Nearly a decade ago, a book called He’s Just Not That Into You became what is termed a ‘publishing sensation. I don’t know if this attempt to explain men to women was persuasive or not (the odds seem against it being so) but its title seemed pertinent to yesterday’s launch of the Unionist campaign to preserve the United Kingdom in a more-or-less recognisable form.
Why? Because of the man who wasn’t there. David Cameron didn’t attend the Better Together event held at Napier University. This was not a surprise but his absence was still telling. Perhaps the Prime Minister has been persuaded his presence in Scotland is more liable to galvanise nationalist opinion than enthuse Unionists. This is certainly what the SNP thinks (or wants us to think) and perhaps the Prime Minister agrees with this nationalist analysis.
Nevertheless, though everyone seems to agree a Scot should lead the campaign it would be absurd for the Prime Minister to play no part in making the Unionist case.
Then again, how much does the future integrity or viability of the United Kingdom matter to Mr Cameron. Many of his constituents are indifferent to this question; some of his backbenchers appear to relish the idea of shedding Scotland. As for Mr Cameron? Well, you might think that even if he accepts it might be counter-productive for him to lead the campaign you might also think he’d try to avoid stealing its thunder.
So there was an unfortunate symbolism on display yesterday. Mr Cameron’s Scottish colleagues, together with their Labour and Liberal Democrat colleagues, pledged themselves to fight the good fight. Mr Cameron, apparently oblivious to this, was busy giving a speech on welfare reform.
Now welfare reform is an important subject (though of course most welfare is pensions). But, since everything these days is supposed to be planned on a ‘news grid’ it seems odd for the Prime Minister to deflect attention from what is billed as a battle for the future of his country.
At the very least – or at least as viewed from north of the border – it suggests a certain indifference. Again, Mr Cameron did not need to appear in Edinburgh yesterday but he could also have avoided ‘creating’ a rival news story. It confirms two things: first, that Scotland is a semi-detached part of the United Kingdom and, second, that the English are probably already bored by the arguments over the country’s future.
It is, of course, every Englishman’s birthright to be supremely unconcerned by anything north of the Tweed or west of Offa’s Dyke. Nevertheless, one might expect the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to be a little more engaged with — or at least respectful of — the campaign to preserve this 300 year old political union.
If there’s a risk in Cameron becoming too involved then, dash it, there’s a risk to his staying away from the fray too. If, wittingly or not, he suggests he’s just not that into Scotland then he could reasonably expect some Scots to decide they’re not that into the United Kingdom either.
Tomorrow evening, the Spectator and 6 special guests will be debating the motion ‘Is it time to let Scotland go?’ More details and tickets can be found here.
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