As you can see from the photo above, the empty shop which was taken over by the NO campaign for their HQ has an upstairs neighbour who is very definite that they are voting YES. I found it amusing anyway but I don’t suppose the NO people are too chuffed about it.
Last night we had the second televised debate between Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling on TV. I watched it even although I’m getting fed up with the whole thing, it has been such a long campaign. I think Salmond won the debate easily but I have heard others say the opposite, there’s no accounting for people’s perceptions I suppose.
Anyway the Guardian’s Simon Jenkins has been writing about the referendum here. The article is specifically about Trident and what would happen to it if Scotland votes YES for independence.
I grew up just a stone’s throw away from Faslane and Coulport and at one point my father even worked at Coulport, but it’s always been a place I’ve hated, the very existence of nuclear weapons is abhorrent but when they are on your doorstep it sort of concentrates the mind. Apart from anything else the Gare Loch, where the Trident submarines are based is such a place of beauty, well it would be if it didn’t have miles and miles of razor wire circling it.
I’ve always wanted to sweep the weapons of mass destruction away and replace them with tourists and holidaymakers. It would be superior to anything in the Lake District, there could be the usual outdoor activities, such as sailing and scuba diving, no noisy speed boats or jet skis please!
I’ve actually had the unnerving experience of being on an enjoyable hill walk when I stumbled across an ominous looking air vent in the hillside. Because those hills have been hollowed out to allow for storage of nuclear weapons!
If I had my way those hollow hills could be used for all sorts of peaceful activities. Indoor climbing could take place and all sorts of games and entertainments. It would be a great place to shelter when the weather was bad, or the midges were too annoying.
Trident is the reason that President Obama changed his mind on the Scottish Independence referendum. Originally he said that it was up to the people of Scotland to decide. Then obviously his advisers got to him and explained that Scotland was the home of the Trident missiles, the only ones in Europe and as such apparently required for the ‘safety’ of the world!
I would just get rid of the lot of them but seemingly that would not be on the cards. It has been suggested that the base could be moved to Portsmouth. I wonder how the good people of Portsmouth would feel about that. Apparently there are about 260,000 people living around that area, including Devon, it’s presumably more than that, but still not close to the much larger amount of people living near the Scottish bases.
Simon Jenkins mentions: Where will the submarines and their warheads go if not in Scotland? The wild, unpopulated Scottish lochs are not easy to replicate in England or Wales. Honestly, I had to laugh when I read that. The loch which is home to Trident is a very short distance from Glasgow, one hour by road – at the most. As Glasgow is the biggest centre of population in Scotland at over 600,000 people in the city itself and there are plenty of medium sized towns in the area too it can hardly be described as a ‘wild and unpopulated area.’ Maybe Simon Jenkins should have a look at places before he writes articles about them, then he would have more of an idea of their ‘wildness’ or otherwise.
You tell them, girlfriend!
Peggy,
I’m so fed up with all the party political programmes, I’m glad I’ll not be seeing our telly for weeks before the election!
I watched the second half of the debate and what a shouting match that was!!! I too am totally fed up with the whole thing and if it wasn’t wishing my life away I wish it was the 19th September now – but that won’t be the end of it will it, either way?
I couldn’t agree more about Trident.
Margaret,
The campaign is just never ending, whoever thought up the idea of counting down the days starting from about 500 was a nutter. We’re all so sick of it. Thankfully we’ve only had one person at our door campaigning.
Trident is the most dangerous complete waste of money and a blot on the landscape.
Well, as you know I live in England and although we haven’t had anyone at the door I am sick of the telephone calls wanting our opinion on the referendum – because we have a Scottish postcode! It’s most confusing here in the Borders, for example we come under both NHS services – our surgery is a split one with people from both sides of the Border registered and my husband has treatment from hospitals in Scotland and England.
Margaret,
We haven’t had any phone calls about the referendum! I had no idea that was happening. I knew a chap who lived in Scotland but went to school in England, I wonder if that would be allowed if YES win. It’s nice and interchangeable now I suppose.
Yes, things are good at present – I can borrow from the Scottish libraries round here too, in fact they’re nearer than the English ones.
Margaret,
Maybe they could re-negotiate the border and make your place on the right side – you are just a step away!
I don’t think that would go down very well!
Margaret,
I’m sure it wouldn’t!
I just want the vote to happen now and then we can all get on with our lives.
Being Portsmouth resident on the one hand I would say no to the Trident being down here as I have no idea how it could be stored. It is also a long time since submarines have been here. And as they are having to dredge the harbour for the new aircraft carrier it could be problematic. If we ever have both aircraft carriers in, the jetty is not big enough for them both to be alongside…..
However, as the government has backed BAE into removing all shipbuilding from Portsmouth to Scotland, we do have a dockyard which desperately needs a use and thousands of people that need jobs.
It is a difficult one to call I feel.
Jo,
I just want it over with too then we can get on with things – whatever the outcome. I wish they would just get rid of Trident completely, it costs a fortune, is unusable unless you are completely mad and American and doesn’t really provide a lot of jobs, given the costs involved.
The people who run the shipyards seem not to be able to think beyond warships but there are many other vessels which could be built, they might not be so prestigious but they would still provide work and apprenticeships for the young.
Here in The Netherlands I hear the occasionaly ‘sound-bite’ about the Scottish referendum due to a TV debate. I sympathize with you all….and will be watching what happens on 18th September!
ps: Trident info was very interesting….I did not know they are stationed in Scotland.
nancy burns,
I’ll be glad when we get to the 18th – whatever happens.
I suppose we have nice deep lochs and handy hills for storage in Scotland, but it’s not what they are meant to be used for and nobody asked the Scottish people if they wanted a nuclear base here – as usual we just got dumped on!
I’ve been following this fairly closely, for a “mad American” and like much of the politics in this country, there is far too much emotion and not enough reason going into this decision. It’s not doom and destruction nor is it unicorns and sweets for all. But that’s what is being sold and what the people appear to be buying. Like a marriage, there’s the long haul to be considered. After the passion cools, there’s practical matters to tend to. Unlike marriage, if you make the wrong decision, there’s no going back. I sincerely hope for the people of Scotland that a miracle occurs and logic prevails. But at the end of the day, the people will get the government they deserve.
Pearl,
I’ll just be glad when it’s all over. I have no doubt that Scotland would be successful as an independent country, as it stands at the moment we pay more money into the Westminster coffers than we get out. I have never heard of any country which has opted for independence regretting it, and there have been quite a few such splits in recent years.