I WAS surprised to see on television a change from the usual stream of predictable politicians, varied "celebrities" and media persons interviewing each other to ensure that we lesser beings are properly informed and educated before being entrusted with a vote on Thursday.
Andrew Neil was interviewing George Galloway on behalf of the No campaign and Tommy Sheridan, pictured, on behalf of the Yes campaign. He reminded both men that they were sharing their positions with strange bedfellows, banks, big business and Tories for George and Nato and the Queen for Tommy.
The real surprise, however, was that, for the first time in my life, I was in agreement with both of them on two important issues which are at the heart of the referendum debate. The first is that governance from Westminster is not working for Scotland and has been failing for many years. It would appear that this is now even being accepted within Westminster, as further devolution in some form is now being proposed. The other issue is that politics is not working in Scotland, with the Labour Party joining the Conservatives in disarray as people recognise that their leaders in Scotland report to a boss in London and implement policies formulated elsewhere.
If anyone doubts who runs the major parties it was clearly illustrated last week when we suffered the march of the organ-grinders through the streets of Glasgow to whip the party faithful into line. They clearly don't understand that they are part of the problem and have not grasped the fact that people are not voting Yes or No along party lines. Not even Mr Galloway, Mr Sheridan or I.
It is the solution to the failure of politics in Scotland that brings division between them as Mr Galloway believes that a call for a messiah, preferably himself, could resurrect a doomed Labour Party whilst Mr Sheridan believes that the only way to ensure that political leaders in Scotland report only to us, the people, is for us to be an independent country in which all political parties, even Labour, would have to be focused only on the needs of Scotland.
I'm with you, Tommy. We shall share the same barricade this week, although I may have to get to the other side of the barricade when we have a real Scottish Parliament.
Archie H Stark,
29G Hughenden Lane,
Glasgow.
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