The case for Scottish independence

#YESBECAUSE


I’m sure by now you’ve heard it all. Ignoring the terribly biased coverage by the ‘neutral’ BBC, there’s an overwhelming amount of information out there about why you should vote Yes. So instead of listing the reasons, I’m going to rise above the animosity plaguing the news to tell you what Scottish independence is really about. I hope you will listen with an open mind, and go to the polls with respect for why we’re having this referendum in the first place.

Scottish independence is about democracy and representation. No matter which party you vote for, an independent Scottish Parliament would ensure that your views are represented, unlike the current situation at Westminster. Everyone knows that there are more pandas than Tory MPs in Scotland, yet the Conservative Government makes decisions that affect everyone in Scotland every day.  In fact, the Scottish vote has never made a difference to who the winner is at Westminster. Hundreds of thousands of people throughout the UK have never voted Labour or Conservative, yet all they can look forward to is a future of passing the power from pillar to post by an out-dated undemocratic electoral system. This doesn’t have to be the case for Scotland.

Scottish independence is not about the Scottish National Party. A Yes vote is not a vote for (St Andrews graduate) Alex Salmond; The Scottish Green Party is pro-independence, and there are also groups within other parties, such as Labour for Independence, who are proudly voting Yes. There will be a democratic election in the event of a Yes vote, and the people of Scotland will finally have the opportunity to be governed only by politicians they actually voted for.

Scottish independence is not about hatred or racism. There is no legislation stating that English people will be sent back and will need passports to come into Scotland. There’s no valid reason as to why it can’t work like the Irish border, and the thousands of others across the world that allow free passage for their citizens. The campaign for Scottish independence hasn’t been fought out on a battlefield, it has been peaceful.

Finally, Scottish independence is about opportunity. As students we can look forward to thousands of graduate jobs in a new civil service, guaranteed ease of immigration and emigration unhindered by rising UKIP and the chance to have a greater say in how our nation is run. An independent Scotland will not be a major global player, but it will be a prosperous small nation, whose reputation for its industries, academics and culture will continue to attract talent and wealth from across the world.

At this stage in the independence campaign chances are that nobody’s mind can be changed, and this isn’t what I’m trying to achieve. Instead, I think the best we can do is to have respect for the fact that each side has a valid case, and to let the people of Scotland decide for themselves, free from any pressure or stigma. After all, freedom is what Scottish independence is all about.