Scotland’s referendum – the Gartocharn debate

Yesterday evening I attended another Undecided meeting in Gartocharn as part of the Yes Helensburgh team.  

My purpose was twofold.  First of all, I helped to set up the chairs then, the easy bit, listening to the speakers and more importantly, listening to the questions.

The speakers were particularly good.  Dawn Fyfe was highly inspirational in explaining the rationale behind Women for Independence, Jim Fairlie did go on just a bit but brought it all back in very nicely, explaining his families triumph over fear of the unknown and how it ultimately let to great success.  The Rev Ian Miller, of course is always an inspirational character and tonight his particular passion was the removal of  Trident.

I remembered the Rev Ian when he presided over my daughters ‘ill fated’ wedding at my home.  He was brilliant on the day and one of the most inspiring ministers I have met.  Although ‘ill fated’ it did precipitate my youngest grand daughter, the very beautiful and ‘bossy boots’ often known as Princess Sofia 1st or sometimes Doc McStuffins.  Here she is as the Princess.

 

Back to the debate.  I especially liked the fact the the platform explained they were not SNP but passionate Yes Campaigners.  This allowed them to detach themselves from the politics and SNP policies, when answering questions from the audience.  This was a key factor in the quality an sheer honesty of their answers. I won’t go into the YES questions because in a way, they are ‘banked’.

I was more interested in the Undecided and the No voters and whether they could be persuaded.

That’s when it all got a bit heated??

An elderly gent in front of me said he was No because he was concerned about sharing currency.  The platform answered his question comprehensively, although he was not convinced.

Basically, the shared currency was the best option recommendation from the ‘experts’ and very much beneficial to the rest of the UK.  it was also pointed out that this was just one of a range of options.  I won’t go into the details because that is not my point, I am coming to that.

A lady posed a question about issues with healthcare and the NHS that the SNP had presided over and failed to resolved.  The platform actually agreed with her and Dawn made a great point.  She explained that a government elected by the people of Scotland to represent the people of Scotland would be ACCOUNTABLE to the people of Scotland and removed if they did not serve the people of Scotland.  A situation denied us under Westminster rule.  But again, this is not my point; I am coming to that.

A lady in front of this lady was concerned about the loss of Westminster subsidies to the renewable energy market and the consequential hike in Scotland’s electricity prices.  Again, the platform explained the massive wealth of Scotland’s renewable energy assets and the fact that Scotland could not only provide for its people but a Scotland rich in energy would commodities this resource and sell it to the UK and Europe.  A knowledgeable guy in the audience also explained about connection tariffs to the grid that would not apply in an independent Scotland.  This would more than offset any loss of Westminster subsidies.  Again, this is not my point, I am coming to that.

The elderly gents wife now questioned the loss of 6000 jobs at Faslane.  The platform and audience explained that this would be replaced by a new defense capability across the army, navy and airforce and in any event the number affected by Trident removal was 500 and not 6000.  Again, this is not my point, I’m coming to that.

Somewhere in the room, someone lit a blue touch paper and it all kicked off.  The Rev got very animated about the immorality of Trident and was a bit vocal in the direction of the elderly gent’s wife.  The elderly gent, to his credit, approached the bench and remonstrated with the Rev for bullying his good lady.  Just for a moment we expected the ‘fur to fly’ and an interjection from the Big Bobbee. The MC calmed the situation and the Rev, being the gent that he is made a public apology for his over enthusiastic outburst at the lady.  However, he did not apologise for his principals and everyone was more or less placated.

I have said several times that the responses were not my point and if you are still with me I thank you for your patience.

My point is a simple one and it cuts across all the questions and responses from Undecided and NO.

Whether we are concerned about a shared currency, issues with the NHS and healthcare in some regions, rising electricity prices or jobs at our local ‘nuclear base’, these are problems to be solved.  A country and the Government of such an independent Country with the huge skills, huge resources and huge determination will waste no time in addressing and resolving these issues to the benefit of the people they represent.  And if they cannot resolve these issue they will be accountable to their people who will have the power to sanction them or remove them.

But seriously, are these political issues, because they are political, so serious that we would reject self determination and condemn our children, their children and their children’s children to life in a country where decisions are made about your future by unelected representatives from another country who have no incentive to act in your interest?

That is the question that Scots who are Undecided or potential NO voters must ask themselves on 18 September 2014.  You are not deciding for yourself you are deciding for the generations to come.

YOUR DECISION IS ONLY ONE THING – YOUR LEGACY!