With under 1000 days until the referendum I should I suppose, start thinking about it.
My starting point is this…
Scotland has no barriers to being able to govern itself.
Scotland has the resources to be an independent country.
Scotland and the rest of the UK have done well together for the last few years.
Scotland the rest of the UK have grown together in an reasonably organic way allowing for each other to challenge and encourage each other.
I don’t think ‘devolution max’ is really worthwhile, a halfway house is not satisfactory to anyone. If we allow 16&17 year olds to vote, I think we have to open it up to every man, woman and child in the whole of Scotland.
Without a legally binding outcome what is the point?
My own position is…
Change can be good. Things will change. Change is not always to be desired. For me Scotland is a country which has retained a distinct identity from within the UK.
I haven’t seen a really convincing argument that independence is a change to be desired.
The current situation we have is very good for both Scotland and the rest of the UK
I look at the £13 million decrease our local regional council has had to its budget. And ask if I would prefer to live in Scotland with higher taxes and the regional council perhaps having an increase in budget or have council tax held where it is and council services reduced.
I don’t know quite how I feel about that. I guess I have 1000 days or so to work it out.
