This will probably be one of those posts that will get many views in the next few days as the voting day draws nearer and although I've already cast my vote and every time I step outside of my house there is someone waiting to give me a leaflet, I never really thought about adding it to my blog; unusually so since I am proud of my Scottish-ness.
As a Scottish Resident, National, and native please believe me when I say that although the voting day is this week I have been hearing about the Independence Referendum for at least two years, probably more and my mind has always been made up on the matter but I will leave my opinion till the end, although it may become obvious as I continue to write. Now that the decision day is nearing us the armies of 'Yes' and 'No thanks' are out in force on every shopping and busy area of Scotland, but since I live in Glasgow, the largest city in our fair country, I can only speak about my experiences here. First let's start with my somewhat ignorant overview of the arguments.
Yes? This campaign is headed by Alexander Salmond, MP patriot who is part of the SNP (Scottish National Party), which to me seems to be the Scottish version of the BNP who as their name suggests are very pro-Britain. He has a second in command, Nicola Sturgeon, although I don't know much about either of them. They have been shouting, ranting and debating in their rough Scottish burrs for the last few years about how Scotland and Britain are 'Better Apart', although this is just a play on the 'No thanks' campaign tagline. They have been running with this Scottish Independence thing for years, holding debates, opinion polls and no doubt lectures, handing out leaflets, guidebooks and supposed future plans, but after all that it doesn't seem as though they really have any future plans at all, and no solid foundation with which to nurture Scotland as an independent country. Yes, we have oil, but doesn't that run out? According to the 'yes' voters and campaigners Scotland has energy that we can sell for money, but to this day I have only ever heard of the oil; a few whispers about wave technology, but I feel a bit shaky on the details.
They promise we will keep the pound, fair enough, but that comes with its own set of problems. They promise they will spend money on schools, healthcare and all of these other things, and that's great, not typical of political parties in the slightest, but where are you getting the money to pay for all of these nice things? Britain has just come out of debt, things still aren't stable economically, and you're going to spend to improve? If Scotland comes out of Britain we will also have to shoulder our own debts, which if you keep spending as you like will be large enough to sink us before the melting ice caps do. Everyone has doubts economically about an Independent Scotland, but it seems to me that the words the MPs are saying is just wind with no solid foundation or proof; oil will run out, and that seems to be the only solid way of supporting ourselves. That's the thing with the 'yes' campaign, everything seems unclear, not quite in focus, fueled by ideologies rather than hard core figures, and as a Statistician I like numbers.
On the other hand, I agree that being ruled by London isn't always great. We had the poll tax first, Scotland's taxes are higher in general, and things are done up here according to the London way when it probably shouldn't be. On the same line though, we have a completely different education system from England, our NHS is also slightly different and even our University system is slightly different. In Britain Scottish students get their fees paid for them by the Government and we have four years and not three at Uni. Living in Scotland doesn't feel, to me, as though we are hard done to because most of our laws are passed in London rather than Edinburgh's Holyrood. Yes, we are disadvantaged in things, but we are also advantaged in things too, so for me it kind of balances out.
No? There feels as if there's a lot more fuel behind the no campaign because in the end, who really likes change? If we stay in the UK we keep the pound, the Queen and the uncertain stability of a joint nation; we're chained to England, Wales and Northern Ireland and we go through the ups and downs together, united. Not to say that if we go independent we won't still be allies and friends, but it'll be different. That's not to say that if we stay in the UK things won't change, Salmond won't give up that easily and next will be the fight for more autonomy from London Westminster, which I am fully on board with. No seems like a better, safer choice because there isn't really any risk in it because we lose nothing. Unfortunately I feel there isn't much else to say about the no campaign because it's pretty self-explanatory; things are safer on the 'no thanks' side.
On a personal level I'm more concerned about what it will do to the relations between Scotland and England on a people level rather than a policy one. As almost everyone in western civilisation knows we haven't exactly had the best working relationship in history and it's only recently, in the past few hundred years or so, that things have gotten better. Already English people are getting sick of it with the nation divided on their opinions; some don't care if we stay or go, others don't want to pamper after Scotland and are a few days from telling us to F*** off, and others want us to stay. Salmond and his second in command have successfully divided the population of not one nation but two. Although I get to vote in this referendum I won't be in Scotland to reap the ultimate decision as I'm moving down to England for University, but that's also worrying me. If we go independent won't there be more bad blood between Scottish and English people? If I, a Scotswoman, goes down to England after my country just said "jog on, England" how will that affect the reception I receive? Selfish way of thinking, I know, but policies and politics have been for politicians, the consequences are for individuals like the average Joe walking down the street.
There are many things I haven't mentioned in this blog post but it's already long enough as it is and also it's because I confess to being completely ignorant of all the silly details. This was never intended to be an unbiased account of the Referendum but so I don't get any haters of my fresh new blog I won't say what my actual vote is. I understand the reasons behind the independence vote, I also agree that Scotland, as a nation, should have more political autonomy because although we are similar to England, we are not the same and we have different needs.
At this point in time I don't think anyone knows definitely which way this vote is going to swing, but in true Scottish style it will be a fierce fight till the bitter end.
