THE REFERENDIIM
Kenn Burke
Assistant artistic director, Scottish Ballet.
’I'm voting Yes for a Scottish parliament but I’m still undecided on tax raising powers. It’s extra money that we can ill-afford and I’ve yet to be convinced of the benefits. I just think Scots people will be proud of their sovereignty. It will make people feel better if they think they have control over the issues that matter to them. And we’ll escape being the trial area for new policies and legislation like the poll tax. We’ll no longer be the guinea pigs for the rest of the UK.’
CHRIS BLCTT
Janice Kirkpatrick
Creative director, Graven Images.
’l’ll probably vote Yes, Yes. I don't believe in severance from the UK and I’m not a nationalist as such but I think culturally it’d be really good for us. There’s so much bias in London — in the media and in general
opinion — about everything that happens in
Britain that I think there’s no other way to
do what's best for our part of the UK. I don’t
think it'll make a tremendous difference in
design terms, other than increasing scope Edinburgh.based artist for us to look to Scotland when looking for and 1995 Turner prize paradigms, metaphors and ways of nominee.
ex ressin our culture.’ ,, . , p g I m voting Yes, Yes. Its
about time we had a say, particularly about local affairs. If we can actually raise taxes and put them towards education and health, I'd be very happy. And it'll be a PR system for electing the parliament which is fairer to the general public. If there's an incredibly low turn out it might lack credibility but, with respect, people can’t really complain if they’re apathetic and don’t vote. I personally feel the whole of the UK should be devolved — there should be an assembly for the North of England, for Middle England, for Wales, etc.’
Duncan McLean
Orkney-based Pat Kane
Journalist and presenter of Channel 4's Nightwatch.
’l’m going for Yes, Yes, Yes — the orgasmic vote. lt'll lead to independence and I'm not having any nonsense about us remaining within the United Kingdom. The Labour Party is dressing it up as a stabilisation of the Union but I think it’s a destabilisation and I welcome that. It’ll mean England is more orientated towards Europe too. If you get a Yes, No that means the Scots quite enjoy the idea of their own government but they’re not prepared to take any of the pain of it. That would disappoint me because part of the argument for self—government is taking responsibility for yourself as a Scot.’
'I think I'll vote Yes, Yes. It's a mainstay of my political beliefs that power should be devolved to as local a level as possible. It shouldn’t be centralised in Europe, it should be in Edinburgh — and as much as possible of that should then be put out to Aberdeen, or Orkney in my case. I've no illusions that everything’s suddenly going to get WOnderful or that Scottish novelists will be given stipends of £10,000 a year for life. But I’m shocked and apalled that it’s called the Scotland Yes, Yes campaign. We're using the language of the oppressor. It should be the Scotland Aye, Aye campaign.’
29 Aug—ll Sept 1997TIIE llST15