DUNFERMLINE, SCOTLAND – A panel of legal experts and scholars convened at the “Next Steps for Scottish Sovereignty” conference in Dunfermline from May 16-18, 2025. The conference unveiled significant findings regarding the constitutional relationship between Scotland and England, which has formed the legal foundation of the United Kingdom since the historical union of 1707. The panel’s conclusion, based on rigorous legal arguments and historical documentation, is that the union between Scotland and England may never have been lawfully established and is effectively inoperative.
The panel, consisting of Sharof Azizov, Executive Director of Geneva-based human rights NGO Justice pour Tous Internationale; Professor Robert Black KC FRSE, Emeritus Professor of Scots Law at Edinburgh University; Professor Alf Baird, scholar and author specializing in colonial studies; Craig Murray, former British diplomat and ambassador; and Sara Salyers, Director of civil society organization Salvo, presented their core findings at the conference.
According to the panel, the 1707 Treaty of Union and its ratifying Acts were never effectively implemented, and Scotland did not become a partner within a new, unified British state. Instead, it was annexed into an unchanged English constitutional framework, disguised by the symbolic renaming of England as the “Kingdom of Great Britain.” This has resulted in significant consequences for Scotland, including cultural suppression, economic underdevelopment, demographic distortion, and constitutional subordination.
Professor Robert Black KC FRSE, known for his pivotal role in the Lockerbie trial, made a groundbreaking statement challenging established legal narratives. He stated that no conscientious and impartial lawyer reviewing the events surrounding the 1707 arrangements could reasonably conclude that Scotland and England created a new, united sovereign state. He further added that the objective evidence suggests that Scotland ceased to exist as a sovereign state in international law and was annexed into an extant England, simply renamed. As a result, Scotland’s contemporary status is not that of a partner in a union, but rather a territory absorbed and governed externally for the benefit of the larger power.
Sara Salyers, Director of Salvo, clarified the legal implications of this finding. She stated that negotiating withdrawal from a treaty and union that never legally existed is impossible. In this case, it is not Scotland that must withdraw but England, as the administering power, that must withdraw from Scotland. This crucial distinction highlights that the only viable legal pathway to Scottish independence is through a formal decolonisation process supervised by the international community.
Professor Alf Baird, referencing extensive research documented in his book “Doun-Hauden,” provided compelling evidence of Scotland’s colonial condition, citing indicators such as economic subjugation, cultural marginalization, demographic engineering, and psychological suppression. He concluded that the forensic evidence overwhelmingly supports Scotland’s classification as a colonized nation, precisely matching the United Nations’ established definitions and criteria for Non-Self-Governing Territories.
Former British diplomat and ambassador Craig Murray reinforced the case by highlighting Scotland’s distinct international identity and diplomatic history, emphasizing the legitimacy of its claims under international law. He asserted that Scotland’s quest for decolonisation aligns entirely with established international legal precedents and practices. He called upon the international community to acknowledge Scotland’s right to self-determination, stating that recognition of its colonial status is not only legally justified but also morally imperative to ensure Scotland’s voice is heard clearly at the United Nations.
Sharof Azizov, Executive Director of Justice pour Tous Internationale, outlined the legal criteria and procedural steps currently pursued through the UN Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24). He stated that decolonisation is not an act of protest, but an act of justice, affirming that no people shall be denied the right to determine their political status or pursue their economic, social, and cultural development without external domination. He further added that Scotland has waited long enough and that it is time to follow the legal path to freedom.
The experts confirmed that Scotland meets all conditions established by UN General Assembly Resolutions 1514 (XV) and 1541 (XV), which outline the right to self-determination and criteria for Non-Self-Governing Territories. These conditions include geographic distinctness from the administering power (England), cultural and linguistic uniqueness, and the absence of full self-government, as evidenced by Scotland’s lack of sovereign control over foreign policy, defence, and monetary affairs.
In light of these findings, the panel has concluded that Scotland’s status is not that of a voluntary partner in a union but rather a territory administered externally and warrants formal recognition and protection under international law. The United Kingdom, as the administering power, has clear obligations under the UN Charter, which it has historically neglected. As a result, Justice pour Tous Internationale, along with Liberation Scotland, Salvo, and international allies, will advocate vigorously for Scotland’s formal classification as a Non-Self-Governing Territory within the United Nations framework
