It’s been a little over two weeks since we went to the polls to vote on independence.
For as long as I can remember, independence has been a permanent fixture on the political agenda. When the SNP won their outright majority in 2011, it looked closer than ever.
The debate captured the imagination of Scots; millions of us discussed politics in offices, pubs and buses, in a way that’s never been seen in Scotland before. Posters appeared in windows, meetings were held the length and breadth of the country, and the public was truly engaged.
The turnout was higher than for any UK vote since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1918.
While tempers may have frayed a little and the fringe lunatic element received more publicity than it deserved, we were lucky enough to avoid any serious violence. Generally, it was conducted in a spirit that befitted the atmosphere of well-argued geniality.
Overall, I think we can be proud of our referendum. It was democratic and informed – something that few other countries can say of their independence movements.
Nevertheless, I was not looking forward to its aftermath. I anticipated that our country would emerge divided with wounds that would take a long time to heal.
So the actual response to the no vote has blown me away.
Yes campaigners, rather than slinking away to lick their wounds, resolved to try to make Scotland better without independence. Their first action has been to solicit contributions to Scotland’s food banks, transforming George Square into a sea of donation bags in the process.
And the No campaigners have avoided triumphalism – choosing conciliation over celebration.
The aftermath of the vote has been great for our politicians too.
The pro-UK parties finally get to be pro-active. After years of defending the status quo, they can finally get to work delivering positive change for Scotland as they begin the process of devolving more powers to the Scottish Parliament.
Gordon Brown’s reputation has been enhanced following his eleventh hour intervention, while Labour’s Jim Murphy and Anas Sarwar have both earned a lot of admiration, ensuring that their party will be in safe hands for years to come. However, I feel they walked into something of a trap when the Tories unveiled their devolution plans for more regional powers, not only in Scotland, but the whole of the UK.
Meanwhile the SNP and Greens are enjoying a mini-renaissance with booming party membership and skyrocketing poll numbers.
Alex Salmond is making a dignified exit from public life, pausing just long enough to propose finally doing away with the poll tax. I wonder if he would’ve wanted that as his legacy, rather than independence – one last dig at the Tories!
His deputy Nicola Sturgeon is widely expected to become the next SNP leader, which will mean that for the first time in history the majority of our party leaders are women. If that isn’t a sign that we are a vibrant, forward looking country, I don’t know what is.
The fact that all of our parties have agreed to work together as part of the Smith Commission, something that they refused to do during the Calman Commission a few years ago, shows that our country is, in fact, more united than before.
Rather than arguing over our future, for the moment, we all agree.
Scotland will remain a part of the United Kingdom, but extensive new powers will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament.
Instead of diminishing us, the referendum has made us stronger. I just wonder what the effect of the proposed referendum on EU membership will be.
Scotland’s Economic Bounceback Continues
It was satisfying indeed to discover that the Scottish economy has now returned to pre-recession levels.
The Bank of Scotland business monitor concluded last week that turnover trends and expectations were comparable with 2007 – a huge boost for the country – after conducting a survey which saw almost half of businesses reporting that turnover had increased over the last three months to August.
Just 19 per cent said they’d noted a decrease in the same timeframe, which marks a further improvement on the previous quarter and the same quarter last year.
Furthermore, the solid trajectory of recovery – which, according to the report started in 2010 and has now accelerated into growth – has been unchecked by the referendum, with expectations high that a surge in economic activity will continue this year and into 2015 too.
It’s being hailed as the best result in seven years and puts Scotland firmly on the road to sustained stability, which is an immensely pleasing scenario after such a prolonged period of uncertainty.
The best part, however, is that the old truism – success breeds success – has never been more relevant.
With expectations high, more and more will feel reassured in their investments, creating a snowball of economic activity that just keeps on rolling. Once that domino effect commences, it can be simply a case of sitting back and watching it fly.
These are exciting times indeed for Scottish business, buoyed by a year that’s already delivered so much for national confidence, and it now looks like 2015 will continue in the same rich vein.
It Made Me Laugh: It’s Pure Undead Brilliant
I had a good giggle when I saw an advert on Gumtree back in August stating, ‘”M&D’s seeks zombies” – now I know why.
The Lanarkshire theme park has come up with a frighteningly good Hallowe’en attraction. Those brave enough to venture along to Outbreak@M&D’s are invited to inspect a mysterious research facility where a medical trial is being conducted.
Of course, nobody will be surprised to learn that this trial isn’t entirely a success, and that visitors might just find themselves having to fend off a few of the undead as the situation takes a hair-raising turn.
The organisers are saying, ‘expect the unexpected’ as the park turns into a World War Z-style zombie apocalypse. I say, ‘expect to need a new pair of trousers’.
It Made Me Weep: Whyte Got Just Deserts
In my experience, people don’t last long in business when they’re only about making a quick buck.
You might manage to hoodwink one guy, but then you’ll lose another five potential deals as a result. Word gets around fast.
So it proved last week when former Rangers owner Craig Whyte was banned from being a company director for 15 years, the maximum possible penalty.
A judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh described his conduct as “singularly shocking and reprehensible” – strong words indeed.
However, such sentiments seem deserved in this case. How he thought he could just walk into a high-profile football club, and then use its well-publicised vulnerability for his own ends while attempting to deceive all and sundry, is anyone’s guess.
