Eh, naw: Five reasons I am voting No #voteno #indyref

I agree with the basic SNP premise. There is something fundamentally wrong with a voting system that results in a government you didn’t want. But I don’t think independence is the way to go. Here are my reasons why:

1. I think devolution is good, is working and has a future. The English need to get themselves a devolved parliament to match the Northern Irish, Welsh and Scottish assemblies. The whole thing is unbalanced with the daft West Lothian question hovering about until departments that are devolved elsewhere are devolved in England as well. If there was a DevoMax option in the neverendum, that would have been the way to go.

2. Scotland hasn’t got enough eggs or enough baskets. When there was a stushie at Grangemouth, we were at the risk of being stuffed, refinery-wise. Where’s our backup to Grangemouth? When the banks went horribly wrong, we needed the British Taxpayer to cough up the readies. Where is our financial safety net? Ah, the oil… A bit finite. A bit not terribly eco friendly. A bit hard to quantify. We have a lot of great things, but we don’t have many of a lot of great things.

3. The idea that constitutional change wouldn’t involve sickening spiralling costs is delusional. Spiralling costs are what we do well. That whole tram thing. Brilliant idea – but it all went out of control. Building our parliament building – try not to think about how horribly wrong that went. Lashings and lashings of public money when the CofS assembly rooms might have done – or some conference centre or other could have done. But no. The public purse just isn’t bottomless but it would have to be post-independence… what with all those free things we are getting promised.

4. Then there’s the European thing. As I said at the start – the SNP have a point about the voting system being wrong when we are controlled by a distant government – and they want to trade Westminster for Europe? They are even further away, in a state of flux and might not even let us in so as not to set a precedent the Catalans might use in future. I think that David Cameron perhaps has the right approach: renegotiate, and then think about it.

5. Salmond’s crushing optimisim puts the nail in the Yes coffin for me. Westminster says they won’t give us fiscal union. He says they will. Would they not know? Salmond says we’d get into Europe. Some say there’s a doubt about that and we’d need to reapply. The optimism about everyone being better off afterwards, with not even a ball park figure on the table about how much everything will cost… It’s like having a cross between Obama and Bob the Builder at the helm with the “yes we can”…

I’m sure Scotland will get by, in case of independence – but there will be a brain drain to the south as big business will pack up and leave, and UK funding for research will stop, and the British Navy won’t give the Clyde contracts for ships, and we are left using the pound without any influence, or with the Euro that no one wants. Will we concede to the English and keep Trident for them for use of the pound?

Ach.

Let the English get a parliament in Salford next to the BBC and let Westminster get on with the security of these islands.

As long as Gove disnae get to mess with Scottish Education, I am happy.

Independence Day thoughts from a Scot with a big “Undecided” post-it note on her head: the beginning of a possible mini-series on the road to the referendum.

 Happy Independence Day USA!

As for the “land of the free and the home of the brave”, if you take our two media icons – “Braveheart” and “Brave” – you might be talking about us. Except there’s a debate about how free we are, in that we are not independent from the rest of the UK.

I think, at the outset I am probably not in favour of an Independent Scotland. There’s hardly anyone here.

*sounds of empty streets, empty buses, sheep baa-ing*

Perhaps that’s unfair. I live in a village – but when I ever go anywhere outside of Scotland – there do seem to be a lot of people around.

Given that our population is addicted to obesity, vacuous entertainment, fatty food and government freebies, I can’t imagine us being independent and not drowning in a vat of debt and chip fat.

So saying, I am open to persuasion – gentle, though. Politics wearies me. Who knows, maybe there are a lot of go-getting high-flying types who can underpin the government with talent and integrity in the long run…?

So, at the moment I am in the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” camp.

But I am watching this space.

Jubilee Reflections

A weekend of cultural phenomena is over. Time for a cup of tea.

Thousands of Union Jacks being fluttered in front of the Palace by hundreds of thousands of people. It made me think about what we are told about some other countries – that they HAVE to act as if they are fans of the authorities or they are in fear of their lives or their freedom. It is great to know that Republicans were free and welcome to stand with their placards stating their objections to the monarchy, knowing they had every right and freedom to do so. What a great country/kingdom!

I am sure that group mentality had a lot to do with the popularity of the event – but I do find it amazing that the Queen managed to draw the crowds.

There were some horrible days in the past, with most of her children’s marriages going horribly wrong, then all the bad feeling and accusations surrounding the death of Diana.

But Elizabeth, Queen of Scots/II pulled it back. What a great turn out – and not a sniff of coercion. A public ballot for tickets – and then hundreds of thousands turning out just for a glimpse.

I think it is to do with the reality of it. When I watch Royal processions and formal events I always draw a parallel with Disney and the palaces and processions that are put on for the crowds -with Mickey at the centre. But none of it is real.

The royal show is real. It is flesh and blood and history. The whole river taken over for the flotilla. The city standing still for the processions and the concert. Flags and people lining the streets looking out for the Queenie wave. People sleeping out so they have the best spot to see things.

For some people it is important to be there, to live the history being made.

Such a contrast to the London of almost a year ago with rioters taking hold of the streets and a spirit of lawlessness – suddenly turned into this respect for duty and service that the Queen embodies for many.

So, what do I think of it all?

The BBC do a good job in terms of capturing the key images, but their commentary varies in quality. The event organisers need a raise. Comedians are not funny.

The Scottish reaction has been interesting. I think it is kind of odd that Alex Salmond is pro-queen – but with her Balmoral links, the Royal Mile and all that – maybe the royal thing is an asset for a hypothetical Independent Scotland. It’s the union of parliaments, not the union of crowns under scrutiny these days. Not sure how the monarchy thing would pan out if we were independent.

However, by being constant, the Queen has managed to leave the past in the past and get on with the present. Who’d have thought that Camilla could take a place on the balcony?

I hope the Queen gets to go and have some relaxed banter with the Duke of Edinburgh, and a cup of tea.

I’ll never see another Diamond Jubilee (unless the Queen dies very soon, Charles abdicates immediately, William reigns till 2072 and I live to be 100. Well, 99 and a half).