Nationalist heartland where debate shows little sign of flagging

Published on Tuesday 20 February 2007 01:21

IN HIS Saltire sweatshirt, it is not difficult to tell the allegiance of Douglas Allan. The 36-year-old labourer makes sure to wear his national flag everyday, whether Saltire socks or cufflinks (or even boxer shorts, according to his wife). His children, aged five and nine, wear Scotland baseball caps with pride and his wife has thistle-themed jewellery.

"I want my kids to grow up in an independent Scotland," he says. "Right now they have a good education but it could be better and when they leave school they need more jobs to go to. Young people in Scotland need more opportunities, otherwise they are left standing around on street corners."

Just 12 miles from where the Declaration of Abroath was signed in 1320, Montrose remains a stronghold for the Scottish National Party with an incumbent MSP and MP. But opinions on the future of the nation are as varied as the weather on this wild north-east coast.

Pamela McDougall points to the Saltire flying from the roof of the Town House on the High Street (reputedly the widest High Street in the UK) overlooking the Scotsman stall. "The Saltire is the Scottish flag to me, it is not just the SNP," she says.

Born in England, Ms McDougall appreciates the beauty of the area which has the largest inland saltwater basin in the UK, teeming with bird life. She also appreciates the benefits she says the Union has brought to all the people in the UK.

"I have been adopted by Scotland, which is really important to me. I have been totally accepted here," says the retired health visitor. "I really love Scotland - the friendliness of the people, the history, the mountains, glens and lochs. Most of all there is a feistiness to the Scottish character that I really like and perhaps that is why I fit in."

The dramatic setting of Montrose - bordered on three sides by water - was instrumental in its history as a thriving port which at one time traded regularly with the towns of the Hanseatic League and has given it a more international outlook than other market towns.

"I see myself as European more than British," says newsagent Alistair Hogg, 64, who points out Montrose FC are known as the "Gable Endies" on account of the town's continental-influenced architecture.

With her Greek/English ancestry, Koula Kaloudi, 22, is a relative newcomer who feels proud to be Scottish. But even in cyberspace, the mother-of-one sees conflict with the English.

"There is a lot of conflict between the Scottish and the English - I see it on the internet all the time. But I do not buy that. I am proud to be Scottish but I am proud to be English, too."

Oil is a big reason why independence is such a big issue in this part of the world, where the North Sea industry has boosted the economy - although today the biggest employer in the town is the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.

Keith Smith-Dutton, 58, is an oil field consultant who came to the area 30 years ago for work. "The oil industry has been extremely good for Scotland," he says. "But I think more of it belongs to Scotland than other countries."

Not everyone is convinced by that argument, which once spawned the SNP's "It's Scotland's Oil" campaign slogan.

Moyra Robison, 49, an insurance clerk from Arbroath, says Britain benefits from sharing out its assets. "I get fed up with the argument that Scotland could live off the oil off the coast, she said. "It is just a fortunate geographic location. If it were in England, we would want our share. There has to be more to a nation's future than money."

Graham Stephen, 64, who used to be a town councillor, agrees politicians have to look beyond the oil argument. Although Montrose has the fourth lowest council tax in the country, he argues the SNP-led council has not been good for the area's services: "We need the Union. The SNP throw the oil argument at us but it is meaningless jargon. Politicians need to give us facts, not promises."

The facts that matter for a small town like Montrose relate to UK-wide issues such as the environment, health services, care of the elderly and the future of young people. Despite thriving business on the High Street, young people have little to do except for an arcade on the seafront and a youth club.

But most of all, older members of the community worry about an increasingly materialistic and violent youth culture.

Jill Kerr, a modern languages teacher at Arbroath Academy, worries children have no motivation to learn: "Apathy rules as far as the kids are concerned. Education is not seen as important I'm afraid. People are more materialistic. The kids come to schools with the latest mobiles and MP3 players but they do not bring a pencil.

"Scotland is supposed to be about lifelong learning but it is not about that for kids, it is about making money."

Bruce Murphy, 46, retired from teaching after being assaulted at the secure residential school in Rossie where he worked. "Youth culture has to be addressed in my opinion," he says. "Maybe I am old-fashioned but children need to be taught citizenship and decency."

However, the young people offering their opinions to The Scotsman are hopeful.

Ritchie Smith, 25, a shop worker, has been to other countries known for their beauty, such as New Zealand, but came home.

"There is not a lot for young people to do, but I have been travelling and realised Scotland is an amazing place," he says. "The people are full of passion and the countryside is beautiful."

Lauren Mason, 19, who will get to vote for the first time in May, emphasised how important young people are to the future of Scotland.

And she issued a warning to politicians not to ignore youth in this feisty corner of Scotland: "I am looking forward to voting but I have not decided who for yet. It is up to the politicians to impress me."

THE Scotsman nationhood tour visited Angus yesterday to ask the people of Montrose what they think of their country in 2007 - and where we go from here. Today, our van will be in the centre of Alloa, Clackmannanshire, from around 11:30am.

On Thursday, the fifth of our nationhood debates is at the Corn Exchange in Cupar, Fife, at 7:30pm, with the former first minister Henry McLeish on the panel. E-mail [e-mail] for tickets - and for tickets to debates at North Berwick High School (28 February) or Volunteer Hall, Galashiels (13 March).

SMALL TOWNS, ORDINARY PEOPLE - AND AN EXTRAORDINARY RANGE OF OPINION

"Scotland means freedom to me. Compared to a lot of countries we are able to do what we want."

Chris Duncan, 27, mechanic, Montrose

"There are some hotheads in the SNP that want a border fence put up to keep us separate from England, which isn't the answer. But I do hope the SNP does well and has more of a say in the way Scotland is governed."

Alec Nicoll, 81, Montrose

"Tartan and castles isn't the real Scotland. The real Scotland is small towns like this and ordinary people. That's what the government should look after."

Elizabeth Crighton, 62, retired, Brechin

"I think there should be independence. But we should also think about how to improve things for young people. There's not many jobs here - you have to commute or leave town if you want to do anything worthwhile and the SNP already runs the council."

Kirsty Spring, 24, Brechin

"Being Scottish is a badge of honour you can wear and be accepted in most places around the world. There is huge pride in being Scottish. I think most Scots feel that but the comfort of being British is great as well. I am not a nationalist but I would always call myself Scottish."

Lindsay Mudie, 47, insurance broker, Arbroath

"Independence is perfectly possible. Other countries manage it. I think there is a lot more confidence in the idea now that we have had devolution for a while."

Martin Robertson, 34, delivery driver, Aberdeen

"The bio-tech companies round here are rapidly expanding and it could bring a lot of money into the economy. But they have to make sure to take advantage of the academic research at universities like Dundee and Abertay and make it commercial. Otherwise it will be a lost opportunity."

Barry Herron, 31, lab worker

"I think Scotland should be its own country not part of Britain. We have to feel like we're British but I just feel Scottish because that's where I live and what I am."

Kyle McCallum, 17, Montrose

"I support independence for Scotland. We should stand up for ourselves more than we do and I think there has been a dependence on England that has stopped us from improving what we have."

Frances Cairney, 71, Montrose

"The Scottish National Party would make a nice change - they certainly couldn't do any worse than the current lot. But people need to think about whether they really want independence."

Andrew Stevenson, 36, Arbroath