Three former Scottish Secretaries of State for Scotland have
come together to issue a powerful case for keeping the Union, arguing the
economic and financial case against breaking up the UK is unarguable.
Lord Lang of Monkton, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Lord Forsyth
of Drumlean said in a joint statement that an independent Scotland would not
enjoy the same wealth and strength the country currently enjoys as part of the
United Kingdom.
They added that being part of a joint Union with England,
Wales and Northern Ireland offers the strongest springboard to the wider world
for young people in Scotland.
Lord Lang said: “We think it right to focus on the broad issues and the long
term. The separatist campaign focuses too much on airy electioneering promises,
but the Referendum is about a once-and for-all decision on the future of
Scotland."
Lord Forsyth said: “At a time of great political and financial uncertainty we
need the strength of a United Kingdom to protect and secure our children's
future. Now is not the moment for a reckless gamble and a leap into
the unknown.”
Joint statement:
“We, who have served in government as Secretaries of State
for Scotland, believe strongly that Scotland, the land we love, should remain
in the United Kingdom. We believe that the value and the emotional appeal of the
present Union is far more compelling than the mirage of Independence. The one has stood the test of three
centuries. The other is built on a myth that sees Scotland as a
deprived country, exploited by an uncaring neighbour.
From our knowledge gained in government, we maintain that
the economic and financial case against breaking up the United Kingdom is so
clear as to be unarguable; that any hope that with Independence Scotland could
achieve material or social objectives unavailable within the Union is vain; and
that the chance of Scotland maintaining in isolation the wealth and strength
she enjoys as part of Britain is non-existent.
We hold that the constitutional, financial and legal
difficulties of unscrambling so integrated and successful a Union as ours would
be as complicated, damaging and heart-rending as breaking up any marriage can
be. Divorce is always painful – the more
so when the two parties must continue to live next door to one another. We warn that separation of Scotland from
England, Wales and Northern Ireland after so long together would lead to pain
and blame: that decades of aggravation
would follow, to the detriment of all.
We must remind ourselves that we Scots have achieved much in
the world because of Britain. No less
has Britain prospered because of Scotland.
We have helped each other to make our United Kingdom one of the richest,
most successful and most influential powers on Earth. None can doubt the Scottish contribution to
this achievement, on a scale that being part of Britain opened up for us. Far from being fettered by the Union,
Scotland has been liberated by it.
Our contribution to Britain’s industry, engineering,
science, medicine, philosophy, literature, the arts and sport has been
incalculable. We have run Scotland, run
Britain, run the Empire and Commonwealth over the centuries. We have fought tyranny alongside the rest of
the British peoples. Our shared
commitment to freedom and the rule of law has been a beacon of light for the
world.
Nor has Scotland’s own identity suffered in this
partnership. On the contrary, the
Scottish character has worldwide recognition.
Whether as missionaries or merchants, explorers or administrators, we
Scots have won respect and friendship wherever we have ventured. Scottish enterprise and drive have enabled
us to prosper, taking advantage of the global reach of the United Kingdom.
We contend that nationalism and patriotism are different
forces. Patriotism is positive. It is open, forward-looking. It allows pride
in Scotland and in the United Kingdom. Nationalism is negative.
It has to be against something.
It is narrow, resentful. While nationalism seeks to blame others for the grievances
of an imagined past, patriotism seeks to share with others the challenges of a
promising future.
We believe that for the young Scots of today the United
Kingdom still offers, as it has always done, real opportunities that we should
not reject. England is still by far our
largest market; and being part of Britain still offers a strong springboard to
the wider world. That was why, over
three hundred years ago, our forebears decided to join the Union with
England.
Their decision has been triumphantly vindicated; and the
same arguments hold good today. The
Union led to a marriage of nations so successful that it has shaped the modern
world. It can continue to do so. Scotland has evolved within the United Kingdom. Scots have always had our own Church, our own
law, our own local government system and much of our own parliamentary
legislation – first at Westminster, now in Edinburgh. The Scottish Parliament now has more powers than the
provinces of Canada or the States of Australia. We can still have all that, as well as the comfort of a
sense of family, with the added security of a home within the United Kingdom.
With the fracture of our Union, something in all of us would
die. Great Britain’s history is
Scotland’s history. Without Scotland
there would be no Great Britain.Why now throw all that away?
Why now put at risk our security, our prosperity, our jobs, the
opportunities for our young people and the pensions of our old? Why dismantle our great success story and embark on a sea of
uncertainty? It does not make
sense. To do so would diminish us all
and bring comfort only to those who wish us ill.
We believe passionately that it need not happen and it
should not happen. We love our country,
Scotland, too much to see her torn out of Britain to struggle, diminished,
weakened and alone in an indifferent world.
The decision to be taken on 18th September will affect the lives of
generations unborn.
With heart and mind we urge our fellow-Scots to stand firm
for the United Kingdom, whose past has been magnificent and where our future
would be secure.
IAN LANG, MALCOLM RIFKIND, MICHAEL FORSYTH
MICHAEL
FORSYTH
was Secretary of State for Scotland from 1995 to 1997
IAN LANG
was
Secretary of State for Scotland from 1990 to 1995.
MALCOLM
RIFKIND
was Secretary of State for Scotland from 1986 to 1990.
