It’s Tuesday 16th September, 2 days before the biggest vote of our lives. This is the biggest democratic event we will ever likely experience, not just for us but for generations to come. The vast enormitude of the referendum vote on Thursday simply cannot be overstated – it’s kind of a big deal. – See more at: http://nationalcollective.com/2014/09/16/editorial-a-yes-vote-changes-everything/

Remarkably I’ve heard very little about the seismic event that is the referendum on Scottish independence though for the rest of the UK as well as the Scots this is hugely significant. This article is pro independence. Emotionally I am anti-independence; this is probably because I regard Britain as this island and the land as having a sort of mystical unity that embraces the English, Scottish, Welsh and the new communities, particularly the black communities that identify themselves simply as British in a way that is not just political but is spiritual and is willed at an emotional level. Independence for Scotland will mean that Britain is broken at the political level. Physically and metaphysically Britain can’t be broken but identifying with it may become harder. I would regret Scottish independence also because the Scots seem more sensible politically, less acquiescent to the aristocratic establishment, and their absence may ‘dumb us down’ politically. On the other hand I totally get the argument in this article that for the Scots this is a historic opportunity to break away from moribund, outdated and restricting political paradigms, structures and practices. It is looking at and challenging these structures that is important, it is seizing power for people that is important and whether Scotland goes or not I hope that the aftermath of the referendum will be a widespread national debate about the structures that underlie our so called democracy. The fact that we haven’t had that debate yet should tell us something about ourselves .. if the referendum that’s now upon us, whatever its result, but particularly if Scotland goes, doesn’t jolt us into widespread political reflection then it is proof that collectively our political awareness is pretty much dead.