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For this Scottish expat, the aye is a no brainer – even without a vote For this Scottish expat, the aye is a no brainer – even without a vote
(about 2 hours later)
A colleague asked me the other day if I’ll go back – and the question took me by surprise.A colleague asked me the other day if I’ll go back – and the question took me by surprise.
He was referring to Scotland, in the event of a Yes vote in the independence referendum next Thursday, UK time. That’s not a subject many people have broached with me here in Melbourne (maybe because I so obviously want to talk about it and have the pallor of a deranged, displaced nationalist).He was referring to Scotland, in the event of a Yes vote in the independence referendum next Thursday, UK time. That’s not a subject many people have broached with me here in Melbourne (maybe because I so obviously want to talk about it and have the pallor of a deranged, displaced nationalist).
It surprised me mainly because I thought: this could really happen. A YouGov poll on the weekend had the yes camp trending at 51% to the no camp’s 49%, excluding the um-don’t-knows – a finding consistent with a growing momentum towards independence in recent weeks.It surprised me mainly because I thought: this could really happen. A YouGov poll on the weekend had the yes camp trending at 51% to the no camp’s 49%, excluding the um-don’t-knows – a finding consistent with a growing momentum towards independence in recent weeks.
Going it alone, or being afraid to, has itched at the conscience of Scots to a greater or lesser degree for at least the length of my lifetime. The devolution referendum in 1979 was won, with 51.6% support for Scottish home rule, but voter turnout fell short of the required 40%. Next week’s turnout is expected to be 80%. At the launch of the Scottish parliament in 1999 the country’s debut first minister, Donald Dewar, called devolution “a process, not an event”.Going it alone, or being afraid to, has itched at the conscience of Scots to a greater or lesser degree for at least the length of my lifetime. The devolution referendum in 1979 was won, with 51.6% support for Scottish home rule, but voter turnout fell short of the required 40%. Next week’s turnout is expected to be 80%. At the launch of the Scottish parliament in 1999 the country’s debut first minister, Donald Dewar, called devolution “a process, not an event”.
And now we’re at the next stage of that process.And now we’re at the next stage of that process.
I say “we” – maybe I shouldn’t. I live in Australia. My wife is Australian. I have Scottish-Australian kids whose main connections to the motherland are the rugby tops I make them wear and a few Nessie colouring-in books. For them, it’s an imaginary place. When we’re driving on the outskirts of Melbourne they’ll occasionally point to a hill and say, “Is that Scotland, daddy?”I say “we” – maybe I shouldn’t. I live in Australia. My wife is Australian. I have Scottish-Australian kids whose main connections to the motherland are the rugby tops I make them wear and a few Nessie colouring-in books. For them, it’s an imaginary place. When we’re driving on the outskirts of Melbourne they’ll occasionally point to a hill and say, “Is that Scotland, daddy?”
Next month I’ll be eligible for Australian citizenship and will vote in future federal elections. For the Scottish independence referendum, no such luck. The eligibility criteria are clear:Next month I’ll be eligible for Australian citizenship and will vote in future federal elections. For the Scottish independence referendum, no such luck. The eligibility criteria are clear:
British citizens can vote, as can certain Commonwealth citizens, Irish and other EU nationals, members of the House of Lords, provided – in all cases – they live in Scotland.British citizens can vote, as can certain Commonwealth citizens, Irish and other EU nationals, members of the House of Lords, provided – in all cases – they live in Scotland.
That rules me out, alongside 130,000 Australian taxpayers born in Scotland and another 1.7m with Scottish ancestry.That rules me out, alongside 130,000 Australian taxpayers born in Scotland and another 1.7m with Scottish ancestry.
And yet, of course, I’m invested.And yet, of course, I’m invested.
