The English are not as engaged in our debate as they should be
Letters Special
I RECENTLY spent a couple of weeks in different parts of England. During that time a number of conversations ensued with people in England and often the question of independence for Scotland arose. The reaction of people there, in my experience, fell into one of five categories, and these were:
The group whose eyes almost started to roll when the subject came up. They found it difficult to be clear about the September 2014 referendum with regard to Scotland and the one promised by David Cameron on Europe should the Conservatives win the General Election in 2015. Here apathy and ignorance were fighting to gain the upper hand.
There were those who claimed never to understand the Scots and found it difficult to follow the language they used, described by one as “Jockanese”. We were not quite “one of them”. If the Scots wanted to do their own thing, then let them get on with it.
Others simplistically viewed the Scots as having a good thing with subsidies coming from down south and they did not have the good grace to recognise it. The sooner the Scots left the UK and stopped girning the better.
Some [a few] had seriously analysed the implications for the rest of the UK and had concluded that what would be left in the form of rUK would be much diminished both internationally and nationally. They earnestly desired the Scots to stay.
Of course, there were those , particularly those with Scottish relatives, friends, good experiences, and connections, who were very concerned about a split and the inevitable construction of barriers in various forms, which had not existed for hundreds of years. They did not wish the Scots to break up the family, as it were, which had gone through so much together.
It was clear to me that many of those living in England were not as engaged as they should be in the potential consequences of this epochal decision which the Scots, living in Scotland, will be making in a few weeks. Ian W Thomson, 38 Kirkintilloch Road, Lenzie. WE are in danger of reducing our nation to the size of a bank note. It seems that the only thing that matters is our currency.
Understanding the complexities of this undoubtedly important subject is something for those advanced and experienced in its study.
Most of us are not in this group. We may be ignorant, but we are not stupid.
After independence we know the way ahead will be full of difficulties, but if we really do have pride in our nationhood and positively want to deal with the challenges and difficulties that lie ahead, then please let us be clear-headed about what has brought us to this significant time in our history and clear about our objectives.
As individuals, many of us will have visited a rich auntie who gave us tea and home baking and treats, and it was lovely, but we were glad to go home to where we really belonged. England is a lovely auntie but let’s go home and get on with making it the best it can be. Ada McDonald, 66 Grenville Drive, Cambuslang. WITH all the talk of whose pound it is, can I offer a different slant on things? I had occasion to require to exchange Royal Bank of Scotland notes for Bank of England notes. I thought that a good place to arrange this would be a branch of Royal Bank of Scotland. I was wrong. According to the main Royal Bank office in Paisley, you cannot change Royal Bank notes for Bank of England notes without having an account with the Royal Bank.
No amount of reasoning with the teller changed things.
So, it’s not only London taxi drivers and the like that won’t accept Royal Bank notes –the Royal Bank itself won’t accept them. Eric Macdonald, 59 Arkleston Road, Paisley. RAISING my eyes for a moment above the constant scaremongering and nit-picking of the campaign, here is my personal vision of the kind of country an independent Scotland could be in 10 or 15 years.
A socially-just country, where there is no longer a widening gap between different levels of society, and where the elderly, the disabled and the disadvantaged are fully provided for by a caring and efficient welfare state, instead of being regarded as a burden by many UK politicians.
A politically mature country, where the various parties and their leaders seek to work together for the common good whenever possible, and where the driving force is no longer the greed and complacency of one side and the envy and resentment of the other.
A prosperous and economically successful country, enjoying all the benefits of our good fortune in having a plethora of natural resources and many already- established industries capable of greater success if given the proper support and economic conditions.
A country which retains all the taxation revenue and economic benefits from its own businesses and economic activities, instead of handing these over to another administration in exchange for a smaller calculated amount being returned.
A country which takes all its own decisions on the economy, finance and taxation, defence and foreign affairs, instead of leaving those to another administration which has little interest in Scotland and in which we have only a small minority voice.
A country no longer providing a base for Trident nuclear submarines and warheads within its own shores, but instead actively supports the campaign for world-wide nuclear disarmament.
A country which has both the right and the confidence to play a full part in international affairs, seeking to maintain peaceful relations with other independent nations while not interfering in their internal affairs and conflicts.
Is all this an impossible dream? On the contrary, I believe it is all attainable, but can be realised only if there is a majority Yes vote in next month’s referendum. Have we the confidence and courage to finally take charge of our own destiny? I fervently hope so. Iain AD Mann, 7 Kelvin Court, Glasgow. I DISAGREE strongly with Peter A Russell (Letters, August 15). A Yes vote would not be an insult to the memory or Donald Dewar, but the logical conclusion of what he started. By putting Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands, a Yes vote will put an end to the subservience and subordination whereby we are subject to the rule of governments we voted emphatically against. He may well have approved! Bill Ward, 7 Leslie Street, Glasgow. I WAS delighted to see George Quail (Letters, August 15) reminding us all that the SNP proposals postindependence will not automatically come to pass but will also depend on them forming a government. Scott Macintosh, 76/120 Dumbarton Road, Clydebank. I WONDER if the BBC2 Scotland 2014 interview with the redoubtable Tommy Sheridan airing his aspirations for a socialist independent Scotland, broadcast last week, will have jogged some of the undecided to make up their minds one way or the other.
Or if it hasn’t, what will? R Russell Smith, 96 Milton Road, Kilbirnie.