Richard

Well, my biggest hope I think,
is that

there could be a new federation
of Britain and a united Ireland

with maximum home rule all round,
as it were a mini union,

in which Scotland could run
its own affairs,

have almost-complete home rule
within that larger federation.

that would support each other.

That’s what I hoped would come out
of the first referendum,

the indy referendum,
but we never got an option for that.

That’s what I would like.
I suspect it won’t happen.

I suspect that, because of Brexit

we will probably get a united Ireland
in a few years time,

and it may also kick off
a completely independent Scotland,

which I’d be happy to settle for,
but I believe in larger unions

within which you have maximum level
of independence

as well as interdependence.
Scotland, to me, means home.

It means literature and poetry
and music I love.

It means the place I was born.
It means the hills I’ve walked on.

It means freedom.

Occasionally, it embarrasses me
because it can get too tartan,

too kind-of couthy
in an unpleasant kind of a way.

But all nations have their own
wee funny eccentricities.

No, Scotland’s home.