When I was in Aberdeen recently, my home town and Europe’s oil capital, the referendum wasn’t the only topic of conversation. My mum (a would-be yes voter) is dying and will likely be gone by next Thursday; my dad (yes) has his own debilitating health issues; my grandfather (whose parting words to me at the airport were, “Remember your Scottish passport next time”) is juggling infirmity and impending grief. But the topic crept into every conversation, one way or another. How could it not?When I was in Aberdeen recently, my home town and Europe’s oil capital, the referendum wasn’t the only topic of conversation. My mum (a would-be yes voter) is dying and will likely be gone by next Thursday; my dad (yes) has his own debilitating health issues; my grandfather (whose parting words to me at the airport were, “Remember your Scottish passport next time”) is juggling infirmity and impending grief. But the topic crept into every conversation, one way or another. How could it not?
There’s a mismatch between the overwhelmingly pro-union media and the swell of pro-yes sentiment on the ground, much of which shows a clear-eyed optimism and positivity befitting a word like “yes”.There’s a mismatch between the overwhelmingly pro-union media and the swell of pro-yes sentiment on the ground, much of which shows a clear-eyed optimism and positivity befitting a word like “yes”.
I watched the first televised independence debate while over there, during which the predominant no campaign lines (your currency is uncertain, your oil might run out, you can’t survive on your own) were further honed for what has been dubbed – by its architects no less – Project Fear. The no leader Alistair Darling and the patronising Better Together lady have done a brisk trade in repeating ad nauseum how severing ties will be FOR EVER – as in Orwell’s muddy boot stamping on a human face, FOR EVER. I watched the first televised independence debate while over there, during which the predominant no campaign lines (your currency is uncertain, your oil might run out, you can’t survive on your own) were further honed for what has been dubbed – by its architects no less – Project Fear. The no leader Alistair Darling and the patronising Better Together lady have done a brisk trade in repeating ad nauseam how severing ties will be FOR EVER – as in Orwell’s muddy boot stamping on a human face, FOR EVER.
The soft sell has come mainly via celebrities such as David Bowie and Paul Mull-of-Kintyre McCartney, urging Scots not to “leave”, whatever that means. And then there are world leaders. Separatism is bad, says Obama and China’s Li Keqiang. And, of course, Tony Abbott, who reckons those trying to secure self-determination via democratic, non-violent means “are not the friends of justice, the friends of freedom”.The soft sell has come mainly via celebrities such as David Bowie and Paul Mull-of-Kintyre McCartney, urging Scots not to “leave”, whatever that means. And then there are world leaders. Separatism is bad, says Obama and China’s Li Keqiang. And, of course, Tony Abbott, who reckons those trying to secure self-determination via democratic, non-violent means “are not the friends of justice, the friends of freedom”.
According to Alex Salmond, Scotland’s first minister and chief proponent of the yes campaign, Abbott “put his foot in it”. I was raised never to kick a man with a foot or any other appendage in his mouth, so I won’t. Suffice to say, many of those hedging geopolitical bets from afar have elevated the art of saying nothing to a new high.According to Alex Salmond, Scotland’s first minister and chief proponent of the yes campaign, Abbott “put his foot in it”. I was raised never to kick a man with a foot or any other appendage in his mouth, so I won’t. Suffice to say, many of those hedging geopolitical bets from afar have elevated the art of saying nothing to a new high.
I watched the second debate – held a couple of weeks ago – on YouTube from my bed in Melbourne. For those 90 minutes, I could have been in Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh. But the next morning, I got up and cycled to work in Australia.I watched the second debate – held a couple of weeks ago – on YouTube from my bed in Melbourne. For those 90 minutes, I could have been in Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh. But the next morning, I got up and cycled to work in Australia.
I won’t be returning to live in an independent Scotland; but I’ll be delighted if that’s a viable option. The alternative – no, but thanks for the opportunity – would be retrograde in nearly every way I can think of. Scotland is a country and surely – surely! – countries have a right to …I won’t be returning to live in an independent Scotland; but I’ll be delighted if that’s a viable option. The alternative – no, but thanks for the opportunity – would be retrograde in nearly every way I can think of. Scotland is a country and surely – surely! – countries have a right to …
No, wait, I’ve moved on. And five million people living in the north-west of Europe might soon do the same, FOR EVER. I hope they do.No, wait, I’ve moved on. And five million people living in the north-west of Europe might soon do the same, FOR EVER. I hope they do.