Suddenly last weekend the YES cat seemed to be among the unwary NO pidgeons. Mr Murdoch's Sunday Times produced a poll showing the YES men and women to be in the lead. Alarm spread through the (Eng)land and desperate measures were rushed forward. All three main British party leaders and their teams fled north on Wednesday, pushing even Prime Ministers' Questions aside. The trio didn't exactly stand together anywhere but were at least abroad in the same country at the same time,- just for a bit.
Dave probably flew in. Not risking even the refined streets of central Edinburgh he went to speak to a room full of financial people and then swept away back to the airport or station in a sleek Jag sandwiched between two sinister black 4x 4s containing his immediate support team and maybe other sinister people. He and his PR people must have been asleep to walk into the trap of being seen to jet in, speak to the besuited wealthy, and flee back across the border as if there were not a moment to lose. With a name like Cameron you would think he might at least risk a cup of tea and a scone with a carefully selected and frisked pensioner or two in a Princes Street teashop and then take the new highly over budget and years late billion pound tram, naturally swept of bugs, bombs, YES folk and common people in general to the airport, or at least just up the road for show.
We didn't see Ed arrive either but his frightening backup team were seen riding in the comfort of state owned East Coast Rail. There was no sign of any class branding in the TV pictures but First Class headrest covers are routinely removed when the Labour inner circle are on board. He did though stay on until Friday though also well protected by heavies from any real conflict or the uncommitted. There wasn't much point in going back to Westminster as the next day, Tnursday, it was tuck boxes at the door time again as it broke up for another months' hols for the Party Conference and party season,- and the Referendum of course.
Nick's mode of arrival and departure are totally unknown but somehow he popped up in the old LibDem David Steele sort of heartlands around the borders. Good choice maybe. As these counties back onto England it's relatively easy to slip back there along the back roads and river banks if the YES dogs get close and threatening. Quite what he said we can't remember but something about more independence within the UK anyway and of course a few more free this and that.
Whether this raid by the three worthies did anything to steady or increase the NOs isn't yet clear but, like the YES people all of them probably enjoyed being out of Westminster, even if just for a day or two.
What being out of Westminster for ever means is still unclear if one were to rely on the claims and counter claims of either side. Sadly the debate isn't about grand visions for the future of Scotland or the UK. None of our politicians seems to have any of those -or even consider them desirable. It's all about "how much?" and "Our wonderful NHS" which in socialist Scottish and New Old Labour eyes should see no change, even for the good , regardless of any shortcomings or poor performance in any sphere.
The ebullient Salmond, chest further expanded and swagger the more alarming by the day stood in front of a banner proclaiming it was all about Scottish decisions being made in Scotland. To most of the British onlookers beyond the borders they already are,- and not just the Scottish ones either. Scottish MPs vote on English issues and generally the country punches well above its weight in the UK as well as providing a pretty good proportion of Prime Ministers, Ministers and Shadow Ministers. The 1997-2010 Blair/Brown government is a good, if not excellent, example. Does Mr Salmond not understand that if he gets his way next Thursday and manages to persuade the EU to grant Scotland quick entry under some kind of grandfather rights he and his eight million citizens will then just have swapped being subject to Westminster (which in reality they have scarcely been for years)- they will now be a minnow among the 27 or so states of Europe. Nice Mr Junker will replace the hated Cameron as the real boss of Scotland and he will do what Mrs Merkells on the one hand and the tells him to do. Financially he will have no choice but to accept the euro and the European Central Bank as his controllers rather then sterling and the Bank of England.
Does that look like more independence to more power for Edinburgh to plough its own furrows and determine its own destiny? It gives Mr Salmond and his friends more opportunity to (expensively) strut their stuff and ride in nice limos across the Channel but does it really make the proud nation more powerful or better off in any way than it is now?
Our view remains that, away from all the emotion, (which is where the voters need to be between now and marking their papers) the Scotland's departure from the UK would detract from both countries. British politics, behaviours ( too often dull and negative) and vision (lack of) need a dramatic shakeup but not this one.
Our view remains that, away from all the emotion, (which is where the voters need to be between now and marking their papers) the Scotland's departure from the UK would detract from both countries. British politics, behaviours ( too often dull and negative) and vision (lack of) need a dramatic shakeup but not this one.
