I've avoided the independence referendum so far. One, I think it's too soon to be discussing it - we'll all be wall-eyed with boredom if we start taking it seriously now. Two, I'm trying to keep an open mind. Not that some of my friends feel that way, as they've told me at length and in some detail on both sides of the argument but I think this is something you have to decide for yourself. And three, I live in hope we'll get past the shouty (you canny do that - I've got relatives in Engerland!) and the scary bit (how could we afford an army/embassies/a currency?) and maybe have a real debate about our options such as federalism.
But today I think I've made my mind up. I don't want to be part of a UK that thinks it is absolutely imperative we stay together in a political union within the UK and sees itself as a bastion of capitalism but wants to opt out of the biggest trading union in the world, the EU. Opting out of Europe to me is a kind of collective madness. The rest of the EU wants the UK in it. Even the Americans want us in it. And I suspect the Tories are holding a referendum for all the wrong reasons: to win votes back from UKIP; to appease the loony right of the Tory party; to wrong-foot the Labour Party (well, they've certainly done that if today's anything to go by); to turn the clock back to colonial times 50 years ago.
I think of myself as being from Scotland and from Europe. From the UK or Britain doesn't even come a close third. Being a little Englander is not part of my world view. So I think I'll take a chance on independence and hope the great adventure attracts good people to come (back) to Scotland to work out a plan for our future prosperity. Within the EU.
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