Over the last few days, I’ve had loads of messages from friends from around the World asking for my views on the Scottish Independence Referendum. Rather than replying to each of you individually, I hope you will understand if I do a general reply. I’d just like to thank all my friends for their questions. I’ve enjoyed reading your thoughts and as an ‘Island Monkey’, it’s comforting to know that you all value Scotland and the UK so highly. Before I start, I’ll get a couple of things out the way. I am not a member of any political party and I owe no allegiance to any party or politician. I was born a free thinker and I hope I die a free thinker. The referendum is over with 55% of the electorate voting for Scotland to stay part of the UK and 45% voting for independence. I congratulate the No side and commiserate with the Yes side. If the vote had gone the other way, I’d have congratulated the Yes side and commiserated with the No side. Whatever the outcome, I’d have lived with it. Yes, No, Labour, Tory, in the EU, out the EU; life goes on regardless. In a democracy people are entitled to vote as they see fit. There is no right or wrong vote; in a secret ballot individuals can vote as they wish and long may that continue. What are my thoughts on the outcome? Well, I think it leaves more questions unanswered than answered. There is a great divide in the UK today, but in my opinion that divide is not between the Scots and the English, it is between the Haves and the Have Nots. Britain is divided, not so much on the basis of nationality, as on the basis of wealth. The gap between rich and poor grows ever wider. That is as true of England, Wales and Northern Ireland as it is of Scotland. I would suggest that many of the 45% that voted Yes did so, not so much because they enthusiastically believed in an independent Scotland but partly as a protest vote against the current Government. It would seem that many who voted Yes were people who had never (or rarely ever) previously voted; the poorest in our society. Their numbers seem to be growing year on year and their existence seems to be ignored by the main political parties. People whose voice in recent decades has been ignored, not just in Scotland, but all over the UK. If the Yes campaign did nothing else it engaged with these people and encouraged them to vote and not surprisingly many of them seem to have voted Yes. For once they may have felt that they and their vote were important, that they actually counted. I think for democracy to work, for it to be real, to be legitimate, it should include the many not just the few. Democracy has to be about more than pandering to the wishes of the rich and powerful. I’d also suggest that many of the 55% who voted No did so without any great enthusiasm. They were people who voted No, not for positive reasons but for negative reasons. They were worried about pensions, currency, border controls etc etc. To a certain extent, they voted No out of fear. At all levels, people are generally wary of change, many felt that the promises of extra powers being offered to Scotland in recent days was enough to convince them to vote No. Others were wary and sceptical of the promises made by the Yes side and felt that the Land of Milk and Honey being offered by Yes was unrealistic. One thing this referendum has emphasised to me is how much the influence of the mainstream media has been diluted. This was a referendum of the Internet Age. I think it’s very interesting that despite being supported by only 1 newspaper, The Sunday Herald - Every other newspaper either took no stanc e on who to support or supported No - the Yes side still managed to get 45% of the vote. And that’s with Yes having started this campaign at about 33% in the polls. Newspaper circulation in the Scotland and the UK is in freefall. Increasingly, people rely on the internet for their information. Once upon a time if you controlled the media you could ‘control’ the population; in the age of facebook and blogs that would no longer seem to be the case. I must admit to having enjoyed the campaign but then again my degree is in Politics and Economics! I can never recall any political campaign in my lifetime, in Scotland or the UK, capturing the imagination of people in the way that this referendum has. And all done peacefully. We are very fortunate in Scotland and the UK that we have a longstanding democratic tradition that allows people to argue passionately, to take different views, yet at the end of the day sit down with a cup of tea and biscuit and chat civilly with each other I don’t know what will happen next. All sorts of questions need to be answered. More powers have been promised to the Scottish Parliament, what are they and when will they be delivered? And what about England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it doesn’t seem right to me that additional powers can be promised to Scotland but not to the other constituent parts of the UK? Government policy should not be made up on the hoof, it should be thought out and debated in full. Isn’t that what Parliament’s for? Rather than be an end this referendum might just be a beginning; perhaps the debate about the future structure of the UK is only starting? The UK has changed a lot over the years, maybe as result of this referendum more change will happen sooner rather than later. And, I’d suggest, that change will be over all of the UK not just Scotland. So, to all, on both sides of this debate, who have given so much, this particular voter would like to Thank You. It’s been a fascinating few months. Feel free to leave comments. I don’t care if you agree/disagree with the above, all I ask is that any comments are civil.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 15:29:29 +0000
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