Letters / Why fix what isn’t broken?
Whilst reading all the reports in the newspaper and listening to political commentators on TV recently regarding the possibility of Scotland ‘winning’ it’s ‘independence’ I started to think about the future of Scotland and what I, as a Scot, wanted going forward.
The obvious and very fundamental question, which nobody seems to be asking, is: who rules Scotland now, Independence from whom?
Scotland is part of a Union which originally came about when the Scottish king took over the throne of our larger southern neighbour, but the use of the word independence by many people in the media at the moment suggests that somehow we have no say in that union.
The reality is that four countries make up the United Kingdom; Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the whole is governed for the common good by the UK parliament which sits in Westminster and is made up of representatives from all four countries. Therefore we are partly governed by ourselves and we contribute to all the big decisions, which affect ourselves and our closest neighbours.
Why do the separatists want us to believe that we have no say in how our country is run? Furthermore, why do they want us to believe that we are ruled by England? Why is it that Northern Ireland or Wales are never mentioned in this debate, even though representatives from these two countries are also voting on issues, which affect us in exactly the same way that the representatives from England are?
It is easy to use old rivalries between England and Scotland from the 1300s to fuel this idea and the location of the UK parliament is often used as evidence that Scotland is ruled from outside.
So why does the UK parliament sit in London as opposed to Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast? When we hear about the union we seem to be directed strategically to the union of 1707 because that is the most likely to stir up the type of feelings which would further the agenda some would like to push, but the original union between the countries was in 1603 when James VI took over the crown of England to become James VI and I of England, effectively a Scottish takeover of England.
Although when this happened the seat of government could have been anywhere within the UK, King James found it easier to rule the two countries from London rather than Edinburgh. When the union of parliaments was proposed 100 years later it made sense for this parliament to also sit in London.
Had Edinburgh been chosen as the location for the new combined parliament in 1707 would we be talking about Scottish ‘independence’ now?
Those who understand what a union is would simply see Edinburgh as the location of the UK parliament, and those who don’t would believe somehow that we ruled England; also it has to be said there would be a few separatists in England who would today want independence from Scotland!
Ultimately, does the location of the UK parliament within the UK really matter? I believe it does matter to a few people, even to the point that it gives the impression to some that we are ruled by whichever country hosts the parliament.
Ask yourself why England does not have its own parliament when the other three countries in the union do? I have asked this question of some English people and they answered that England did have its own parliament referring to the one in Westminster, i.e. the UK parliament, so it looks like south of the border there are people who are just as blinkered by location as we are.
Compare this to the comments you hear from people in various countries of the European Union who seem to think they are ruled by Brussels. If we had a referendum on leaving the European Union would we be calling it UK independence? I think not.
Not being the kind of person to fix things that aren’t broken, and having a very logical mind uncluttered by the romantic visions of history, whether real or imagined, I’m finding it difficult to see what is broken in our country that would be fixed by breaking away from the union.
I’d like to hear some sound economic reasons for leaving the UK, I’d like the separatists to explain why Scotland wants to break away from Northern Ireland and Wales, and if they cannot give reasons then explain why are they not advocating English ‘independence’ to use their own phrase.
Further I’d like them to explain why they are so intent on leaving the union with their three closest neighbours and yet at the same time are so desperate to remain or re-join the European Union. Surely this makes no sense and is simply a contradiction in one sentence. It sounds like a daft question to ask, but do the separatists understand what a union is?
One thing to remember is that Scotland has a say in the parliament of one of the most important and respected countries in the world. If we leave the union we would end up being a small republic on the edge of Europe using the Euro, and which the rest of the EU only know about because we produce whisky. When was the last time you heard anything about Finland for example?
If you are a person capable of ‘independent’ thought let’s refer to this referendum correctly as a referendum on leaving the Union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you are not then just watch Braveheart, believe everything in the film is what really happened 700 years ago, paint your face blue and head down to the polls with your kilt on shouting FREEDOM!!
Willie Thomson
2 Lambfair Gardens
Auchinleck
Ayrshire.
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