Yes? No? None of the above?

One year from now we will know whether or not Scotland has voted for independence from the UK.  The independence referendum takes place on 18th September 2014

The question, of course, is "Should Scotland be an independent country?".  Well yes of course in an ideal world it probably should be, but we are a country already.  We have our own flag, national education system, justice system, parliament, banknotes, national football team, etc etc. 

But it is not an ideal world. 

Scotland has not recovered from the destruction brought by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s as a brutal punishment from our traditionally left-wing country not voting for her party.  Unemployment, child poverty, declining living standards, lack of housing have all been major issues in this country, even in the 'boom years' before the banking crash hit in 2008.  There are particular cultural issues in this country which remain unresolved - sectarianism, anti-social behaviour, alcohol and drug use.  Would independence change any of these issues?  I very much doubt it.  Scotland needs fixed before it can even consider going down the independence route.  Slap bang in the middle of a worldwide economic recession is the worst possible time to even think about the financial costs of independence for example. 

The SNP's win at the last Scottish parliament elections gave them a mandate to run an independence referendum.  After all these years in power, I'm still not sure what the SNP stands for apart from independence, and the cult of personality around its leader Alex Salmond and sidekick Nicola Sturgeon.  I'll say one thing for them - their management of the media is fantastic.  Not a night goes by without them being on the Scottish news on TV.  Do they ever take a day off?  Probably not.  But they are also supposed to be running this country.  Yet they remain a one-issue party, only occasionally throwing out crumbs to all the disillusioned socialists, myself included, but always coming back to "....in an independent Scotland..." and so it goes on. 

Salmond has been very smart in his choice of 18th September 2014: coming off the back of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games which I guess he's hoping has the same national-pride effect as London 2012 had on the UK as a whole.

My disinterest in the independence cause could probably be traced back to my own non-Scottish ancestry which has always given me a more international outlook.  But regardless of our origins and ancestry, apathy is in our blood - just look at the turnout for local/European elections, for example, and most people you speak to are more concerned about trying to find enough money to feed themselves or to pay bills, and couldn't give a hoot about the whole boring political circus.  (Contrary to TV anchorman 'I'm John MacKay' on the STV News at Six who seems to think everything revolves around the tedious independence debate).

I'm no patriotic flag-waving Brit either though: the 'English-as-British' dominance of our media and day-to-day life can be a major pain, especially around the time of the football World Cup/European Championships/royal weddings/Queen's various jubilees etc.  Those times suddenly make you proud to be Scottish! There's a lot of things wrong with being ruled by a UK government - especially one with David Cameron in charge.  Where there is poverty, recession and hopelessness, may we bring more poverty, recession and hopelessness....every blow administered by Cameron is further fuel for the Yes camp to boost their campaign. 

It's a shame they didn't give us the option to vote on 'devo max' - a more appealing option which would allow Scotland to remain part of the UK whilst being given extra autonomy on issues like taxes, welfare benefits etc.  This option could also be offered to the other countries within the UK, thus keeping everyone happy.  That may be a simplistic view, but I'd have voted for it as I'm sure would many others - unlike the straightforward 'yes/no' option - the result of which, regardless of whatever it will be, will only bring an unsatisfactory conclusion.  Except, presumably for John MacKay, who will have more newsroom fodder to bang on about for a long time to come.  In the immortal words of Avicii: "wake me up when it's all over"!!