Dear Sir,
I am genuine British with an English mother and Scottish father born in England and also brought up in Scotland. I have no vote in Scotland over independence, nor in a UK general election, nor in a referendum over UK’s continued membership in EU. This doesn’t seem unfair to me but what is unfair is my lack of voting rights here where I live for the Spanish Parliament. I am in favour of Scotland in Britain and Britain in the EU.
I hope the comments by Kate Mentink against Scottish independence (Thursday’s Daily B 30 Jan) have been given as a personal view and not in her official position on behalf of the Balearic European Centre whose business it isn’t. If Scotland feels Spain is trying to interfere in their politics them the YES campaign will get a boost.
Although Kate and I agree with Scotland staying within the UK and the EU come 2017 with a Conservative In/Out EU Referendum Scots may find themselves out of the EU anyway so pushing the pro Europeans to the YES vote again toward Alex Salmond’s SNP who support continued membership.
The vote may hinge on the floating voters. I believe the views in the article are counterproductive in hoping to frighten the voters with their negative overtones –phrases such as abandoned, left out in the cold, taxes hiked, immigrants without passports, relegated to below Ukraine.
This latter implies the inferiority of both countries. Scaremongering is unlikely to cower the Scots – quite the opposite. The NO campaign in Westminster is also emphasising the negatives rather than the positives - in the hands of the master political tactician Salmond impugning both the intelligence and nerve of the Scots may see him pulling off another surprise result!
Mike Lillico
Playa de Palma