THE REFERENDIIM
9 With Mel Gibson's cry of 'Freedom!’ and warnings of a tartan tax nightmare ringing in the nation's ears, Scotland will decide its future on 11 September. As the home rule debate rumbles on I towards referendum day, Channel 4 boss STUART COSGROVE and
Think Twice campaign chairman DONALD FINDLAY QC lock horns.
Stuart Cosgrove Yes, Yes
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WHO CAN FORGET the infamous scene in When Harry Met Sal/y. Meg Ryan tilted her head back in an act of sexual defiance and faked an orgasm in the middle of a nondescript American diner. The whole cafe watched in disbelief, as she groaned in c0ital ecstasy, screaming the words we all want to hear: 'Yes, Yes’.
Watching Meg Ryan havmg a fake orgasm, who could ever doubt Scotland deserves its own parliament.
A Yes, Yes vote at the forth- coming referendum is crucial to Scotland’s future and Our self- confidence as a people. The vast majority of Scots believe it is time to take more control of our own affairs and shape our national identity It is Vital the opinion of the majority of Scots lS reflected in
time we stopped blaming England when things go wrong.
Any parliament worthy of the name must have the power to raise and lower tax. It must be empowered to generate revenue and put that money into areas people think deserve more support, whether schools, hospitals or all-night raves.
The No, No campaigners — who are sadly the defeated and discredited residue of what was once the Tory Party — have tried to scare the Scots with the spectre of a Tartan Tax. It is a despicable argument which underlines Just how bereft their campaign has become.
The new parliament will have the power to vary taxes — upwards or downwards. If a future Scottish parliament has the power to
impose a Tartan Tax,
'lt's time to grow up as a eciually it has the
power to sanction a
nation. it's time we stopped Tartan Bonanza,
blaming England when
reducmg tax where appropriate. It is up
things go wrong.’ Stuart Cosgrove to us to make that
a high turnout at the polling stations It will be the most important vote you Will cast in your lifetime
A Scottish parliament will have significant powers over whole areas of Scottish life including health, education and the enVironment After years of often hostile Conservative government from Westminster, a window of opportunity has opened. We have a duty to ourselves to make Sure our values are heard above the shifting, sometimes selfish ideologies of the English home- counties
The key word in the referendum is not devolution, it's Confidence, Since the Act of Union in 1707, Scotland has suffered a gradual, coirosive lack of self-belief As our right to govern ourselves has declined, so too has ciur confidence It's time to grow up as a nation and take responsibility for our own decisions, Most of all, it's
deciSion, not bank managers or the Board of Rangers Football Club.
In a new electoral system, you will have the power to influence decisions. A Scottish parliament VVlll be able to draft new legislation in the workplace, in health policy and food hygiene — so if enough Scots demand it, we can have free fish suppers on the national health.
It's up to us to use a new parliament to build a society we're proud to live in. The important thing now is a huge turn-out at the polls. The world will be watching, let's not embarass Scotland by being too lazy to care. Go out and vote.
If your sex life is not what it should be, now is the time to act. Vote YES, YES. it's the nearest thing you’ll get to an orgasm.
Stuart Cosgrove is Channel 4's head of programmes for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and presents BBC Radio Scotland's On The Ball.
29 Aug-ll Sept 1997 THE UST13