I couldn’t bear to watch even one result coming through last night, I went to bed with a book and woke up to the news on our clock radio this morning. I must admit that although I didn’t expect a Yes vote to win I did think it would be closer.
The sad fact is that so many people were just too afraid of change. People were worried about their pensions and interest rates and most of the folks who are feeling fine and dandy and living a comfy life were too afraid of a possible lowering of their living standards. I think that that is what bothers me most, the No voters are short sighted and are just thinking ‘I’m all right Jack’ and to hell with the people who are definitely not all right. The Yes voters were often voting Yes because it was a ray of hope on the horizon, in an area which has had all of the industry shut down over the years and nothing replacing it except the possibility of a low paid zero hours contract if they are lucky. I feel ashamed that those people have been given yet another slap in the face – and from their ‘ain folks’.
We were love bombed towards the end of the campaign and now that Westminster have the result they wanted they can go back to ignoring Scotland again. They promised non-specific jam sometime in the future and a large amount of the electorate clutched on to that, devo max seemed a better option than a jump into the unknown.
I watched the Scottish BBC lunchtime news today and a reporter interviewed two men who had been standing in a queue waiting to to buy a new gadget which was just about to be put on sale, a new iPhone or something. They had both voted No and that says it all really. The sort of people who were afraid that they might not be able to afford a new toy voted No, obviously not worrying that there are other people who are having to rely on food banks to feed their kids because there are no jobs for them. I felt ashamed of those men. I expected that a Yes win might mean some leaner years for me but it would have been worth it for the greater good.
Already Nick Robinson, the BBC political correspondent has been on the TV news saying that as there is going to be a Westminster election in the not too distant future those promises need never be thought of again. If the electorate doesn’t get rid of Cameron in an election then the Tory party probably will and whoever takes over from Cameron can just say that he didn’t agree to any more power being given to Holyrood.
Am I downhearted? Well I was, but not for long. I view this result as a bit of a hiccup in the history of Scotland’s independence – which we will get eventually. At the beginning of the campaign the number of people who were in favour of independence was very small, it’s quite amazing that 45% voted Yes, especially when you take into account the lies and biased reporting on the BBC. Has anyone told that chap Nick Robinson that he is supposed to report on things in a fair and balanced manner?!
As ever the last word should be reserved for good old Robert the Bruce: Try, try again!
I’m just about to go and vote in our own General Election, and hope NZ voters turn out in such magnificent numbers as Scotland’s did. Then I think I’ll watch “Stone of Destiny” with a bit more awareness and appreciation of the issues and feelings than in my past viewings of this favourite dvd of mine.
All the best.
I sat up in bed late watching the numbers come in. Hopeful, until Alan messaged me at 2am (your time) and told me it was over, No had it, no sense in staying up. I stayed up one more hour hoping. Heart broken this morning at 4am (my time) when I grabbed the computer to see if a miracle had occurred. But like you said there will be another chance another day. Maybe the SNP will lay out a much more researched plan for the currency and pensions etc. It is sad when people won’t take a risk. Anything worth having always cost us something. I have no doubts the Scottish people would have made it work and work exceptionally.
Peggy Ann,
One good thing for the SNP is that so far 5,000 people have joined their party and I expect that more will follow. I’m not a joiner but you never know, I might just do it. That’s what I and a lot of people don’t understand, why was Salmond so coy about the currency question? I could answer it plainly but he fudged it almost right to the end.
Still bewildered by the result as I just don’t understand how people could have heard all the arguments and come up with No being the right response (guess I was being naive to have hoped that people wouldn’t just vote based on what was in it for them).
I voted Yes knowing it could result in the splitting up of both my and my hubby’s employers between Scotland/England with a Yes result threatening both our jobs, so feeling sad a little bit less proud of being Scottish right now that others couldn’t put selfishness/fears aside to vote for the greater good giving hope to a better future for the whole of Scotland in the long run.
Mags,
I know exactly how you feel. My husband says he feels like he doesn’t belong anywhere now, his sense of Scottishness has taken a battering. Thanks for being brave enough to vote Yes despite the negative possibilities for yourselves. I just wish there were more people like you around, and thanks for taking the time to comment.
I don’t think people are interested in the concept of ‘the greater good’ anymore, only in what’s in it for them personally. Very few people are willing to sacrifice now for something better in the future. Politicians and everyone else are short-sighted, and that doesn’t bode well for anyone’s future.
Amen to that Joan!
Joan,
As usual you’re correct! But it’s so sad.
I really thought it could go either way, and although I voted Yes, I was probably quite relieved on Friday morning. I think the late promises made by Cameron swayed a lot of voters who were undecided, or who maybe had been going to vote Yes. They were voting for devo-max which should really have been a choice on the voting paper until Cameron vetoed it. It was panic at the last minute that got the promises and vows to devolve more powers to us – and all FOUR nations should hopefully benefit. I think that the idea of being independent within the UK was really what Alex Salmond wanted, like Australia, NZ, etc. within the Commonwealth. All four nations, and that obviously includes England, could have that and work together as a whole. I don’t think the Tories, or any of the other parties, could just forget about the Scots now. Anyway, it’s not like England owns the other three nations – it’s just that the parliament that governs them all is in England. I wonder what it would be like today if James VI of Scotland had said in 1603, “OK, so now I’m not just King of Scots, I’ve been handed the English throne, so I’ll just rule from here in Edinburgh (when in fact he went down to London to rule from there).” or if it had been the English parliament that had been in difficulties in 1707 and had been taken on by the Scottish one? I hope now that the Scots have shown the way towards a better UK, and that Westminster will take that on board.
Evee,
Sadly it looks like Westminster will just forget everything which has just happened, already they are going back on those promises, surprise surprise. James VI went down to England to rule from there because that was where the money was, he was just about penniless and would have stayed that way without moving to England, the baubles entranced him, the equivalent to modern gadgets I suppose.
I know that you are disappointed in the outcome, and can even understand your bitterness. I hope that that you can put it behind you and I also hope that it is not emblematic of separatists in general. If they can’t put it behind them and the country remains this bitterly divided, it can’t possibly bode well for any possible positive outcome (of course, then you can blame it all on the opposition…that’s how they do it in America. Trust me – it doesn’t help.)
I think that your categorizing of the opposition that shallowly is hardly fair. The “No” votes of my personal acquaintances came at a cost – they reached that decision quite thoughtfully and with personal anguish over it.
Pearl,
I don’t feel at all bitter, just sad that the majority of Scots either put their own personal situation before that of others less well off than themselves, or they were genuinely taken in by the late promises of the Westminster politicians, and BTW they have already reneged on those promises. A lot of NO voters are going to be very upset in the end.
I was hoping “yes” would win. So sorry it didn’t. It was close though and that must be encouraging.
Stefanie,
We’ll get there eventually, and I don’t think we’ll have to wait for another generation. It was so depressing though.