Hearts as well as Minds

Now Scotland is to have a referendum on its future in the United Kingdom why, as others have asked, cannot we have a referendum on our future in the EU? After all the integrity of the United Kingdom is of far more importance than the integrity of the EU. In this regard I am glad to see that questions are now being raised about the effects of Scotland's departure such as what will its rating be and which currency will it use to begin with? Those campaigning must though not concentrate solely on the nuts and bolts of devolution but spend just as much effort on the 'heart' type reasons for the Union. We can be sure that Salmond will blow the bagpipes and so on to whip up the emotions for separation - why else is he insisting that the vote be given to 16 year olds? He will though not be able to ignore the last 300 years of Scotland's glory as a full participant in the United Kingdom's triumph and it is just that kind of thing that the Unionists need to emphasise. Scotland would never have had the glory if they had not been a part of the Union. It also needs to be driven home that the contribution of the Scots to our momentous past has always been recognised through for example the Scottish regiments. Returning to the nuts and bolts it must be somewhat alarming for Salmond to see that the euro he was so keen on a few months ago is continuing to implode. The ratings of France and Austria are about to be downgraded by S&P, the rating of others are on a watch list and the Greek debt talks have stalled. Will any of this be relevant when Scotland is likely to hold its referendum in 2014? I guess Salmond hopes not but if that is so will Britain have kept its rating and its freedom of action such as it is or will we have given into the EU yet again as the pessimists are now predicting? I saw the play '3 Days in May' yesterday evening about the War Cabinet decision to carry on fighting rather than to seek terms with Hitler through Mussolini's offices. Despite the inference that he wobbled it did not seem to me that Churchill had done so but that he needed those three days to try and get Chamberlain and Halifax to agree to continue the fight. He succeeds with Chamberlain but not with Halifax who was the odd man out and who was forced to resign. Again the government was a coalition and it is to be hoped that Cameron has seen the play and has learnt that appeasement gets you nowhere at the end of the day.