Swindled

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I remember the first conversation I ever had about independence, when I was a teenager. I had limited knowledge of the history surrounding the union, or any of the arguments for or against independence. All I had was a gut feeling.

I now know most of the main arguments for and against and have learned a little more of the history. This has developed my gut feeling into a strong conviction that one of the most important things I will do in my life will be on September 18th when I vote yes.

I do not feel represented in the UK. During the debate over the last few years it has been pointed out that as far back as 1945 the way Scotland has voted has had no influence on which party is in power in Westminster. If you take Scottish votes out of the equation the results would have been the same. To me it feels like, apart from a small number of areas which are devolved, we do not have a voice. We have no control over many of the decisions which affect our lives and no way of affecting positive change in many vital areas such as welfare, immigration and defence.

I feel like Scotland has been swindled. We have been taught to feel grateful for the existence of the UK and that by being part of their ‘team’ we are better off. Far too many of us have been successfully tricked into believing that despite everything we contribute and all the sacrifices we have made, that we receive more than our fair share, that we are a burden. This could not be further from the truth and many of those involved in the debate over the last few years have highlighted this.

So why then are some of us still scared to take the leap? I believe it is because it is hard to get our heads around the fact that we will be better off on our own when our entire lives we have been told otherwise. We have been conditioned into believing a lie that suits Westminster. I wouldn’t continue a relationship like that on a personal level so why would I want my country to continue one politically?

I want to be part of a country where the way I vote will actually mean something. Where the people who live here will have the power to choose our own government. Where those in power will be answerable to a much more localised group of people and if they do not deliver then they can be held accountable. I want us to finally have our voice again. The only way this will happen is through a yes vote in September.

In an independent Scotland I look forward to being part of a country that is environmentally and socially responsible. A country that looks after its people, regardless of their situation. A country where people are not just given the bare minimum needed to scrape by, but the proper support to ensure a good quality of life for everyone. I want to be proud of my country and its politics. I want Scotland to seize this opportunity to flourish.

Comments (13)

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  1. Tony Philpin says:

    It isn’t just a Scottish thing feeling that what you believe in is just not represented. It is an increasing tendency with a professional political class without real convictions who are only differentiated by minor managerial emphases. A lot of us feel disenfranchised, especially those of us who detest neo-liberalism and some of us have been alienated all our voting lives. I think I lost real hope when Thatcher crowed about a mandate which was on the 40% mark. Even worse for many voters is when they have voted for a party which then reneges on their promises (e.g. Lib Dems – University fees) or decide a few extra policies they’d have been too ashamed to put directly to the electorate (Blair/Brown Labour). You’ve identified a lot of problems which independence will not entirely remove, but I agree we will be much less disempowered.

    1. Marconatrix says:

      At the time Thatcherism seemed like an aberration, a freak wrong turn, a wrinkle that history would soon straighten out. But when New ‘Labour’ arrived and simply ploughed the same furrow, it was clear that British politics as we’d understood it had come to an end. The recent sight of a Lib/Lab/Con de facto coalition against Scotland should have made it abundantly clear that for many purposes we now live in a one-party state. Scotland at least has an escape route, we can save ourselves, and this is hardly selfish, since staying in the union won’t save England, just drag us down with them. We can at the very least be a practical example of a better and fairer way. A ‘no’ result would be nothing short of a tragedy, think about it and do what’s right.

      1. Abulhaq says:

        a No would be undesirable but not a tragedy. falling into demoralized despair is exactly what the unionists hope for. whatever the outcome we are still boss of our future.

  2. My first visit to Denmark was many years ago. We took the family in the car down to Newcastle and sailed to Esbjerg. I can still clearly remember that as we drove off a feeling of Danish confidence hit us — so strongly it was almost as if someone had cawd the feet from under us.

    Danes love Denmark. Danish flags flew everywhere, every item we bought had a wee red rectangle with a white plus sign on it. Everyone we spoke to dropped into the conversation what a great country they lived in. Scotland at that time had experienced a few democratic peaks, but mostly troughs. Since then, I’ve always said every Scot should, as part of their education, visit Denmark (or indeed any of the Scandinavian countries).

    Hopefully, fingers firmly crossed, come 19th September we’ll be able to experience a similar feeling of confidence about Scotland. 1979 remains etched in my memory — no way do I want to relive that.

  3. yerkitbreeks says:

    ” Far too many of us have been successfully tricked into believing that despite everything we contribute and all the sacrifices we have made, that we receive more than our fair share, that we are a burden. ”

    I like that – speaking of sacrifices, interesting to note that the slaughter rate of Scots soldiers in the First Was ( in which my father fought ) was over TWICE that of English and Welsh ones. Do you think this will be addressed in Stirling at the carefully orchestrated event trying to outshine the Bannockburn “do” ?

    1. Abulhaq says:

      as a percentage of population the Turks came first followed close behind by the Scots. never again!

  4. Abulhaq says:

    We do not have to offer any justification for desiring popular sovereignty and political independence. However, the alternative does have, in the light of our history, some counter-arguments to justify. What is this exception that renders us genetically incapable of dealing with the intellectual processes of autonomy (according to Lamont, truly a totem of Scottish self-loathing) that other peoples, Ukrainians, Palestinians, Slovenes, Bosnians, Kosovans etc lack?

  5. Tony Philpin says:

    Yes – Disillusion did get worse with the arrival of Neo-labour who entrenched neo-liberal economics. Now we have the Co-op board – a so-called ethical business with strong Labour connections awarding themselves massive bonuses for a failing business – as do the queues of financiers and bankers. Disempowerment is not just separation of ordinary people from the political process anymore. We just can’t vote against the kleptocrats lining their own pockets on the grounds of ‘attracting top talent’. They are not capable of being shamed. Direct action seems sadly limited given the level of public anomie. The corporate sector relies on ‘don’t touch’ regulatory government plus passive acceptance by the public. Thatcher did not dare to privatise the Post Office – there would have been a massive public outcry against this 30 years ago yet the Liberal Democrats colluded with the Tories to flog it off cheap – the capital gain already made is approaching 100%. There has been barely a whisper against this act of theft of public wealth. The whole of government seems to be committed to pursuing corporate fraud as a major goal of policy. QE was another manifestation of corporate self interest from neo-liberal plutocrats . Now we have been disillusioned into submission and helplessness. This is where independence gives us hope where there is none within the UK. (However, if apparatchniks like Johann ever do get into power though we might as well give up – I have rarely heard a politician of the alleged Left sound so reactionary.)

  6. David Agnew says:

    The whole defence of the union is to imply Scotland gets something out of the union that it is really not entitled to. And that we need to vote no to keeping taking the piss out of England. This is the defence of the union! It is breathtaking that anyone would use this nonsense that Scotland has been taking advantage for 300 years, then sell it as a good thing, From the pound to the BBC – we get more out of it than way pay in. In case of the pound we’ve paid heehaw in to the pound for 300 years.

    How in the name of God does anyone who intends to vote no, think the rest of the UK is going to treat them other than the scrounging scum bags that Better Together have portrayed them as. The backlash against Scotland in the event of a No vote is going to tear the union to pieces. Only Scottish labour think they will get to occupy the ruins…casting them as the biggest losers in the room. Its the unionists who will suffer the most following a no vote. Increasingly held in contempt by Scots who wanted out, and despised and attacked as scroungers by the rest of the Union.

    It’d be laughable if weren’t all too plausible.

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