Gosh it looks like I’m a racist now. How on earth did that happen?
Oh, wait a minute. I’m not really a racist, but you can see why people might think I am. Not that anyone is saying I am, of course.
No, far from it. It’s just that, well, you know there’s no difference between those who try to divide us on the basis of whether we’re English or Scottish and those who try to divide us on the basis of our background race or religion.
Not that nationalists are somehow racists or bigoted.
Except they are. Okay, so London Mayor Sadiq Khan didn’t say the “except they are” bit as he flip-flopped around during his spectacularly ill-judged foray into the IndyRef2 debate at the Labour conference in Perth.
But it did kind of hang around in the air unsaid, didn’t it?
What would have been better is if Mr Khan’s entire jibe at nationalists had been left unsaid. Then he wouldn’t have spent the weekend trying to unsay it for himself, or at the very least trying to qualify it.
I wonder how the 45% of those who voted Yes in one the biggest turnouts at the ballot box feel about being lumped in with the likes of the odious BNP?
Come to that, how about all the Labour voters who said Yes and still think it’s a good idea. Are they happy with their own party now linking them with the R word?
What was said at the weekend was a massive insult to the 1,617,989 people who exercised their democratic right to favour an independent Scotland. This is not a nationalism built on the need to dominate others, diminish those we don’t agree with and denigrate people who hail from different countries or religions.
It is built on a desire to build a fair, just, equal and welcoming society. One where immigrants are seen as an asset not a burden, where the common weal dictates we care for our vulnerable and elderly, rather than seeing them as a drain on resources.
It stems from a yearning for democracy where we are governed by the party we vote for, not ruled by one with a single MP in our borders.
A country where our decisions for our future are ours to make and not be ignored by a cabal of hard-right Tories in the Westminster elite.
Do I want an independent Scotland. What do you think?
Meanwhile, let’s welcome more London-based politicians like the Mayor of London to share their thoughts on our future.
All they are doing is making the case for independence even stronger.
Why don’t insurance firms reward loyal customers?
My car insurance was due for renewal last week … cue the annual fan dance over premiums.
Why does the automatic renewal always come with an eye-watering increase, in this case my monthly payments leaping up from £20 to £35.
My no claims bonus stood at nine years, the value of my old motor is rock bottom, so why am I paying more?
A phone call brought the price down, an internet search got me a brand new, better policy with different insurers.
Why won’t insurance companies reward loyal customers instead of fleecing them?
Booze bans are wrong approach to stop kids drinking
When I was growing up, pubs were mysterious places with frosted windows for grown-ups only.
For kids there was a compelling aura about what went on and the aim was to get in and get drinking as soon as you could, legally or not, to join the adult world.
Thankfully, the world has moved on and now many pubs welcome kids.
It’s a sensible approach to demystify drinking.
Unless you are Aberdeenshire Council which is now thinking of banning booze on its premises when kids are around so “young people don’t grow up thinking alcohol is normal”.
News flash. It is.
We need kids to see how to use alcohol responsibly, not pretend it doesn’t exist.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
