I spent election day in Ullapool in the far north-west of Scotland for the book festival. Over dinner, writers of fiction, poets, travel writers and literary critics plunged into vigorous discussion. By the morning, the atmosphere was subdued and bemused. How could the English have done this?
After the election, the burning need for the English and the Scots to understand each other is clear. I prescribe a course of reading
The overwhelming majority of Scots who supported the SNP in Thursday’s election have nothing against the English. We don’t hate you. We’re not eaten up with envy either. We’re not trying to pick your pockets or force-feed you haggis. We acknowledge that we lost the referendum vote last year. We know last week was not a rerun. We understand that for the time being, we are all in this together.
Photograph: Rupert Hartley/Rex Shutterstock
We’re not dancing in the streets, in spite of a party specifically committed to making Scotland’s voice heard having claimed 56 seats out of 59. We’re not cracking open the champagne, even though we’ve made our point to the two main parties and their Lib Dem lapdogs – you don’t speak for us or our aspirations. We’re not rejoicing the way we anticipated because we know what’s coming.
Scotland voted SNP and England voted Tory. It’s not our fault David Cameron has five more years. If every voter in Scotland had obeyed Jim Murphy, Labour would still have been 40 seats adrift of power.
No one can equal Ruth Rendell’s range or accomplishmentVal McDermid
Current British crime writing owes much to a writer who consistently showed that the genre can continually reinvent itself…
Ruth Rendell was deservedly the most decorated of British crime writers. Among her many distinctions were a clutch of Daggers (four gold, one silver and the diamond for a lifetime of achievement) and two Edgars from the Mystery Writers of America who also gave her their Grandmaster Award. She was also garlanded with the Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence.
Scottish crime writer Val McDermid has come out in favour of a Yes vote in September’s independence referendum.
The Fife-born author revealed her support for a vote for independence in The Guardian newspaper. Ms McDermid from Kirkcaldy sees a marked difference in policies flowing from Holyrood compared to Westminster.
The avid Raith Rovers fan said: “The only basis I could find for making a choice is to look at the track record of what the Scottish Parliament has done differently from Westminster since we’ve had some power restored to us.
“And, overwhelmingly, I prefer what we’ve done north of the border — free prescriptions, no student tuition fees, social care for elderly people. So, with a degree of trepidation, I’m going to nail my colours to the mast of aspiration and vote ‘Yes’.
No one can equal Ruth Rendell’s range or accomplishment
Val McDermid
