. >> after more than 300 years >> after more than 30 300 in an united kingdom. some scots want a divorce from england and wales. a separate country, culture and economy. the vote is today's inside sto story.

their affairs in scotland. now many are saying they want o complete break to become a separate self-governing country, making that almost

islands into separate states to assert scottish identity. we can have the best world with more decisions taken in scotland, backed up with the strength and security provided

not just about national identity, it's about money and politics. the north sea oil and gas reserves are worth 2.5 trillion.

the yes campaign says it's

>> if voters decide they want to stay in the union, it's improbable there'll be a push for independence. the u.k. will consider a further devaluation of powers.

. >> why an independent scotland and why now? >> i think people all across the u.k. are pretty fed up with the kind of broken political system, the fact that we have geremy on the tele member with us who is live member, for life appointed by the prime minister of this country. we have one of most undemocratic systems in the world. it's that system that has made britain the most unequal count country, and it's the right

winged brand of economics that we want to get away from. huge numbers of people in scotland by that send ha want more. >> don't political pendulums swing back and forth leaving the country you've been a part of for 300 years because you don't like the current system of government in westminster? >> i think it's not just the conservative party, as you say. if that was the case, the party presided over a massive increase in this country, and more and more people in scotland as across the country, as across the u.k. realize the thing that is broken is the system. what we have is essentially a collection of normal northern

european countries stuck in a government system built for the age of empires. we don't live in the age of empires any more. we live in the modern world. joining the network of nations and having our place on the international stage is it much better for us than hiding behind the big bully on the world stage. >> lord purvis, how about it? a dissatisfied part of the country that has the ability to decide it's own future, maybe deciding to get out. what is your counter argument? >> i actually think it's something that all of us who believe in the united kingdom take a great deal of pride in. the united kingdom is i can decide whether or not it can stay part of that union. now i was a member directly elected members of the scottish parliament before i was appointed to the house of lords in the scottish legislature

deciding on issues of health, transportation, fisheries, all oover the budget of how that parliament was spent, and people who supported the snp or independence argued for that while i was a member of the scottish parliament, and as i am a member of the house of lords now. now i think the real question is should scotland carry on its part of the united kingdom and see it flourish? if that is the case, then we have to focus on the real issues of scotland for the devolved areas, and reforming westminster. i'm a reformist. i'm a liberal democrat. i believe in an elected chamber effectively to vote myself out of a job, but i would prefer for scots still continue no the united kingdom parliament, to play a role on the global stage

but also on all of these issues that effect all parts of the united kingdom rather than to leave the union and then try to negotiate our way back in. the package outlined very clearly to negotiate back into the currency and y.y. and nato and alliance. going forward is for scotland to play a role in the united kingdom. >> the ability to have international matters. i feel very sorry for people in england who don't have the opportunity to break from that

stifling parliament that has been damaging to the u.k. the most unequal country in europe. but that's not a reason to remain governed by that system. the scottish parliament has it's entire--almost the entire budget set by westminster. it's not like parliament can protect itself from the worst decisions made by westminster. it's a parliament whose entire budget is set by another parliament. and jeremy is right. he was member for two terms, and i didn't vote for his party but they did a pretty good job. i think the success of jeremy and his colleagues is a a success of the affairs. who do we want to have power.

i can't think of a parliament that i would want than the closest parliament. do we want them to decide if we're going to go into a future in iran. no i would rather keep the parliament closest to us making that information so i can go to my snp and tell him what i think about that. >> lord purvis, what do you think of that argument? >> i was a member of the scottish parliament when the scottish parliament endured the iraq war and endured nuclear weapons. i don't think the security of scotland as part of an union or not should be determined by party political positions at any particular time, the point made before, depending on the coalitions and policy platform you may have different policies from it.

then whether or not you can have a stronger base so therefore you can see u.k. wide redistribution or you can see u.k.-wide benefits. scottish universities, some of the best in the world, so proud of these universities that we have in scotland, also benefit massively from the united kingdom research funding. hedinburgh university, one of the best universities in the world series the same amount of money from u.k.-based research grants as it does from the scottish government, from the parliament, that i was a member of. it was so intertwined, the united kingdom and scotland playing a role provides the best base for us to grow our economy, provide the best education, and actually i think it's not the best platform to say that we are moving away from these nations that are currently our partners, seamless partner in many respects into what effectively

will be a different country with barriers and areas of trade and a degree of competition. if it's so clear that we should be so distinct from the other parts of the union, i'm puzzled why the first minister is so keen to say that we will have an observer status in of england, a bank in a foreign country, setting our inflation rates that we would not determine. that's less autonomy and there's influence over the scottish economy. that's a curious argument and curious definition of independence. >> we'll talk about the practicalities of this divorce later on in the program. we'll be back with more inside story after a short break. stay with us.

