The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Mixed views on news of Indyref2
Businesses, universities and residents give views
It is just 30 months since Scots voted by 55% to 45% to stay part of the UK.
But now, following the decision of the UK to vote for Brexit “against the wishes of Scotland”, Scotland faces its third crunch constitutional vote in four years after Nicola Sturgeon demanded a second independence referendum, claiming there had been a “material change in circumstances”.
With Brexit uncertainties still swirling, the prospect of Indyref2 so soon after the last one has already divided opinion.
The First Minister wants a poll to be held between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of 2019 to allow Scotland to choose “the kind of country we will become” before the UK leaves the EU.
However, Prime Minister Theresa May has accused Ms Sturgeon of “playing politics with the future of our country”.
Yesterday The Courier contacted a cross section of residents, community leaders, businesses and educational establishments across Tayside and Fife to find out what they think.
In January 2014, St Andrews University was the venue when Ms Sturgeon, who was then the Deputy First Minister, fired the Scottish Government’s first major salvo of the 2014 independence campaign with a keynote speech.
Scotland’s oldest university was also central to the Brexit debate in November when, during her installation address, new principal and vicechancellor, Professor Sally Mapstone, described the university’s relationship with Europe as “fundamental to our origins” and warned that any weakening of the intellectual, cultural, and political contact and collaboration with the EU would lead to “an impoverishment way beyond the financial”.
St Andrews University would not be drawn yesterday on Indyref2. However, a university spokesman said:“We are confident that our strong international outlook, commitment to the highest quality of teaching and research and highly supportive alumni network will ensure St Andrews remains a beacon for the strengths of Scottish higher education.
“We are already closely engaged with the Scottish and UK Governments.
“We look forward to seeing the detailed proposals of each concerning Scottish independence and Brexit and will support and contribute to open debate on these important constitutional matters.”
In the East Neuk, the Fishermen’s Mutual Association (Pittenweem) Ltd is the co-operative for the crews of 18 prawn and 15 creel boats which operate out of Pittenweem.
The industry is a shadow of what it once was but is still worth around £3.5 million per annum to the local economy and employs almost 70 people, including shore jobs.
An FMA spokesman said that he believed the majority of local fishermen would have sided with Scottish independence when polled in 2014.
However, he said that if it was now a condition of independence that Scotland should remain in the EU, he thought the majority might now vote to stay with the UK if this meant they were able to retake control of fishing waters.
Gordon Henderson, the Federation of Small Businesses’ senior development manager in Scotland, is responsible for lobbying on behalf of the organisation’s 4,500 members in the east of Scotland – including 1,200 members in Fife.
The organisation surveyed members on Scottish independence just before the EU vote on June 23, and the message from members then was that they did not want another Indyref.
However, that was before the Brexit vote, and since then there has been falling economic confidence and increased costs.
“The Budget last week threw a lot of the work up in the air with the announcement of a tax rise for self-employed people,” said Mr Henderson.
“Now we have this latest announcement. I’m sure local businesses will still speak up, but from a Federation of Small Businesses point of view, we will be doing more work to formulate a plan as we move forward.”
Dundee-raised lawyer Michael Boyd, 43, runs Boyds Law solicitors in Forfar.
Having voted Yes in the 2014 independence campaign, he believes Indyref2 is justified – and he will vote Yes again.
He said: “We are being taken out of Europe against our wishes.
“I see the scaremongering has already started over Nato membership. Is Nato suggesting that the strategic importance of Scotland vis a vis the North Atlantic has now gone?
“Is Scotland to be subject to a Tory Party for the next 30 years that ignores our rights and claims a mandate on a skewed democratic system that has repeatedly failed Scotland and Scotland’s ability to flourish economically and culturally?”