Before I make any comment on the Scottish Referendum I will keep reminding myself and my readers that this is a referendum and not an election. There is only one question and two answers. The question asks ‘should Scotland be an independent country’. If you follow the link you will get a hefty tome with all the thinking behind the question and finally the question on page 33.
The best advice I ever got while studying was ‘answer the question’ – not something I am well known for, unfortunately, but ‘hey ho’.
Unfortunately, I have heard many ‘don’t knows’ and ‘no’s’ saying ‘we need answers’. Given that there are only two, that shouldn’t be too difficult.
Some have been saying ‘what are the big questions?’ Even easier, there is only one – so you chose.
Far be it for me to judge, but since the questions and answers debates are out there it would be foolish not to at least comment.
Here’s one. What about the bedroom tax – we need an answer. If you voted conservative in 2010 and based that on the answers they gave in their manifesto – bet you’re kicking yourself now. Supposing we wound the clock back a bit and the 700 year old question was based on the poll tax. Imagine if Scotland’s future had been decided on the poll tax – it came, it went and it’s author has long gone – same goes for the bedroom tax. Please, please, please don’t decide on an Independent Scotland based on the bedroom tax!
Here’s another. A shared currency means we have no control over the pound. So let’s vote ‘no’ and keep control over the pound. When the Bank of England decide to raise interest rates and they place a call to Mr Salmon, let’s hope he says ‘naw, let’s not bother – we’re fine as we are’. Most of you won’t remember 1967 when Harold Wilson, the then Labour Prime Minister decided to devalue the pound. He gave his (in)famous speech about the pound in your pocket – should really have been the pounding in your pocket. Just another example of how great it is to control your currency!
There’s more to come, so keep watching. As I gaze out of my bedroom window in Helensburgh and watch Trident scurrying up and down the firth of Clyde towing a couple of water skiers – be afraid, be very afraid!
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