Not all national stereotypes are invidious. The flip side of the Scots reputation for extreme frugality is a reputation for practicality and good common sense. That is why I think there will be a NO vote in the independence referendum on September, 18th. This momentous vote has received very little attention here in the United States of Amnesia. We’ve been too busy wetting our pants over ISIS/ISIL, immigrant children, and Jennifer Lawrence’s admittedly fabulous tatas.
Most Americans have no idea that Scotland was granted its own parliament during the last Labour government or that it has a large measure of autonomy right now. The YES side *may* have picked up a bit of momentum after a second debate between Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and the former Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling. The latter is no media darling, and as is about as scintillating on the stump as former President Gerald Ford. Darling still has a pulse, at least I think so…
Salmond is quite shrewdly running against the Posh Boys (PM Cameron and Chancellor Osborne) and their austerity government. The Tories were essentially wiped off the Scottish parliamentary map in the 1997 Labour landslide. They remain about as popular in Scotland as the Ebola virus, which is why the YES forces are running against the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government and the NO forces are dominated by Labour party figures. Btw, I keep expecting Chris Squire and Steve (Mr. Burns) Howe to inject themselves into the campaign in a roundabout way…
Now that I’ve made the inevitable puny-n-punny prog joke, back to the referendum. Salmond is appealing to the romantic side of the Scots soul, you know, the side that eats haggis at Burns suppers and wears kilts and sporrans. I love the word sporran, it brings out the beastie in me. Damn, another prog rock joke; at least Ian Anderson is Scottish.
The NO side is focusing on pesky details like currency, oil, national defense, and EU membership. Salmond is a natural storyteller, sort of a Reagan of the left, and keeps insisting that EU membership will be automatic since they’re technically already kinda sorta in. The Spanish government has made it clear that’s not going to happen since they have their own separatist issues with the Basques and the Catalans. Imagine Spanish cuisine without Catalunya: unthinkable. And unlike many Tory Eurosceptics, Salmond’s Scottish National Party wants to stay in the EU. Damn, this is getting more complicated by the second. My brain hurts…
As much as it pains me to say this, the Conservative party is behaving much better about this referendum than our Republicans would if, say, New England wanted to secede. Scottish independence would guarantee Tory governments for the foreseeable future, but would also vitiate the whole unionist part of the Conservative party’s traditional ideology: pip pip Empire and all that rot, eh wot? Jeez, now I sound like Bertie Wooster’s dim chum, Gussie Fink-Nottle…
As you may have gathered in between puns and Wodehouse references, I very much hope that Scotland stays in the United Kingdom. The complexities of complete separation should give sensible Scots pause and cause them to vote NO on September 18th. Additionally, as a Labour supporter in British politics, I would hate to see the Tories stay in power purt near in perpetuity because the hardheaded Scots got all mushy over statehood. Independence isn’t all its cracked up to be, just ask the folks in the former Soviet Union. Besides, Salmond can make like the Parti Quebecois in Canada and gin up a referendum from time-to-time to try and stay in power.
For better, and much less silly, coverage of this important issue, here’s a link to the Guardian’s Scottish independence coverage. I’ll give the last word to one of my favorite Scottish bands who have recently regrouped after residing in Splitsville lo these many years:
