September 19th 2014

Image copyright : BBC
 

I awoke at 6.30am. Switching on the mobile phone the first thing I read was that the people of Scotland had voted to remain in the Union, by 55.3 % voting no to 44.7% voting yes. A decisive vote to remain part of the United Kingdom, but not a resounding vote. An alert popped up to advise me that David Cameron would be making an important speech at 7am. And so it turned out to be. An announcement that by January 2015 a draft white paper would be in place (to be ratified after the May 2015 General Election) to outline how more powers of governance would not only be offered to Scotland, but also English regions, Wales, and Northern Island. Coherence of the Union is guaranteed now for a generation or more, fractious developments within that union seem to be just beginning to raise their heads above the parapet. Certainly the public's appetite for politics seems to be whetted after the turnout at 84.6% in Scotland was the highest ever turnout since 1918 and the introduction of universal suffrage.  It will be a very interesting time ahead indeed.