EDITORIAL: Why we must vote to remain in the UK

TODAY the Scottish Sunday Express urges readers to say No Thanks to Alex Salmond’s dream of breaking up the United Kingdom.

NoScottish Sunday Express urges Scotland to vote No[ALLAN PEEBLES]

There are many reasons for voting against separation, from legitimate fears over the economy to the pride we feel in our great family of nations.

The Better Together campaign has made mistakes along the way, yet its key message has never wavered – highlighting the enormous risks of going it alone and the patchwork of empty promises made by the SNP.

In recent weeks, the First Minister has repeatedly called on opponents to say that Scotland could be a successful country.

What Mr Salmond will never recognise is that we already are a successful country – the world’s sixth largest economy, a founding member of the G8 and one of the pillars of Nato and the West.

Of course we could be a separate nation, although the road to get there would be a long and difficult one.

But the referendum ballot paper does not ask if Scotland could be independent – it asks if we should.

And, after carefully weighing up all the evidence presented to us for more than two years, we believe the answer, emphatically, is No we should not.

Our default position has always been supportive of the Union but this was not a decision we arrived at lightly.

Editorially, the Scottish Sunday Express answers to nobody but our readers – and if there is a No vote we will campaign to ensure that the extra powers promised by Westminster are delivered to Holyrood.

Here, in our opinion, are the key reasons for voting to remain part of the United Kingdom:

? The economy: North Sea oil and gas is a fantastic asset but a volatile industry on which to base our future. The SNP’s predictions are overly optimistic.Even Sir Ian Wood, the country’s foremost expert, says voters have been “misled” by “false claims”. Oil giants Shell and BP have also declared their support for the Union. Financial services is another cornerstone, yet RBS, Lloyds/HBOS, Standard Life and Clydesdale will all flee south if we separate, taking with them enormous tax revenues and putting thousands of jobs at risk. Our whisky distillers will never leave, of course, yet most industry leaders are behind the security of the UK. 

? The currency: A separate Scotland could keep the pound but it would almost certainly be without the safety net of a currency union. The leaders of the three Westminster parties have staked their careers on this position. The Governor of the Bank of England says such a move would be “incompatible with sovereignty” and while the people of England and Wales wish us to stay, they do not want to grant us a financial safety net if we decide to go. Plan B, which Alex Salmond refuses to spell out, is clearly to retain the pound unofficially, as Panama uses the dollar, while reneging on our share of UK debt. It is a recipe for ruin.

? The United Kingdom: We are bound by 300 years of incredible shared history, a deep well of friendship and family ties that run deeper than any political movement. Almost one million Scots live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland yet they will not get a say in this referendum, while one third of all English people have Scottish blood to some extent. Our families stretch across the Border and will become foreigners to one another. The antagonism that would follow a Yes vote, as both sides are forced to drive the hardest bargain for their citizens, would break millions of hearts.

? The Yes mobs: A significant minority of independence supporters have displayed thuggish and intimidatory ­behaviour, with many ordinary folk afraid to express a view in public lest they be targeted. Cybernats have written appalling abuse on the internet, jeering yobs have dogged pro-Union politicians, while Better Together signs and banners have been wrecked and defaced with graffiti. Of course, there are idiots in both camps but the majority of this disgraceful bullying has come from one side alone. This has never been how we have conducted our politics, and nor should it ever be.

? Pensions: The maths are simple. With an ageing population, there will soon not be enough working people paying taxes in Scotland to support the state pension. Alex Salmond says he can reverse these numbers by boosting immigration and encouraging youngsters to stay at home. Maybe he can but is this really a risk that we should be prepared to take? For private pensions, the EU has ruled that schemes which operate across international borders must be fully funded. If we create a national border with England, then hundreds of companies with employees on either side will find themselves with a £170billion pensions funding gap.

? Defence: In the 670-page independence white paper, only 19 are dedicated to the proposed Scottish Defence Force. It promises to restore the seven Scottish regiments merged in 2006 – yet we will have only three infantry battalions. We are to expel Trident but still expect to shelter under the Nato nuclear umbrella. Westminster has delivered cruel defence cuts in recent years but for a country with such a proud martial tradition, the feeble alternative being put forward is nothing short of scandalous.

? Europe: The Conservatives might promise an In/Out referendum on EU membership but David Cameron’s position is clear – he wants us to stay in. Like Scottish independence, this is a debate which must be resolved before the UK can move on. The greater risk to Scotland’s membership comes from voting Yes on Thursday. 

We will only be allowed to rejoin the EU if every other member state agrees and countries such as Spain, with their own separatist movements, are ­certain to make life especially difficult. Ministers tried to hide their legal ­advice on EU membership – then were forced to admit they didn’t have any!

?The monarchy: The SNP says the Queen would remain as head of state only “for as long as the people of Scotland wished our country to remain a monarchy”. With overwhelming support for a republic among Yes Scotland, we should be in no doubt that Her Majesty’s position would be in grave danger after separation. 

? Energy: It is seven years since Alex Salmond first boasted that Scotland would become the “Saudi Arabia of renewables”. Since then tidal, wave and offshore wind energy projects have floundered, while our world famous landscape is now studded with wind turbines. These monstrosities are supported by subsidies from English consumers, while the largest percentage of Scottish electricity is still provided by nuclear power. 

? The SNP’s record in government: Introducing state guardians for all our children, scrapping the ancient legal safeguard of corroboration, introducing the jingoistic Curriculum for “Excellence”, merging our police forces and secretly arming our police officers. And don’t forget the first minority term in office, propped up by an annual budget deal with the Tories, a party the SNP now claims to despise.

? Our place in the world: No longer will we sit at the top table with the USA, Germany, France, China and Russia, steering world events from a position of power rather than shouting from the margins. The small and expensive Scandinavian nations will be the new benchmark.

Alex Salmond says this is a lucky generation and we agree – we have been given the chance to save the United Kingdom

There are many further questions, such as the flaws in the Holyrood political system; the uncertainty over broadcasting; the cultural insularity of smaller nations; the Yes campaign’s disgraceful claims over the future of the NHS; the dictatorial style of the SNP in government – all these and more have persuaded us that a No vote is the only sensible choice.

These are arguments for the head and the heart, but if you are still undecided then perhaps you should go with your gut. We believe that for most people in Scotland, their gut instinct tells them that it is better to be part of the UK, that while independence might be a nice pipe dream, it is not worth risking everything for. 

This is evidenced by the fact that for years – decades, even – the polls showed that only around one in three of us backed separation. This position has only altered in recent months, thanks to Alex Salmond’s slick patter and the seeds of division sown by the SNP.

Despite the narrowing of the polls, we continue to believe that there is a silent majority out there in favour of remaining part of Britain. 

On Thursday, this quiet army of ordinary Scots, decent folk who have kept their counsel and not shoved their views down everybody else’s throat, must finally make their voices heard. Nobody should be in any doubt about what is at stake. Whatever you do on September 18, no matter how busy you are, you must vote in this referendum.

Alex Salmond says this is a lucky generation and we agree – we have been given the chance to save the United Kingdom. 

Let us grasp it with both hands.

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