The dust of the battle has yet to settle but Scotland has, by a 10 percent majority, rejected the opportunity to run its own affairs. The outpouring of grief and angst online is understandable; it is a painful day for all of us who put our crosses in the Yes box in hope of a better future for the generations to come. Over 1.6m of us were prepared to go it alone but we have been consigned to Westminster rule, our hopes and dreams have been snuffed out not by any English army but by 2m of our fellow Scots who clearly believe that we are better off being a region in the United Kingdom rather than a stand-alone nation in our own right. No voters have their own reasons for putting their mark in a different box from us; be that fear of the unknown, a feeling of British-ness and being wrapped in the Union flag or whatever. The people of Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and Dundee can take great credit in that the majority of those living in these constituencies voted in favour of Independence. I salute everyone across the land that had the courage and foresight to vote Yes – for a short time our destiny was in our own hands but that has now slipped from our grasp and our fate now lies in the lap of others whose primary interests lie elsewhere. I also salute those who gave up their spare time to chap on doors, hand out leaflets, paint banners and get the word out to residents across the country that there was a movement gathering momentum. Half a million people voted for the SNP at the last Scottish election, 1.6m voted for Independence – so where did they all come from; from the ordinary man and woman on the streets across the country and in particular in Glasgow, its surrounding areas and Dundee. The Radical Independence Campaign, the Green Party and the wider Yes Scotland campaign can hold their heads high today as can everyone else who voted Yes for hope over fear. Scottish Labour will feel a backlash for their own behaviour during this campaign while SNP, Greens and other smaller parties will reap the benefits of that. I am almost ashamed to admit that I am a journalist given the lack of media coverage of the growing Yes movement on the streets of our towns and cities over the last few months – it has been nothing short of a disgrace and in my opinion has played a big part in getting a No majority. The privileged classes, bankers, corporations and big business will once again be the big winners in all of this and the companies that rallied round to the Westminster Government’s aid last week will be richly rewarded no doubt. The companies who assisted the Tory government during the miners’ strike in the 80s all went on to become more profitable. In 1983 people from Glasgow walked from here all the way to London for the right to work and jobs – just over 30 years later they must feel sick to the pits of their stomachs that this country rejected the opportunity to become an independent nation. When my baby boy asks me the question in 15 or 20 years why Scotland rejected Independence I will be able to look him straight in the eye and say I really don’t know son but me, your mother and Glasgow voted Yes! youtube/watch?v=pZgu0KichKE
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 11:23:11 +0000
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