state has the constitutional power to protect borders and regulate the economy, both of which involve controlling migration. Scotland has not possessed these powers at any point in the modern industrialised era and has always been dependent on the broader British or European economic and political environment. Representatives of the UK government have used mutual dependency as an argument against independent Scottish policy on immigration, claiming such a policy would create social and economic boundaries between the populations of England and Scotland. With Brexit distancing Scotland from Europe alongside Westminster’s commitment to reducing international immigration, growing numbers of Scots believe more power should be delegated to the Scottish government, especially where the interests of Scotland diverge from those of England. This chapter describes why immigration is promised to be a solution to economic difficulties that compromise Scotland’s status as a nation. Three key areas in which Scottish and UK interests differ and where immigration is presented as a benefit to Scottish interests are population growth, economic growth and employment, and support for social services.Population GrowthSteady population growth is understood to be a prerequisite for future pros-perity. A growing population corresponds with a growing economy, and in the modern welfare state, citizens look to population growth for assurances WESTFALL 9781474491587 PRINT.indd 90WESTFALL 9781474491587 PRINT.indd 9028/03/2022 15:1128/03/2022 15:11
© 2022, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh

904THE PROMISE: THE BENEFITS OF IMMIGRATION FOR SCOTLANDThe central UK state has the constitutional power to protect borders and regulate the economy, both of which involve controlling migration. Scotland has not possessed these powers at any point in the modern industrialised era and has always been dependent on the broader British or European economic and political environment. Representatives of the UK government have used mutual dependency as an argument against independent Scottish policy on immigration, claiming such a policy would create social and economic boundaries between the populations of England and Scotland. With Brexit distancing Scotland from Europe alongside Westminster’s commitment to reducing international immigration, growing numbers of Scots believe more power should be delegated to the Scottish government, especially where the interests of Scotland diverge from those of England. This chapter describes why immigration is promised to be a solution to economic difficulties that compromise Scotland’s status as a nation. Three key areas in which Scottish and UK interests differ and where immigration is presented as a benefit to Scottish interests are population growth, economic growth and employment, and support for social services.Population GrowthSteady population growth is understood to be a prerequisite for future pros-perity. A growing population corresponds with a growing economy, and in the modern welfare state, citizens look to population growth for assurances WESTFALL 9781474491587 PRINT.indd 90WESTFALL 9781474491587 PRINT.indd 9028/03/2022 15:1128/03/2022 15:11
© 2022, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. CONTENTS v
  3. FIGURES, TABLES AND APPENDICES vi
  4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix
  5. INTRODUCTION: THE POLITICAL CONTEXT OF A UNIQUE SCOTTISH APPROACH TO IMMIGRATION 1
  6. 1 THE PAST: A BRIEF HISTORY OF MIGRATION IN SCOTLAND 19
  7. 2 THE PROJECT: BUILDING A SCOTTISH NATION WITH ‘NEW SCOTS’ 46
  8. 3 THE PEOPLE: MIGRATION AND SCOTTISH NATIONAL IDENTITY 66
  9. 4 THE PROMISE: THE BENEFITS OF IMMIGRATION FOR SCOTLAND 90
  10. 5 THE PROBLEM: PROMOTING SOCIAL COHESION AND ANTI-RACISM IN SCOTLAND 115
  11. 6 THE POLITICS: PARTY COMPETITION OVER IMMIGRATION IN WESTMINSTER AND HOLYROOD 139
  12. 7 THE PRESS: NEWSPAPER REPORTING ON IMMIGRATION IN THE UK VERSUS SCOTLAND 175
  13. 8 THE PUBLIC: ATTITUDES TOWARDS IMMIGRATION IN SCOTLAND 206
  14. 9 THE PROJECTIONS: ALTERNATIVE FUTURES FOR THE POLITICS OF IMMIGRATION IN SCOTLAND 230
  15. CONCLUSION: THE PROSPECTS FOR ATTRACTING AND RETAINING MIGRANTS IN SCOTLAND 251
  16. APPENDICES 260
  17. BIBLIOGRAPHY 282
  18. INDEX 331
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https://doi.org/10.1515/9781474491600-007

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. CONTENTS v
  3. FIGURES, TABLES AND APPENDICES vi
  4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix
  5. INTRODUCTION: THE POLITICAL CONTEXT OF A UNIQUE SCOTTISH APPROACH TO IMMIGRATION 1
  6. 1 THE PAST: A BRIEF HISTORY OF MIGRATION IN SCOTLAND 19
  7. 2 THE PROJECT: BUILDING A SCOTTISH NATION WITH ‘NEW SCOTS’ 46
  8. 3 THE PEOPLE: MIGRATION AND SCOTTISH NATIONAL IDENTITY 66
  9. 4 THE PROMISE: THE BENEFITS OF IMMIGRATION FOR SCOTLAND 90
  10. 5 THE PROBLEM: PROMOTING SOCIAL COHESION AND ANTI-RACISM IN SCOTLAND 115
  11. 6 THE POLITICS: PARTY COMPETITION OVER IMMIGRATION IN WESTMINSTER AND HOLYROOD 139
  12. 7 THE PRESS: NEWSPAPER REPORTING ON IMMIGRATION IN THE UK VERSUS SCOTLAND 175
  13. 8 THE PUBLIC: ATTITUDES TOWARDS IMMIGRATION IN SCOTLAND 206
  14. 9 THE PROJECTIONS: ALTERNATIVE FUTURES FOR THE POLITICS OF IMMIGRATION IN SCOTLAND 230
  15. CONCLUSION: THE PROSPECTS FOR ATTRACTING AND RETAINING MIGRANTS IN SCOTLAND 251
  16. APPENDICES 260
  17. BIBLIOGRAPHY 282
  18. INDEX 331
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