Scottish independence: Author James Kelman plans to vote Yes ‘with caution’

SCOTTISH novelist James Kelman has backed a straight Yes or No question in the referendum as he said that the SNP’s “brand of independence should still be grasped” despite his reservations about “nationalism” and “patriotism”.

Mr Kelman, who emerged from the same 1970s writing group as current Scots Makar (poet laureate) Liz Lochhead, won the Man Booker Prize in 1994 for his novel How Late It Was, How Late and has been shortlisted several times more.

The Glaswegian author has said that he will vote Yes to independence despite describing nationalism as “dangerous”.

The author of the acclaimed novel A Disaffection, writing in the spring edition of US magazine NY Arts, published this week, Mr Kelman said Scottish people “are right to treat nationalism with caution”, particularly those who favour “self-determination”.

He said: “Any form of nationalism is dangerous, and should be treated with caution. I cannot accept nationalism and I am not a Scottish Nationalist.

“But once that is said, I favour a Yes or No decision on independence and I shall vote Yes to independence.”