LONDON (UK) – In accordance with the government plans to move some of its operations to Scotland, Britain’s cabinet office will set up a “second flagship HQ” in Glasgow. The announcement has come right in time when support for Scottish independence is running high. Polls show more people in Scotland support independence than want to remain part of Britain.
A much-criticised COVID-19 pandemic response and Brexit, which a majority in Scotland opposed. has strained the ties between Scotland and the rest of Britain to an extend where Scotland has demanded independence from the rest of Britain.
Commenting about the same, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said, “Not only will this bring new jobs and investment to Scotland, but it will also strengthen the diversity of the UK civil service, ending the Westminster knows the best approach to policymaking and ensuring Scottish voices shape everything we do.”
This change of office is expected to generate a total of 1,000 more jobs in Scotland over the next four years. Although there has been a long-term push to locate more of the government jobs elsewhere to challenge the perception of London-centric policymaking, more of the government’s 400,000-plus employees are based in London than in any other city,
Scottish nationalists are pushing for an independence referendum to be held after this May’s Scottish parliament election, but British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said such votes should happen only once in a generation.
In a referendum in 2014, Scots voted 55%-45% to remain in the United Kingdom.