There isn't a lot of oil in those waters.
Alex Salmond has changed his stance on Scotland's independence due to a recent meeting with an economist. He realises that it will be very, very difficult to stand alone. Yes, Scotland has oil. But the City is where the money is at. That City is London. We also have the strongest armed forces in England. To be a completely separate Nation would be economic suicide for Scotland.
The reason the majority of those in England would vote for Scotland to have their independence is because we are fed up with the Celts going on about how the English wronged them in the past. We know the history. It's beyond our control. We weren't there. Not to mention the lack of equality. Free University education. Free Prescriptions. I pay 20k a year in Income tax. More in VAT and NI. And more in stealth taxes. Then I have to pay for my prescriptions even though I have an illness that is out of my hands and requires constant medication....
Then if I want to send my kids to Uni I need to find another 30k per kid. Roughly.
I am being raped.
I am not saying this will change if N.Ireland, Wales and Scotland had to fend for themselves. But... We'd never see a Labour government again. Only the Welsh and The Scottish really vote for them.
Edit - To back up my "not a lot of oil in those seas" comment -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sea_oil