Scotland this morning – Colin Keir MSP

We asked for views on what some Edinburgh people think Scotland might be like this morning. Colin Keir is MSP for Edinburgh West and this is the Scotland he envisaged ahead of the Scottish Independence Referendum vote yesterday. Here is what he had to say:

The sun is shining and the birds are singing and Scotland awakes to the most exciting period its long history.

Our nation has decided to move forward, it has decided that those who live here are the best people to decide our own future. In eighteen months time Scotland will re-join the international community of nations as an equal partner. No longer will we be seen as a region of North Britain, governed by a Westminster parliament which has become remote in terms of relevance to those who live north of Hadrians Wall.

But this is the 21^st century. We will be leaving the UK but physically we are attached. There will be no border posts and guards, no need to take your passport to the rest of the UK and we welcome our friends and family from the rest of the UK to our country with open arms.

But I so dearly look forward to seeing Scotland make an even bigger mark on the world, not just in terms of how we relate to other nations and peoples which is important but to build a society here in our own country which is seen as a beacon of fairness and democracy.

Gone will be the lingering 19^th century view of the British Empire which many at Westminster still cling to. No more illegal wars, weapons of mass destruction and we can do something to help those worse off by ditching among other things the Bedroom Tax.

We can also take steps that will build us an economy which means we will eliminate the need for foodbanks in our communities.

The potential of our country is massive. We will awake on the 19^th September with hope as well as pride that we are standing on our own two feet.

Unless we have voted NO?