I wouldn't get into a "what you feel is incorrect" argument, as it would be wrong of me; not to mention futile - you're perfectly within your right to listen to what he says and take an anti-English message from it.martindtanderson wrote:I can't point to a specific speech of his, but I have heard him enough times during party conference season, and on shows like Question Time to know that he is either coasting on an anti-English feeling, or he is actively stirring it up.
But for what its worth, my perspective is very different. When I hear him speak I feel very encouraged and positive about the prospect of independence; and at the risk of sounding offensive, feelings toward the English or their reaction to this decision really aren't relevant to me. I know lots of folk assume this is some kind of "chip on the shoulder" thing - ironically the chip seems to be on the other shoulder - er.. its not always about England!
Whilst we're all the same under the skin - I'm sure we can stipulate to that - I feel that we do have different values and priorities from a political perspective; and that as a nation we're the best equipped to make those decisions for the benefit of our people. Best equipped to utilise our resources and abilities to create a successful Scotland.
Well I certainly agree that Scotland shouldn't be voting on English and Welsh matters. 100% agree. All it really does is confirm that you are better at administering your own affairs as we are ours.I have nothing against Scotland wanting Independence, and to be honest I don't care enough either way to have a view on whether they should or should not go their own way. What annoys me is Alex Salmond's attitude, as well as the unfair nature of Scottish MPs voting for English (and sometimes Welsh) issues.
The challenge for the Yes campaign to some extent is to persuade people that a vote for independence isn't a vote for Mr Salmond or the SNP - and that we could easily return a coalition of Greens and Liberals or Tories and Raving Loonies if that's what the electorate want - something that simply isn't (or ever could be) mathematically possible with the UK system.
And as the south is apparently taking lurches towards the right with Conservative and UKIP support growing, with the opposite being true in Scotland, we face perhaps a decade more of a government we didn't select and policies we don't approve of.
On a purely personal level, and although it shouldn't, it hurts my feelings when I hear English friends dismiss something many Scots are passionate about with a throwaway comment about it being nothing more than anti-English piffle - or worse - "don't come crawling back when it all goes wrong".
My reasons to feel good about independence aren't a reflection of how I regard people south of the border, but out of ambition for the place I love.
