ONE of the concerns which we have heard at recent roadshows is that the tourism industry in Clydesdale is struggling – if our beautiful and historic area was in Cumbria, the hills would be packed with walkers, people would come to watch our ospreys, and eat our excellent locally produced food. The tourism potential of Clydesdale is


definitely under-promoted. But would Independence change this? Probably not.


The problem is a local one in that


tourism isn’t a key activity for South Lanarkshire Council, so it does not promote it. This is something which needs fixed regardless of the referendum result!


What about other ways in which


Independence might affect tourism? Although views differ on this, we might


end up with a different currency to the rest of the UK, something which my party, the Greens favour. Would this deter tourists? I doubt it!


The UK already has a currency which


it doesn’t share with any other country, but this does not deter tourists any more than it prevents us from holidaying abroad. People in the south of England don’t let the fact that France has a different currency stop them from hopping across the channel for days out or shopping!


After Independence we might have a


different tax system to the rest of the UK. But what’s that got to do with tourism? Well, if we could control our tax system we could reduce VAT, a tax which falls disproportionately on the less well off, and recoop the income from more progressive taxation.


This would make goods and services


purchased in Scotland cheaper than in England, which would attract tourists, particularly to areas close to the border.


Of course onerous border controls


might put off tourists, but if we signed the Schengen agreement we could reduce border controls with most EU countries. The UK hasn’t signed Schengen so if border controls were to be erected it would be up to England.


Ayemail It seems unlikely that this would


I RECENTLY attended an independence debate organised by the Scottish Writers Centre at the Glasgow’s Centre for Contemporary Arts.


This was an independence debate with a difference, looking


at the impact of independence from a cultural perspective rather than the more usual territory of the economy.


The debate was admirably chaired by cultural academic Scott


Hames and the audience was made up of people with an interest in Scottish culture.The speakers Magi Gibson and Jenni Calder are both established writers rather than politicians and it was good to hear the debate engaging people outwith the usual political bubble.


The speakers’ points were well made, Magi comparing the


current Union to a dysfunctional marriage seen from a feminist perspective in which fear and outmoded sexism repress individuality, and Jenni airing her disquiet at the prospect of creating more borders in our current interconnected world.


The audience discussion and participation afterwards was


lively but good-natured, with a particular focus on the importance of culture (literature and the Arts generally) as an engine of change and thermometer of national consciousness.


Certain loose assumptions (such as whether Eire has been a


successful economy within the EU, and the poor teaching of Scottish history in schools) were usefully challenged.


Jenni spoke proudly of the increasing number of Scottish writers in translation (into German and Spanish etc) she has


happen, but if it did let’s not forget that Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin Wall were once amongst the tourist highlights of Berlin!


Finally airports. We have airports.


Strategically important airports. So we will continue to be able to welcome visitors travelling by air.


Except that the late Lord Fraser of


Carmyllie the former Solicitor General for Scotland warned that if Scotland was left “undefended” (possibly because it had removed weapons of mass destruction from its soil) England would have no alternative “but to come and bomb the hell out of Glasgow airport and Edinburgh airport.” Really?


This sounds like just another


scaremongering statement from the pro- Union campaign!


So in conclusion I don’t think that


Independence poses a threat to our tourist industry, and could offer new opportunities to welcome visitors from around the world, including the rest of the UK to our wonderful area!


JANET MOXLEY BIGGAR


We welcome your letters. Please submit them by e-mail to Bill Oliphant at this address b@billoliphant.plus.com


found in the bookshops of foreign cities over the last twenty years, pointing to a cultural renaissance of which we can all be proud.


What everyone in the audience could agree on, was that it


would be a tragedy if a ‘No’ vote produced some kind of slump in national confidence, which would be in nobody’s interests.


Scott Hames’ revelation that not a single national newspaper


has yet reviewed the book “Unstated: Writers on Scottish Independence” seems like a disturbing indictment of our complacent media culture, and his elucidation of the press’s supposed “outcry” against some of Alasdair Gray’s remarks from the book were disturbing.


The mature debate we need on these matters is not yet here


it seems, but at least the SWC is playing its part! For more information on the issues, here are some relevant


links that emerged from audience contributions:


The National Collective: http://nationalcollective.com/2013/01/11/project-icon/


Road To Referendum TV series: http://iainmacwhirter2.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/road-to- referendum-book-and-film.html


“Unstated” book available from Word-power books: http://www.word-power.co.uk/books/unstated-I9780956628398/


RUARAIDH THOMPSON 11


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