Open Letter to Alex Salmond & Co.

Dear First Minister Alex Salmond & co,

I applaud raising the issue of Scottish independence and by asking such questions of the Scottish people, we have the chance of dictating real and positive change in their political and economic future. However, and there is always a ‘however’ in this kind of situation where spin quickly overtakes reality, we are left completely in the dark regarding independence and any other options such as devo-max. You are asking too much of the Scottish people (and we’re really not as daft as we look) to expect us to just trust you, a politician nonetheless, on an issue that affects every inch of our political and economic future.

I am excited by the prospects of the alternatives to the union but without knowing what EXACTLY is on offer and how EXACTLY we get there, you are asking too much of me and my fellow Scots. WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY PROPOSE BEYOND THE PHRASE GAINING INDEPENDENCE?

I do not believe Westminster and the Government of the United Kingdom represent me and my country fully. I can see many benefits of independence or devo-max, but what i am thinking of is not necessarily what the politicians of the country are thinking of and until I see a road-map to independence in front of me, complete with legal competence, to ensure for example the majority of north sea oil belongs to the Scottish people, then I cannot vote in favour of it.

Talking of legal competence, I would like Scotland to be openly consulting not only with UK but also with international lawyers on this matter and for the response to be made public. United Kingdom legislatures are not appropriate as all sides will find the wording in favour of their campaign. But this isn’t necessarily about legality. This is not about who has competence to hold a referendum. It is about the future of around 6 million people. This is about the breaking of a union brought about through a treaty, this is higher law than merely Westminster or Holyrood and their respective government dictates.

It is oft quoted that the people need to decide the future of Scotland. I wholeheartedly agree. We need to know that what the 6 million human beings want BUT before we know what we want, we need to know what is on offer to us.

You ask me to follow you blindly but centuries of doing so with Westminster have led us into the darkness. We have an opportunity at light but I don’t want to see a rope dangling in front of me that is out of my reach. I do not want more unfulfilled or unfulfillable promises laid out in front of me. I don’t want to be continually striving for the light but it continuing to get further and further from me.

I do not like carrots, and the stick you dangle bearing one does not entice me. I need more. I need an informed choice.

Show me that you mean business and are not just talking through your well fed cake-hole. Show me that Scotland can and will survive and remain economically viable with legitimate proof not just conjecture and mibbes. Show me that a future independent Scotland can be based on openness, honesty and above all reality. I cannot stress enough the importance of reality in this situation. We may be surrounded by clouds but our heads need not be permanently stuck there.

Independence is a dream and until the people of Scotland can be shown the facts and figures pointing to the reality, this is going to remain an unwinnable battle fought out in the media by the media. This is not a battle for newspaper editors to fight. Why are you letting it be the case? People will not walk into the unknown, they would prefer to remain with what they know is safe but unacceptable. Yet you are not showing us your plans or that your plans are realistic and attainable. You are asking the impossible of the people who can make this a reality. Lets stop talking fantasy.

The unionist battle strengthens daily as you do not offer the information people require to vote for independence or an alternative devolution. We are not asking you to look into a crystal ball and predict our future with precision but we cannot vote on some half-baked idea of independence without a plan to get us, and more importantly keep us, there.

The longer the ridiculous media circus plays out in public, the less likely your chances of winning a fair battle are. I don’t want people to vote because the Daily Mail called the Scottish people names or because the unrepresentative government at Westminster pissed us off, I want them to vote in favour of change because it is what we need. As yet you have not shown us this is what we need or why we need it.

I’m not alone with my concerns.

With the sincerity of a politician,

Grumpyhatlady