THE PICTS HAVE STOPPED BORDER RAIDS - SO...........WHEN WILL THE UK BE FIRED UP?

Though the vote on Scotland's immediate future is now settled, it is not the end of the process nor the national debate. If the politicians in Westminster, (remember, that is all the representatives, English, Welsh and Northern Irish) think it is, they are being naive. 

In this post:

 http://myword1.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/a-momentous-vote-scottish-independence.html

I set out my critique of the campaign. My final paragraph may, sadly, turn out to be prescient.  

The Groundswell of political energy, the politically sharp awareness, both of which accompanied the referendum campaign, have not suddenly disappeared.  85% of eligible voters placed their votes.  45% of the Scottish population voted to be be separated from England; not an inconsiderable number, one not to be sniffed at.  It would be a foolish government, (voted in on far lower a percentages) that would agitate against the separatist voters. The current Deputy First Scottish Minister is a formidable politician in her own right.  It seems likely, she will be voted into the post of First Minister at the next Scottish National Party (SNP) Annual Conference in about two months' time.  The current incumbent  is stepping down. As the ruling party in Scotland, the SNP will not let the depth of support and goodwill they have in Scotland dissipate by standing still. The Picts may no longer indulge in border raids, but, make no mistake, they can still firmly hold their ground

I cannot remember  a Westminster Government in my lifetime that has been voted in with a percentage vote equivalent to  the forty five percent 'no' voters in Scotland. The current Conservative Party certainly was not, hence their need to form a coalition in order to govern.  

On the other hand, I can remember voting turn out of about 30% in the whole of the UK to decide on a government based in Westminster to represent us all....30% ! About two thirds of the population did not elect UK representatives; what a massive lack of confidence in our political system, in our democracy.  The figures tell you our governments do not represent the majority, they have not found common ground or connection with people.  It throws a spotlight on to the U.K political disengagement, disconnection and disaffection of the population at large with the Westminster ruling classes.

Scotland has demonstrated a superb political awareness and has connected with it in massive voting numbers, numbers that Westminster parliamentarians would give their eye teeth for.

A MOMENTOUS VOTE - THE SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM

There will be a momentous decision being made in Scotland on Thursday 18th April 2014, whether to become independent of England or stay within the union.

I received a phone call from an official referendum polling organisation last Saturday,(13th September) the first ever such call I have had.  Was I a random number being called- I shall never know. The caller did not get my salespersons treatment, he was too polite and did ask if it was a good time to call for answering a few questions. End of story…It was not a good time to call.

Votes will be placed, I believe, mainly with heart or head.  Some people will vote with both. We have had only one Member Of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) give our remote area the time of day, a socialist who supports the ongoing union of Scotland.   I note that The First Minister  Alec Salmond says he and his party have covered every area in Scotland. He should define what that means! Even the sitting Scottish Nationalist Party member, (SNP) has not ventured to arrange any local meetings.  Is that confidence because he was voted in as an MSP last time, or is there something else going on?

On the other hand, those who represent staying in the union, (‘No’  to independence)  have not tried to kid anyone that they have travelled far and wide in number to promote their cause. (One of their number has genuinely tried to).  How do you interpret this? 

The ‘Yes’ campaign has been vigorous.  Its momentum has excited a lot of people. Throughout, the independence campaign has had the advantage of being blessed with a positive sounding ‘Yes’.  The ‘No’ campaign has been very slow to react and speed up, they have been  seen as lazy;  the pro-union campaign has been disadvantaged throughout with the negative sounding ‘No’. They have been struggling to find a way to make their message vibrant.

Scottish Police have begun patrolling armed, without any public debate or agreement to it. There has been an attempt to slip this through under the cover of the Independence Referendum.  The Minister For Justice tried to fob off public protest, saying it is solely a police matter: it is not.  The SNP Minister has responsibility for police and policing matters.  After local government and public protests, reports are being called for. The reporting organisations do not sound like bodies independent from the Police they will be reporting on.

Questions: why is the Scottish Government arming police? what are they intending?

All sides have indulged in disingenuity to suit their causes, some apparently more than others; the SNP were caught out very early on in this long campaign.  As a cynic, I have to sadly admit that is the way of politics. One of the prerequisites of being a politician anywhere, is being able to look someone in the eye, appear to be sincere while acting out the events of The Ides Of March. That said, it is fundamental to ongoing well-being in Scottish politics and in Scottish community life that there is respect on all sides whatever the outcome of the vote. 

There are many unanswerable questions for which, political imagination has been required to field them. There are answerable questions which have been either glossed over, dismissed as scare-mongering, or side-stepped. Time scales for change, if it is a ‘yes’ vote, are, in my view over-optimistic. Is the Scottish government canny enough and strong enough to handle experienced, tough and clever negotiators in or from London, because there is no doubt,they will be wheeled out.  A similar question can be asked if there is a ‘No’ vote.  After the Edinburgh Tram contracts debacle, I wonder. 

If it is a vote to keep the union, a great deal of trust will have been handed to Westminster, which on past form has been totally untrustworthy. Will this and future Westminster Governments honour what they have promised,  the equivalent of Devo Max which, if you remember, was not allowed to be an option to vote for? (Maximum Devolution for which there is no given definition).  Will they honour the tenets of the Edinburgh agreement which agreed the upcoming Referendum?  I believe, a great deal of redefining and fiddling of definitions, is likely to occur. I would like to be proved wrong.  A close vote should and ought to focus ruling classes both in London and Scotland.