>> colt soldiers and civil servants reached the farthest regions of the british empire. writers and physicians have had a standing influence on broader british culture. now they tell pollsters they're ready to leave the united kingdom and establish or re-establish an independent scotland. adam ramsey, let's talk a little bit about the practicalities of this. there is a national debt. there is expenditure such as

pensions, all kinds of intertwined both revenues and ex-be expenditures, and it would seem pretty tough to pull those apart and make them into separate and distinct entities. can you do it? >> well of course. the first thing to say is that the scottish parliament already decide many such things. you have already done that for lots of public services. there are lots and lots of small countries. some of the richest countries in the world, maller european countries scotland would be an average size for population in the world. we could do that. of course we don't have to do it in everything. the re referendum is if we have the sovereignty does not mean that we can't share power. the u.k. also pools much of its research fund with ireland.

and the u.k. shares research funds with ireland, we have the pool, and they continue to pool that funding. in some areas it would make sense to work together across the zones and we should do that where it does. but the question is should the scottish parliament have sovereignty. i think they can hold politicians to account better. one of the big problems in the modern world is that international corporations are very good at taking control over and lobbying politicians in parliament, particularly when they're far away from us. it's harder for the people to hold them to account. >> it's rare that a people would voluntarily decide to be less powerful, less influential in the world.

at the size of colorado, it would cut a smaller figure on the global stage, wouldn't it, adam? >> we have our own commissioner. who else has more influence on the world. smaller countries by being a country you have a bonus being on the world stage. by being your own vote at the world trade or imf you have less power. win the city of london they act very little in our interest. not only would we have a louder voice in our own say rather than the alternative with no voice of all because it does not rent us but the interests of big corporations. >> lord purvis, what about that,

in setting the rules of the game with international organizations rather than brute force isn't it easier to be a small country in the 21st century? >> if you look at it that way the united kingdom is a very small country, and in many respects the leading edge as prime ministers, foreign sectors, head of the economic service and the whole way scots have played their role. the power in the world and influence around the world has the united kingdom can scots taking a leading part. i think that's something where scotland benefits from massively. now whether or not the foreign policy at the time, that's the

real issue. over my time in political life over last 15 years. scottish prime ministers it may not suit the political views of other people, nevertheless they have been there and playing a real role with it. if scotland chooses to be an independent country then it will have to go through the process of negotiating entry back into these organizations, and i simply challenge whether or not we would have the kind of breadth we would want to have that pays proper tribute to the role that we have. on international aid, for example, i mentioned the u.k. not .6% of the population, the second largest aid budget in the world to the united states, 400 million pounds alone has been the british aid budget for syria. the so theish governmen so the scottish government simply would not have that ability to have

that kind of impact on the world. that would be quite regrettable. >> the scots are hardly unique in wanting to run their own affairs. the catalans and basque of spain, the belgium people and people of québec with their own national cultural identity. stay with us.

>> you're watching inside story on al jazeera america. i'm ray suarez. in the three centuries since the crowns of england and scotland emerged aspects of daily life in the united kingdom emerged. and scott liberia identity remain. a lot of countries have regions that differ and accent, political sentiments, religious traditions. we're looking at the coming vote on scottish independence on the coming program. jeremy purvis and adam ramsey, campaigner for the pro independence group yes scotland. lord purvis on the bonds of national consolatio, have

people minimized how easy scott long islanscotland will live without england and wales? >> i think so. probably south of the border it will be a really deep feeling of loss if scotland does make the decision. but it's for the people of scotland to decide. and it's a real wonderful thing, the democratic and peaceful process. you mentioned the river tweed, as the bea the barrier. i was born on berwick-upon-tweed just on the edge, to be able to cherish the identity, allow that to flourish, but given them the best opportunity. that's why i think that scotland

should vote to stay part of the united kingdom and see itself flourish. and tackle the issues of equality, economic development, environment justice that challenge both scotland and england on both sides of the river tweet where i was born and brought up. >> as someone who has lived in the united kingdom, worked there, traveled widely around the country, looking from the outside i've been surprised how blithely some scots say they could do without being british. that it is no longer part of their identity. have you really wrestled with this what being inside a much smaller country would be like? >> well, look, britain is an island. it is the island which includes most of scotland and england and wales. just as norwegian people are

scandinavian, i will always feel british. but the leader of jeremy's party, the british state is very fond of borders in treating people from other countries in horrific ways, and when weather we're against is the borders against the u.k. what they're saying is that they're british nationalists. they support the british identity and they want to protect and keep. i don't believe in borders anywhere in the world. i invite no borders at all. i'm not interested in creating national barriers. you can drive from dublin to belfast and not have your past porpassport checked. interest would be no passport checks between scotland and england.

if they want to come, i'm more than happy. i'm not particularly concerned whether it's scotland or whether it's--whether we extend the border and he comes with us. what i'm interested is in a new democratic country. westminster was the product of scotland and england coming together so we could better conquer the world. and the british state was set up for that sense. and to look back and say in 2014 we're living in the shadow of post imperial age. we're living in our empire. it's time to put that part of history to bed and build a better future. in the modern world we want to join the network of nations. we don't need big lumbering beau createcies any more. >> i've got to go. thanks, lord jeremy. thank you, adam ramsey.

for this edition of "inside story," i'm ray suarez. >> we are in the lovely city of santa barbara at our desalination facility that was built during the last drought and we are looking at reactivating the facility to help meet the demands of this current drought. >> twenty plus years ago this

>> building a coalition against the islamic state group. the u.s. said egypt has a key role to play in the fight. welcome to world news on al jazeera. also ahead on the program. >> we are still in the stage of war and the key aggressor is the russian federation. >> they say glad gla vladimir putin wants to take over the country. thousands remain trapped.