I have been reticent about posting my own views thinking that people need to decide how to vote from their own convictions. However, with less than a week to go and given that so many people have been sharing their views, some passionately opposed to my own view, Ive decided its time to set out my position. Read it if youre interested. Somehow you have to decide what to do. I am voting Yes, but this was never really in doubt, and once the No campaign got going, was in even less doubt. I always find that scare-mongering and threats have exactly the opposite effect to what was presumably intended. Not that Ive thought much of the Yes campaign either. The White Paper seemed to me little more than an SNP manifesto and that is so not what this referendum is about (the SNP dont necessarily even stay in charge after a yes vote). This referendum is about the positive move to self government for a people who consider themselves a separate nation, a distinct group of people, both those who were born here and those who choose, because of the nature of that nation, to be part of it. On Thursday we have the opportunity to realise this aspiration if enough of us want it. Of course, a No vote isnt really a negative vote either if what you believe is that Scotland is already governed the way you would like it to be, if you consider that Westminster policy, as accurately as can be possible, reflects the overall character and ethos of the people of Scotland. I do not. Hopefully nobody is thinking no, but the people of Scotland dont know whats best for them. Why do I think independence is so desirable? Entities which are independent can choose differently from each other. They neednt but they can. Devolution gave us the opportunity to do some things differently from the rest of the UK, and we have taken that opportunity. Evidently we liked how one government (SNP as it happened) chose to make those powers count and voted for more of it by voting in an overall SNP majority, something that wasnt, as I understand it, supposed to be possible given the electoral system we have. By the way, I am no dyed-in-the-wool SNP voter although I have voted for them several times recently. In fact I think I have voted for all but one of the reasonably major parties and anticipate continuing to cast my vote based on the policies and the character of the candidate at the time. Indeed, in an independent Scotland the SNP could soon pass their best-before date. So far so good with devolution and there is even the offer of a few further powers being thrown in. But, even better, we now have the opportunity not to be limited in the areas that we can make those differences. There need not be differences in all areas, only the ones that make sense for the people of Scotland. Foreign policy, immigration and the armed forces are areas that no amount of devolution would give us but that are areas in which the people of Scotland do actually seem to see things differently to the rest of the UK. Much anxiety has been stirred up about there being a border, how would trade work, what about cross-border pursuit of criminals, would families be split, would we need to show passports? Unless the rest of the UK wishes to cut off its nose to spite its face there should be every possibility of mutually acceptable agreements on any such area. Zoe Marshall wrote very clearly about independence not being at odds with interdependence. Consider that the UK already does hardly anything militarily without the backing and preferably support of her allies. One of Scotlands allies would, I hope, be the rest of the UK. Anxiety has also been spread about funding. The taxes we pay will still be available for such things. Projects that were state-funded can continue to be state-funded (only which state it is changes) where they continue to make sense. Funding from the EU could be interrupted until that gets sorted out. In the mean time as wed not be paying subs to the EU we could possibly fund some of the same things with that money. But Im getting into areas I know little about. Needless to say (except that Im saying it) we cant have our cake and eat it. Some choices impose other restrictions. For instance, if after the many months of negotiation a currency union seems good to both sides (since we all know that political expediency has a way of bending previously stated fact) then it will have been the Scottish Governments choice to accept and work within the concomitant restrictions agreed. Some critics say that a currency union would be just like not having independence. Stuff and nonsense. No sovereignty will have been ceded and the arrangement may change at a later date, like the UK joining the ERM (European Exchange Rate Mechanism, remember that?) in 1979 which was supposed to be permanent - it wasnt. So yes indeed, we wont have carte blanche and there will be many other uncertainties and negotiations to be made. But a No vote is not without uncertainties either. It is certainly not a vote for devo max. Call me a cynic but the belated offers by the various parties differ enough for them to never actually agree anything while contending that their intentions were honourable. Ill even allow that the parties possibly right now believe themselves to be well meaning. But if so why were these powers not offered up front - theres was the opportunity to do so, why only now that the vote looks marginal. And is it right, is it just, is it honourable for the UK government to shift the goalposts so blatantly this close to the vote? But I digress... Nobodys Yes vote should be a vote against the Tories. At some time in the future Scotland could conceivably vote in a resurgent (Scottish) Tory government. Who knows what is possible? Nobodys No vote should be one of fear, quite difficult given the No campaign and even the arguments of good friends (whose friendships I have high hopes of retaining whatever the outcome). Scotland has the potential to be a highly successful and respected independent nation, working interdependently with her neighbours. The people of Scotland are highly creative, inventive and resilient as well as generous, caring and compassionate. Our contribution to the success of the UK has been immense. We now have the opportunity to build a new prosperous, inclusive nation that is more closely attuned to the outlook of its inhabitants. As someone said, You may call me a dreamer but [happily] Im not the only one. I will be voting Yes. You need to decide what your vote will be. If I have a plea it is simply that fear play no part in your decision. None of the great achievements of which we are rightly proud have been wrought through a spirit of fear. Now is the time to be courageous and cast out fear.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 19:13:30 +0000