No to independence

Sirs,

The Yes folk have been making a lot of deafening noises in city centres across Scotland over the past few weeks under the banner of indyref2. Desperately unhappy at the ‘no thank you’ outcome of the last vote in 2014, they are craving for a second bite at the apple of independence.

Just like the SNP government, they are wholly infatuated with one thing only: seeing our grand little country separated from the grand union. Somehow, they just can’t see how their golden delicious apple of independence has turned an unpalatable colour.

Poll after poll, over the past few months, have all confirmed the same thing: Scottish voters would decisively oppose independence in a second referendum. In fact one poll, for a national newspaper, reveals an overwhelming two to one majority of Scots do not want another ballot, they’ve just had enough of it.

For the record, the poll found that 57% of voters would be likely to cast a no vote, compared to 43% for yes. Researchers questioned 1,037 people in Scotland and found support for the SNP has fallen among voters, at both Holyrood and Westminster. Interestingly, the amount of Scottish people who feel British has actually increased since the 2014 vote, with the numbers of those describing themselves as “more British than Scottish” and “equally Scottish and British” have both risen. You can’t edit the facts.

There are countless reasons why polls have not shown a shift towards Scottish independence over the past four years. For example, back in 2014, Aberdeen was a boom town. The Granite City boasted the highest concentration of millionaires in the UK. Now the streets are lined with half-finished developments and empty shop fronts as the oil price has plummeted. Some 100,000 jobs have been shed in the North Sea. The falling value of a barrel of crude is not just a problem for Aberdeen, but for the whole of Scotland. Oil was a key plank of the last referendum pitch, but alas that plank is now rotting away – in the North Sea - and an identical one is inaccessible.

Instead of making hollow noises at rally marches, it is time we faced reality: we’re better together under one flag. Better together means two things, a stronger Scotland and a United Kingdom. Yes, united we stand, divided we fall. As one saying goes goes, “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”

Donald J Morrison

85 Old Edinburgh Road

Inverness.

Letter: No thanks to second independence referendum

30 August 2018