Well for me this is a pleasure to be writing my first column for The Sussex Newspaper, I trust it will bring some pleasure to some readers. Most importantly I hope it provides entertainment, information, some inspiration and provoke some form of reaction within our readers. Content will vary as I never know what will impact on me individually, our county, nation or planet each month.
Scottish Independence is moving closer. Currently it is almost neck and neck for the Yes and No campaigns if the polls are correct. Is Independence a good thing? Personally I would vote yes if I had the opportunity. For the greater part of our recorded history England and Scotland have been separately ruled or governed. In 1603, after the death of Elizabeth I, we took James VI of Scotland and made him James I of England and Ireland. Sorry Wales you obviously did not count back then. Elizabeth had previously executed his mother but he did not appear too concerned. It is also noted that he only returned to Scotland once after his promotion. The Acts of Union created Great Britain in 1707. An arranged political marriage lacking in affection with both parties living apart and now, after a mere 300 years, divorce proceeding have commenced.
The politicians on both sides are unable to convince anyone of the benefits of either argument. No one really knows what will happen if Scotland leaves the Union. It is all conjecture about how good or bad Independence could be. Each side puts forward scare stories of the disasters that will befall Scotland, or the political and financial success that will be available to Scotland without a single piece of solid evidence to back them up. It all comes down to the Scottish electorate voting according to their hearts. Independence is a state of mind in this case.
As soon as devolution was enacted Independence was always going to be the final outcome. Independence is inevitable, even a huge majority win for the No vote will not stop it. The undercurrent desiring Independence will always be there. Already the major parties are offering huge concessions to Scotland. Vote No then vote for us in Westminster and we will give you so much more. Let’s be honest who believes any of them? It would be Independence Lite; drip fed over a long period. The only known fact is that one side will win, albeit by a relatively small margin.
I have not had anyone from either side explain the ‘benefits’ or ‘repercussions’ for England if Scotland goes independent. Again no one actually knows. Whatever the Scots decide I am sure that we will deal with things in the usual ‘British’ way of just getting on with it. The financial ‘jitters’ currently being blamed on the possible Yes vote, will settle down as the ‘City’ always looks after itself in the long term. The SNP say they want to keep the pound, why not? They can call it what they want as far as I am concerned. Scotland just has to accept it would not be linked to the English Pound or propped up by the Bank of England. It would have to be a stand-alone currency. There are three note issuing banks in Scotland, The Bank of Scotland, The Clydesdale Bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland. This has to be better than most countries that only have one central bank, and it certainly confuses the tourists which can be useful.
I was in Edinburgh, a city I love, back in July and did not see or hear much about the referendum or encounter anti-Englishness anywhere. I cannot claim to be kept awake at night worrying deeply about the result but for me the following questions need answers! Will the Duke of Edinburgh have to change his title to Duke of somewhere in England? Can Prince Charles still be Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick and Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland? If Scotland should want to keep the Queen as head of state, assuming they can, the United Kingdom would still be an entity? Is Scotland actually only separating from the entity known as Great Britain and Northern Ireland? I do not know but guess that civil servants are running around checking this all out. One of the possible benefits is that Scotland could qualify for the Eurovision Song Contest giving the English/Welsh/N.I entry another ‘friendly’ country like Ireland to share points with. As long as Scotland remains in the 6 Nations, and Single Malt does not increase in price Independence is fine with me.
What we have to ask ourselves is does England, Wales and Northern Ireland actually want Scotland as part of the Union? If they stay but with devolution on offer then Wales will surely want the same, N.I already has it. We will soon have an answer when Scotland votes, just a shame that the rest of the UK did not have an opportunity to voice an opinion! Sadly the whole referendum has been badly planned and organised. Westminster politicians treated Scottish voters with appalling arrogance until lately, in a panic, they have attempted to bully, bribe and scare them into voting No, thus playing perfectly into the hands of the SNP and the Yes campaign.
Final thoughts to put it in to some perspective whatever the outcome the world will keep turning. Voting Yes or No will not kill anyone. Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland will still be relatively wealthy countries compared to the rest of the world. They will still have a decent level of health care and not be exposed to major natural disasters. We will all wake up each morning, God willing, and life will go on. In a few years we will all be saying what was all that about and why?
Slainte Mhath
Allan Fowler’s September Column
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