KATHY GALLOWAY
‘The UK’s whole democracy is dysfunctional’

Being a country is first of all about geography, habitat. Scotland as a country predates the Act of Union, has survived within the Union and will continue to exist as a country whatever the outcome of the referendum. Scotland has had different legal and educational systems, its own national media and religious institutions since well before the devolution process instituted the Scottish parliament and charity regulator. These institutions are not better or worse because they are Scottish; none of them are exempt from the need for constant scrutiny, review and change. They are simply different because of the particularities of history.

So I don’t, and won’t, need a constitutionally independent Scotland in order to be Scottish. But I am also a citizen of the European Union and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This civic identity, both British and European, is what I must now consider anew, since a referendum on EU membership seems increasingly likely. The democratic deficit (whereby Scotland is increasingly governed at a UK level by parties it did not elect) has provided much of the impetus for the Scottish referendum. But this is not the only democratic deficit in the UK. Our whole democracy is dysfunctional…

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COLIN BLOOM
‘The benefits of Scottish independence don’t appear to add up’  

I saw the other day that Gerard Butler, the Scottish Hollywood actor and apparent heartthrob, had been quoted as saying that he saw “no reason why Scotland shouldn’t be independent”. On
the back of this, he quickly became the poster boy for the “yes to independence” campaign. Since then, Gerard has had a change of heart and has now joined the majority of Scots who are not convinced independence is in Scotland’s best interest.

What’s the reason for this change of heart? Most likely, it’s because the benefits of Scottish independence in the cold light of day, don’t appear to add up. People are becoming less convinced that Alex Salmond and the SNP can deliver all the perks of the Union without continuing Scotland’s membership.

Furthermore, while Alex Salmond’s claims are coming under increasing scrutiny, the Conservative Party and those in Westminster are working hard to give Scotland the best of both worlds – creating a space for Scotland to make her own decisions, but also giving Scotland the security and the strength that comes from being part of the oldest and most successful economic union in the world…