Be Careful What You Vote For

17 Sep 2014 2 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Scottish IconsOn the eve of one of the most important decisions the British people have made in centuries, the Scots go to the polls tomorrow to decide the future of their country.

Whilst I envy them the power to influence such an important constitutional decision, I fear that, given the huge lack of detail available, the people of Scotland will be voting with their hearts rather than their heads.

Passion is a powerful driver in such situations, but I would warn that you must be careful what you wish for. You might just get it, and then it may turn out that it wasn’t what you really wanted at all.

As a passionate Englishman, proud of my nation despite the mistakes we have made over the centuries, I would like to think that Scotland is better served within an alliance with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Having said that, it is not my decision, and I refuse to try to influence anyone’s decision.

Whatever the outcome, I pray that as intimate neighbours, we remain good friends, and can work together in the interests of both nations. I also pray that the friendly, if passionate, banter will continue and that both the Yes and the No sides will remain united as members of the Scottish nation.

We all remain transfixed by the whole process. Whether you are in or out of the Union, you have a unique opportunity to decide your own future and I wish you all the very best of luck with this historic event.

Sounds Fishy?

11 Jan 2012 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Scottish IndependenceAll this hullabaloo about Scottish independence is making me wonder about the motives behind the latest dialogue between the Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond. The formation of the Scottish Parliament was always the first step on the road to independence, and I’m fine with that, it should be the Scottish people who decide.

The proposed referendum, now due to take place in 2014, appears to be turning into a tug o’ war between the politicians. The UK government look to be setting conditions aimed to result in a ‘No’ vote. Mr Salmond is trying to arrange things so that they turn out in his favour. But what about the Scottish people, how do they feel, are they even being told the whole story?

Listening to the news, it would appear that Scotland was ‘subsidised’ to the tune of £3000 per person last year. The SNP argue that North Sea Oil revenues should feed into the Scottish economy, the majority of remaining oil deposits lying below Scottish waters. But even with that adjustment, the subsidy would still have been around £2000 per person, so the figures don’t stack up. Scotland would also be liable to take on its share of the UK deficit.

When you also take into account the fact that Scotland would be forced to join the Euro if it were to become a member of the European Union, it is more than complicated, and less than rosy. My worry is that Mr Salmond is blinkered by his passion for independence, it has been his dearest wish for many years. I just hope that, should he get his way, he is prepared to shoulder the responsibility of his actions if it all goes wrong. A little more WCC and a little less Braveheart spirit needed here I think Mr Salmond.