Between London and Braveheart

Less than a fortnight to go before the vote that could forever separate Scotland from the United Kingdom, with the perspective of its own army and currency. Throwing of eggs, insults, verbal and non-verbal attacks: the two factions, “Yes Scotland” (for independence) and “Better Together”, accuse each other of crossing the line. In reality, as explained to SIR Europe by Alan Renwick, Professor of Comparative Politics, “there has been violence on both fronts because the referendum touches the hearts of the Scottish population and the rest of UK citizens alike. It is bound to have a major impact on the economy and on Scotland’s role in the world.””Noes” still ahead. According to “What Scotland thinks” (http://whatscotlandthinks.org), a reliable polling company, the no-vote holds the majority, but undecided voters are ever more inclined to cast a yes-vote, thereby increasing the chances of seeing the Flag with St.Andrew’s Cross near other EU flags (although in the case of Scotland’s independence its presence in the EU would have to be re-negotiated). The front of undecided voters includes Scottish family doctor Anne McTaggart, in her forties. “I’m still not sure what to vote for, but in the case of independence we have greater chances to create a just society, even though it could entail increased tax-burdens. “I’m not a supporter of the Scottish National Party, which fights for independence, but I’m worried about the English right wing that would bring us out of the EU.”For a fairer society. Not only a large number of citizens with a good job, like Anne McTaggart, favour independence, even the poorer brackets, who depend on the welfare state cut already by Mrs. Thatcher and further decreased by Prime Minister Cameron hold her same views. Glasgow, once the second city of the British Empire, with flourishing textile, chemical and engineering industries, is among the poorest areas of the United Kingdom with the lowest life expectancy – 73 for men and 78 for women, and the worst figures in terms of child poverty, health, crime, alcoholism and narcotic drugs abuse. To these excluded brackets the leader of the national party Alex Salmond has promised a better future, unsubstantiated by facts. “Nobody really knows what will happen in case of a “yes” win, said Professor John Curtice, renowned referendum expert, professor of Politics at Strathclyde university. He added: “A lot will depend on the negotiations that will follow the vote.”Poorer or richer? If the yes-votes should prevail, Scotland won’t become a nation-State until March 24 2016. In the months before that date David Cameron and Scottish Prime Minister Alex Salmond will be busy disentangling complex issues such as the destiny of the Faslane Naval Base, home to Britain’s nuclear weapons, which nationalists wish to get rid of along with British currency, not to mention NATO and EU membership terms. For Professor Iain McLean, whose book “The referendum and what happens afterwards” focuses on this theme, “immediately after independence Scotland will be poorer, but that phase will be followed, in a distant future, by economic recovery.” Greater independence even if the outcome is “no”. A majority of no-votes to independence from London – the wish of all Westminster leaders guided by Cameron – could mark the end of Salmond’s Scottish National Party. Nonetheless, Braveheart’s homeland would be likely to obtain full fiscal autonomy, namely, the right to tax its citizens.” “The percentage of a no-vote win is important”, professor Renwick said. “The higher it is, the greater will be the pressure to obtain more powers from Westminster. And another referendum could take place in 10 or 15 years.” Catholic bishops’ call to vote. The Scottish Catholic Church believes in the importance of going to the polls, regardless of the results. The Archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia, and that of Edimburgh, Leo Cushley, have written a letter inviting the faithful to go to the polls. “Catholics are committed in the ongoing debate, fighting for a yes and no vote alike”, the archbishop of Glasgow Philip Tartaglia told SIR Europe, “they will vote for both areas with percentages similar to the rest of the constituency. The Catholic Church and the Catholic faithful are praying God to help us draw benefit from the referendum and live in unity, in mutual cooperation.”