Let’s have our cake and eat it! Vote NO

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ‘COUSIN... THE TYNESIDE SAGAS are a hit with UK ...

Let’s have our cake and eat it! Vote NO

This morning, Referendum Day, I saw the Flying Scotsman heading for London and felt a stirring of pride in my Scottish blood. For over 300 years, we Scots have punched above our weight in the Union. But you have to have something to punch above. In 1707, Scotland was the poor man of Europe; in partnership with English, Welsh and Irish our country grew like a lion and has influenced the world. Adam Smith and the Scottish Enlightenment flourished in the union where their ideas had a much wider audience; Edinburgh New Town was built as the union grew economic muscle; the wealth of Glasgow grew on the trading power of the union; workers’ rights and trade unionism were won by ignoring borders and standing united; votes for women (dear to my heart) was won in a spirit of internationalism, of all being sisters together. Just as social justice today is more important than nationalism – the issues for women’s groups, unions, the environment are the same both sides of the border and throwing up national barriers and turning ourselves inward to our own concerns will weaken our bargaining power and diminish our influence in the UK, Europe and the world beyond.

Don’t confuse England with Westminster. There is much that needs changing in the latter – but there is a real appetite growing for federalism within the UK – strengthening the parts that Westminster can’t reach, so to speak. England – or London in particular – gives us access to international jobs and funding. Many Scots go there for work – contribute to its wealth and take from it before heading north again (my grandfather was the first Church of Scotland minister sent to London to minister to the Victorian ex-pats of St Columba’s Kirk. My father went south to Durham to “educate the English” as he put it, which he did with great success and never once gave an inch on his Scottish identity).

Next year the Tories will be out of power; food banks will become a thing of the past – these things can be undone every five years. But voting to abolish Britain will be getting rid of so much more – ties and alliances that have been painstakingly built over 300 years. Why would we want to cut ourselves off from the most successful union that the world has witnessed? If we vote to stay in, we are heading for maximum devolved powers in Edinburgh with free-rein to make our own decisions on health, wealth and an equitable society, while still standing strong with our UK mates on social, political and environmental issues.

Gandhi said we are all one humanity and all responsible for the deeds (and misdeeds) of each other. Don’t erect new barriers between us. Let’s have our cake, eat it – and share it around a bit.