Dive Brief:
- Voters in Scotland have chosen to remain within the United Kingdom rather than form an independent nation.
- The victor for the "No" campaign comes as welcome news for Scotland's whiskey industry, which had feared the destabilizing effects that a vote for independence would have had on the economy.
- The Scottish Whiskey Association issued a statement after the defeat of the independence movement saying, "We welcome the stability that this choice brings and now urge politicians of all parties to work to bring our country together."
Dive Insight:
Here in the States, it's been a little hard to fathom Scotland's back-and-forth over independence from Britain. We made up our minds to sever ties with the crown a long time ago ... and in less genial circumstances than those afforded by a national election.
On the other hand, it's been pretty easy to understand the whiskey industry's worries about what independence would have meant. Business is tough enough without suddenly having to deal with new currencies and trade laws.