Holy Cow! Herald Editor in Damascene Conversion?

Magnus Gardham of The Herald has not half spouted some tosh during this campaign, but unless there has been a cock-up in the bye line department, this editorial must be a contender for Damascene Conversion of the Century!

All to play for in the final days of debate 
 Magnus Gardham Political Editor
Saturday 13 September 2014

Braveheart will not be shown on TV until after the referendum, and thank heavens for small mercies. Star and director Mel Gibson himself notes that the film is a "historical fantasy" and shouldn't be taken as the accurate portrayal of Wallace's life. And it isn't even as an accurate barometer for Scottish independence, it's a movie not a history lesson. And the battle today is about the future. 

I was glad to see Ed Miliband and David Cameron looking more and more like Matt McGinn's Two Heided Man. It might convince any Labour voters out there they would just be getting more of the same. It started with Thatcher, then the betrayal of New Labour, which brought us here in the first place. 

In 1979 we had the chance of change. We voted yes and not only got nothing, but our industries were forced to close and the privatisation of our services started. Electric and gas suppliers. Phone. Prison service. Bus and train services. The Royal Mail. And don't forget the 6,000sq nautical miles of Scottish waters now are under Westminster control. All done without the consultation or permission of the people of Scotland. And don't even get me started on the fracking licence for Loch Lomond that's lurking ominously in the shadows. 

Now we have the political parties down south asking the populace to "phone a friend", this is the new gameshow for MPs. "We want to stay millionaires", and the media are in cahoots down here , asking people to make the democratic choice for their Scottish friends by phoning them up and telling them to vote No! If this is love-bombing, I'd hate to see them bare their fangs. 

Better Together claiming the NHS is safe reflects the last line of Animal Farm, as they all have their snouts in the trough. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which." 

Mind you, as Johann Lamont, leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, has already stated: "Scots are not genetically programmed to make political decisions." 

The UK is set to lose £1,600 billion from Scotland's larder per year. That is why they want to keep us, and keep us in our place. 

And Dave, it's not an election, it's a referendum. We know what a referendum is. Scotland has been talking about it for about three years more than you have. And many of us know that the result is for ever, so we can kick the "Effing Tories" as you said so patronisingly in your speech, delivered to your slavering sycophantic supporters, and not the real people in the street. 

It's a chance to live in a country whose politics reflect the will of the people of that country. And William Hague admitted at PMQ's that same day: "Giving Scotland more powers if it votes no is not Government policy". 

Gordon Brown says proposals, proposals, proposals. He can propose all he likes, but he can provide NOTHING. At least the timetable at my local train station tells me when the train is coming. 

Do these proposals also include a promise to an end to boom and bust? If not, why not ? 

Yet again, jam tomorrow: no idea what size of jar, no idea what flavour, but history tells us it will leave a bad taste in the mouth. 

How many more vulnerable people are going to commit suicide due to welfare cuts? 

How many more foodbanks are going to be opened? 

How many more people are going to have to decide this winter between heating or eating? 

How many more illegal wars are we going to be dragged into? 

How many more of us are going to just ignore it and stay in a zombified trance? 

How many more of us are starting to realise "It doesn't have to be like this in Scotland?" 

When a Westminster Government has barefaced lied and lied to us for generations, why would they expect us to believe more lies? 

If I was non-British living in this country I'd be upset about Better Together and Westminster's use of the term "foreigner" all the time. As if being "foreign" is an awful thing. 

And wanting to put borders up too. Disgraceful. All day on the news, Labour politicians have been saying the SNP are going to promise the world. They seem so out of touch. Every day out campaigning, speaking to people about the referendum and independence for Scotland, no-one in the Yes campaign talks about the SNP. They are not mentioned. 

The people of Scotland understand, what Labour cannot grasp, that this is not about one political party it is about independence for Scotland. 

Scotland is a country in its own right but we do not have full powers to run it ourselves. This is a democratic process and the people have the right to vote for or against staying under Westminster rule, and abide by their legislation. At least 50 per cent of the electorate in Scotland want to be Independent which shows 50 per cent plus are unhappy being part of the United Kingdom. 

It is not just SNP supporters but Labour, LibDems, Greens and people from all walks of life, doctors, teachers, business people and so on who want this. Let Scotland go in peace if that is what we decide. People who have felt disenfranchised for years have woken up, there has been voter registrations all over the schemes of Scotland, queues stretching around the block of people wanting to have their say. People who haven't even bothered with politics for generations, they are waking up, they are questioning WHY are we like this, is this as good as it gets? How can we change it? 

It is a referendum for No to lose, not for Yes to win. And No hopefully have lost it with its arrogance, cynicism, scaremongering, negativity and pure laziness. 

The scare stories are getting ridiculous. Next thing it will be "Asteroid hits Earth if Scotland votes for Independence" or "IS to base HQ in Drumchapel if Scotland votes Yes". We are not children, stop trying to frighten us. 

This has been the most negative, fear-driven and insulting political campaign in modern history, and should be treated with nothing other than the total contempt it so richly deserves. 

The Scots have long memories. And the main culprits, no matter the result, shall suffer. An entire nation has been rising to its feet before the world and your actions may make them whimper "Sorry! We can't do it!" before sitting mutely and meekly back down to be a global laughing stock. 

What effect did the Cameron /Miliband/ Clegg/Prescott jaunt to Scotland achieve for the Yes campaign on Facebook? Exactly 24 hours ago before the four horsemen of the Nawpocalypse arrived there were 263,087 followers on Yes Scotland. There were 5,333 more, at 5pm that evening, while the NO Thanks page had lost members. 

More people, when they find out the facts, are switching to a Yes. Inform and spread a positive message, hope always wins over fear. 

The rest of the UK can also look to these actions and stand up and be counted as well. We shall be there for them, Scotland will not let them stand alone if we leave the Union. They are still our friends and neighbours and we can show them the way to change is through following example. 

Scotland will be doing the whole of the UK a big favour by voting yes if it brings to an end the political cartel that has been governing us for the last few decades. The Saltire is now flying over 10 Downing Street (and even the flag protested!), 

If it's a No vote it will be folded up and put back in its box. Just like Scotland. 

Which form of governance do you trust more with your future?

Westminster politics or one you can have a hand and a voice in shaping for yourself? 

If it's a Yes vote, we may have shot ourselves in the foot for a short while before we re-emerge stronger. 

If it's a No, the bullet will be straight through the head and fired by Westminster.

Edit: This was the original article. Now altered to this.