Here we go again...!
Email to: Patrick Grady, Sandra White, Ruth Davidson, Nicola Sturgeon
Dear Patrick, Sandra, Ms Sturgeon, Ms Davidson,
I'm a voter in a Glasgow constituency, and a member of the SNP. Whilst this morning's result gives a colossal boost to aspirations for independence (62%-38% in Scotland for Remain, as against 53%-47% in England for Leave, for heaven's sake!), I urge you to proceed cautiously, bearing in mind these considerations:
1. Independence is a step that needs a proper understanding of the issues. The campaign that's just finished was too full of bile and misstatements to allow that. If we're to have independence, it's got to come out of a campaign conducted in a mature way.
2. A mature campaign needs support to be slowly built, and I'd suggest that, for a period of a year, politicians make no commitments regarding independence other than to enhance public debate and understanding.
3. Independence isn't an end in itself, despite the SNP constitution's first clause. The end we seek is a more equal, generous and tolerant society that improves all its citizens' lives. The issue for independence is simply whether we can achieve that without it.
4. A referendum isn't the only way to independence - there could be a negotiated separation, there could be a Scottish election with manifesto pledges to test public support, there could even be UDI.
5. Above all, if the coming debate is to produce a result with which we feel comfortable (even if we disagree with it), then you as our representatives need to conduct themselves maturely. In particular:
- don't trade slogans, probe the issues;
- don't lie;
- don't attack your opponents, attack their arguments.
From the days of the Enlightenment, Scotland has had a reputation for dispassionate and insightful debate. So I'm writing to you personally to ask you to respect and sustain that tradition. And I'll be re-opening my blog at scotlandisdifferent.wordpress.com to comment on how things are going.
Yours sincerely,
Derek Rogers
Dear Patrick, Sandra, Ms Sturgeon, Ms Davidson,
I'm a voter in a Glasgow constituency, and a member of the SNP. Whilst this morning's result gives a colossal boost to aspirations for independence (62%-38% in Scotland for Remain, as against 53%-47% in England for Leave, for heaven's sake!), I urge you to proceed cautiously, bearing in mind these considerations:
1. Independence is a step that needs a proper understanding of the issues. The campaign that's just finished was too full of bile and misstatements to allow that. If we're to have independence, it's got to come out of a campaign conducted in a mature way.
2. A mature campaign needs support to be slowly built, and I'd suggest that, for a period of a year, politicians make no commitments regarding independence other than to enhance public debate and understanding.
3. Independence isn't an end in itself, despite the SNP constitution's first clause. The end we seek is a more equal, generous and tolerant society that improves all its citizens' lives. The issue for independence is simply whether we can achieve that without it.
4. A referendum isn't the only way to independence - there could be a negotiated separation, there could be a Scottish election with manifesto pledges to test public support, there could even be UDI.
5. Above all, if the coming debate is to produce a result with which we feel comfortable (even if we disagree with it), then you as our representatives need to conduct themselves maturely. In particular:
- don't trade slogans, probe the issues;
- don't lie;
- don't attack your opponents, attack their arguments.
From the days of the Enlightenment, Scotland has had a reputation for dispassionate and insightful debate. So I'm writing to you personally to ask you to respect and sustain that tradition. And I'll be re-opening my blog at scotlandisdifferent.wordpress.com to comment on how things are going.
Yours sincerely,
Derek Rogers
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