They don’t hate us, so let’s stop all the sniping, says Taggart star Blythe Duff
SHE is known to millions as DI Jackie Reid in Taggart. Now Blythe Duff has made an arresting entrance into the independence debate.
The 51-year-old has revealed she grew up believing Scots were hated by their English neighbours – after being taken to rallies by her staunchly Nationalist father. But the East Kilbride-born actress has now called for bigotry and bitterness to be taken out of the debate over Scotland’s future. The mother-of-two, who appeared in the gritty Glasgow police drama for 20 years, stressed she was undecided on how she would vote, but revealed she was content with the current political set-up. She said: ‘I grew up thinking the English hated us. My dad instilled that in me and would hoist me up on his shoulders and take me to SNP rallies. But when I went down to work in London in 1989 I remember coming back and saying, “Dad, they really don’t hate us”.’
Although insisting she had not made up her mind, Miss Duff appeared to hint she was leaning towards backing the status quo. She said: ‘We have a very good set-up in Scotland. My mum and dad both needed personal care and that was provided for us free of charge. There’s the feeling of, it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’
Miss Duff, currently rehearsing The James Plays, a trilogy featuring Scotland’s first three kings of that name, expanded on her views in a magazine interview, saying: ‘I actually feel quite content as I am. I don’t need any more or any less to make me feel more Scottish – and what annoys me about the debate is all the sniping and arguing it’s sparked.
‘I don’t think I’m alone in feeling scared to put my head above the parapet, because people have such strong views. It’s caused a lot of uncertainty, arguing and unsettlement.’ Meanwhile, motor racing legend Stirling Moss is the latest celebrity to throw his weight behind the Union. The former grand prix winner, who was named after his Scottish mother’s birthplace, is a strong believer in maintaining the UK. He said: ‘The vote is the day after my 85th birthday, so I’m wondering what I’ll be that day. I hope I’m still British. It would be a great shame if Scotland broke away. The UK is a unit and we’re lucky to be an island. We could have been part of France, don’t forget.’