In the latest of our series, Rory Bremner explains his attitude to independence and why he is not convinced - by either side.
Scottish comedian and impressionist Rory Bremner is originally from Edinburgh. He is currently working on a one-off political comedy for BBC Scotland, called Rory Goes to Holyrood.
Which way will you be voting in the independence referendum?
I’ve yet to be convinced by either side. There are still nearly eighteen months to go and both sides need to make their case. The economic arguments in particular are complex and fluid. What we need is a comparison website. Something like comparethenations.com
I’m also against the idea of celebrity endorsements for issues like this. They’re a proxy for people making up their own minds. Why should we support Indy or the Union because Dougie Donnelly/Susan Boyle/Sean Batty come out for the cause? Michelle Mone supports Better Together, but she sells bras, so you’d expect that. But then she also sells separates. And what about Basques? It’s very confusing.
Have you always been aligned with this view?
No. Being a great believer in Scottish traditions, I moved to England over thirty years ago and was raised by a pack of Unionist wolves. Now I have a house in the Borders and spend more time here, I’ve started to engage in the debate and have moved from atheist to agnostic as regards the possibilities of an Independent Scotland.
Would you have a preferred a third choice, eg. devo-max or devo-plus?
There’s a lot to be said for devo-max and the LibDem Home Rule Commission is interesting, even if it’s a bit of a fudge. (Or, being a Scottish fudge, a tablet). I agree we shouldn’t swap centralised government from Westminster for centralised government from Holyrood. But if we’re to have the best of both worlds, Scotland definitely needs more powers. The status quo isn’t enough.
How do you define your identity?
Human. More specifically, Scottish, British, European.
What are your views on Scotland and the UK’s relationship with the EU?
I think for all its much-publicised (and often exaggerated) anomalies, positive and engaged membership of the EU is essential in a global market. I like Europe’s diversity of language and culture.
What are your views on free tertiary education, health care for the elderly and welfare?
I admire a government that respects these principles. Though I’m concerned that universal free prescriptions, for example, mean that some medicines are unaffordable within the health service. In health in particular, it’s part of civilized society that the rich should subsidise the poor.
Did the Olympic Games or the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 have any bearing on your opinion?
Ah, now you’re leading the witness. Both were undoubtedly a huge celebration of Britishness, for all its quirks. Danny Boyle got that brilliantly, from reflecting our great industrial history to that inspired bit with the Queen and James Bond. And the sportsmen and women- from Hoy, Murray and Grainger to Farah and Ennis, as well as the gamesmakers, made me proud to be British- AND Scottish.
What do you think of Alex Salmond’s plans for a written constitution?
I worry about Alex Salmond’s constitution, written or not. He needs to look after himself. Perhaps he could do Strictly. It’s a good exercise in being part of a Union but still getting most of the attention.
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
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