This is the latest in our series where eminent Scots explain their attitudes to Scottish independence and how they'll be voting.
Liz Lochhead was named as Scotland's Makar, or national poet, in 2011.
Which way will you be voting?
Yes. Unless something I can't at the moment imagine comes along and changes my mind.
What are your reasons for this?
Because I think this is a COUNTRY - not a region of the 'United Kingdom' or 'Great Britain', which I don't feel is either united or great. My reasons are, in part, emotional - but I think many people's are going to be, whichever way they choose to vote, and we may as well admit this. Mine are strongly, though not sentimentally, cultural.
Is this something you’ve always believed?
No. Way back at the time of the first, failed, referendum I was, I remember, very anti any form of 'nationalism', equating it automatically with jingo-ism and even with fascist tendencies!
And at the time I swallowed the Labour Party Line that 'we would be over governed and over administered, just have another whole extra bureaucracy in place' and was much more interested in gender politics and identity, class, socialism and internationalism. (I used to say 'my country is womankind' which, of course, I now find quite embarrassing, but, hey, different days and I was young!)
After the referendum I was ashamed and thought 'What kind of a country doesn't want to have more of a say in its own affairs?' And, gradually, I've realised it would be perfectly possible to pursue the same concerns as I've always had as an equal European and a citizen of a small, independent country. One that didn't think itself 'better' than any other, but one perfectly capable of taking responsibility for itself.
What benefits do you think this will have on Scotland?
Independence. Freedom to make fiscal and other choices to improve our far from perfect society. I am somehow optimistic about this, confident about the deep, core values of my fellow Scots.
Have you always had an interest in politics?
Only as much as any other glad-to-be-enfranchised citizen. It's not a passion. I was, very briefly, a member of the Labour party in, I think , the late seventies. (Could've been very early eighties). I've not been a member of any party since letting that lapse, and think it unlikely I would be again. I am interested in this Big Change because it could not help but be dynamic and exciting.
How do you define your identity?
Scottish, female, writer, senior citizen.
What are your views on Scotland and the UK’s relationship with the EU?
I can see the EU is sometimes a very scary thing. But worth it. And I do believe in associations of equals.
What are your views on free tertiary education, health care for the elderly and welfare?
Desirable. Essential. Worth every penny of higher taxes to pay for them.
Did the Olympic Games or the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 have any bearing on your opinion?
Nope.
What do you think of Alex Salmond’s plans for a constitution?
I think we ought, of course, to have a constitution. I would very much like to be 'a citizen' and not 'a subject'.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article