Tuesday 9 September 2014

Scots Wahey

As a half-Scot who was brought up on The Broons and Oor Wullie, I must just chuck in a few thoughts on the imploding (I was going to put "impending" but I'm probably nearer the mark now) referendum.

1. I told you so
This referendum should never be happening. It appears to have been a quick fix made by middle manager Cameron a few years ago to defuse a bit of political flack which he assumed would be a foregone conclusion. We now see the prospect of an historic 300 year Union going up in smoke because of his slick PR fix. It's a bloody tragedy.

2. Words
The next big mistake he made was in the wording of the referendum in which all the positivity of the word "YES" is given to the fracturing of the UK whilst those sensible souls who see us as better together are left with a negative "NO" vote. As a PR Middle Manager he should have KNOWN all about the effect on survey results of the loading and phrasing of questions. What about "Are you in favour of retaining the 300 year Union of Scotland as part of the United Kingdom?" - that would have helped.

3. Celebrities
Nobody had reckoned with the enormous power of Twitter and Facebook which has been hijacked by celebrity Scots to whip up a political fervour and make themselves look like folk heroes to the people around them. That would be Americans mainly as that's where most of these home loving kilted celebs live.

4. Fish
I think one look at Alec Salmond or Alex Hammond (I can't be bothered to look it up) should have been enough to turn voters away in droves in what's known in political wonk circles as "The Brown-Milliband effect". He must be a lot cleverer than he looks.

5. But Seriously
Scotland has been doing well over the last few years as part of the UK - one has only to look at parts of Europe to see how badly things could have gone. If this split actually goes ahead then a much smaller Country is going to flounder without the joint financial infrastructure which has helped dig us out of the financial hole - we'll all be worse off but the Scots proportionately more so. .
I'm also not sure people have quite taken account of the feelings of the English population who have had to sit quietly like long-suffering parents of teenagers whilst celebs North of the Border play their Braveheart cameos. If the split proceeds, then everyone South of the Border will start to feel resentful and bitter about this upstart flouncing-off and be in no mood to help finance the new start up. And if they think they're watching our Strictly Come Dancing for nothing they can Rabb C. Nesbitt off..

We'll be a bit like the Dragons faced with a particularly naive young entrepreneur who hasn't thought things through at all - and for that reason - I'm out!


8 comments:

Nota Bene said...

I'm so with you on this...I've already volunteered for the border defence force

Liz said...

I am not a fan of referendums. We pay our politicians a lot of money to take difficult decisions on our behalf, not farm those decisions back out to the electorate.

Tim said...

And what about the weather forecast on the telly, eh? Hadn't thought of that, had you, Mr fish.

Martin said...

I've long suspected that the vote would be extremely close. I also suspect that the 'No' camp will succeed in the referendum. I read recently, how the efforts of the main parties are a bit like when you try to cancel your phone contract. Suddenly you're offered all kinds of discounts and add-ons to remain loyal.

Unknown said...

As far as I'm concerned the Scots are very welcome to go it alone, just so long as the don't expect us to pay their expenses for them.

I do, though, feel rather sorry for the Queen. I do think we might have kept to the status quo during her lifetime.

Anonymous said...

Can't help feeling that all those politicians going up north to persuade the people to vote no will have the opposite effect. They should have said they were in the YES camp!

Pat said...

All's well that ends well and I am relieved. I didn't like to think that our Scottish forebears were scattered in a foreign land.

Anonymous said...

yay for the result!