Scots last chance to vote ‘No’

The Scottish people have a great responsibility to preserve the United Kingdom and vote against independence, while preserving their autonomy and heritage within the greater whole. As Scotland teeters on the brink of a referendum that has become too close to predict, it was encouraging that Queen Elizabeth the First of Scotland and Second of England warned Scots to think “very carefully about the future” before casting their votes.

While still retaining her constitutionally correct lack of direct involvement in politics, this significant intervention by the monarch was as close as she might get to indicating that she hopes for a ‘No’ vote despite her earlier sticking to the formula that she would accept the verdict of the Scottish people. More than 25 years ago Scotland and Wales voted in 1977 on devolved national assemblies, and the Queen used one of her Silver Jubilee speeches to warn against breaking up the realm, saying: “I cannot forget that I was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and of Northern Ireland”.

It is a long term danger that there is a rising sense of anger and bitterness in the debate, which is rapidly increasing as the result will be so close. Scottish pro-union supporters are regularly sworn at and told to go and live in England, while the ill-thought-out plans from the pro-independence supporters are castigated as lies and shameless manipulation by their angry opponents.

It is vital that both sides remember that whatever the result the Scots and English will continue to be closely intertwined neighbours. Whether they both continue as part of the United Kingdom or go their own ways, they must remain friends and respect each other with the warmth that centuries of common culture and language and national experience has brought.

Both English and Scottish voters have much to resent from the arrogance of Westminster’s politicians who rarely leave their narrow political village fuelled by sycophantic London reporters. It is to be hoped that those MPs with greater awareness of public opinion outside the narrow halls of parliament will ensure that Cameron will not dodge his personal responsibility for the miserable failure that the pro-union campaign has been.