Reflections on union

Dear Editor,

Ronnie Wright’s letter [Advertiser,

December 18] attacked the SNP’s

Growth Commission report and concluded with mention of the

“successful union which has existed for over 300 years”.

It is true that the union has lasted for over 300 years, but the idea that this has been a harmonious and mutually beneficial agreement doesn’t really stand up to scrutiny.

The circumstances which led to the signing of the treaty of union involved the threat of confiscation of Scots business and properties in England, an embargo on Scottish exports, a blockade on imports of arms and ammunition to Scotland and the threat of invasion from the south.

As such, the treaty was signed amidst rioting in the streets, inspiring Burns’ famous line referring to the “parcel o’ rogues” who were “bought and sold for

English gold”.

Interestingly England paid Scotland almost £400,000, known as the

“Equivalent”, as compensation for taking on a share of England’s national debt. Scotland had no national debt at the time (although many of its lords had huge personal debts) and remains party to the UK’s debt to this day.

A succession of uprisings from 1708 until 1746 meant that the early years of union were neither peaceful or happy. The Jacobite rising of 1745-46 ended at Culloden and saw the British government embark on a programme of armed occupation of the Highlands, accompanied by rape, torture, murder and transportation.

Taxation was imposed which breached the terms of the treaty of union, and when Scots complained the Lord Treasurer was recorded as saying, “Have we not bought the Scots and the right to tax them?”

This attitude continued to stir up animosity, so much so that in 1820 there was a people’s uprising in Scotland.

It is recorded that around 10,000 people gathered in Airdrie demanding independence, that members of a band were jailed for playing Scots Wha

Hae, and government troops en route to Glasgow to quell the uprising were met with a hail of rocks as they passed through Airdrie.

The 200th anniversary of this takes place in April and will no doubt go unmentioned in the media, lest we remember.

Less than a century later, troops were again deployed to keep the peace in Glasgow in 1919 in fear of another workers’ uprising. One hundred years later, we have arrived at a situation where around 50 per cent of the population supports independence.

So yes, the union has lasted for just over 300 years, but that has not always been a happy and equitable union. By and large it has endured through force of arms, bullying and bribery – that’s neither something to be proud of, nor reason to carry on with it.

The slogan “Prosperity to Scotland and no union” has endured for as long as the union, and as Burns also said:

“It’s coming yet, for a’ that”.

James Cassidy, Airdrie