It was only a matter of time before the euro-noia gene of the Scottish Conservatives disembarked upon the mechanics of the referendum. David McLetchie and his party have made their view clear that EU nationals should be excluded from voting in 2014. Indeed the former Tory leader has argued on several occasions in parliament that the referendum should be based on the UK elections franchise rather than the Scottish Parliament one.
On similar lines, Dunfermline and West Fife Labour MP Thomas Docherty asked a question in the Commons last month about why a French student who comes to Scotland could be allowed to have a say in the referendum. In doing so the Labour Party has aligned itself with the Tories and is very close to implying that “foreigners” should not be entitled to vote.
So why should EU nationals vote in 2014? In short - because it’s their referendum as much as anyone else’s. The unionists say a French student could come to Scotland, leave the country and never come back. For argument's sake, you could be born in Scotland, receive a free school education, free healthcare, never pay a penny in taxes, vote in 2014, leave and never be seen again. What’s the difference? It’s an utterly empty argument.
The truth is that the vast majority of the 60,000 EU nationals who are registered to vote are not students who live here for a few years and leave. They are people who have settled in Scotland, many who have lived here for decades and now call it their home. They come to Scotland to work; they open businesses, create jobs, pay tax and integrate well in their communities. The consequences of Scotland taking control of its own affairs will impact EU nationals no less than anyone who was born here.
It's true that many EU nationals in Scotland don’t vote in elections; primarily for two reasons: firstly because they’re not aware that they are eligible to vote in certain elections - the fact they can’t vote for Westminster creates confusion - and many therefore don’t register. Secondly, though to a lesser extent, some don’t t feel the same obligation or right to take part.
It took me some time to convince my own father, an Italian national who has lived in Scotland for over 25 years that he should vote in 2014. Over the past months I’ve spoken to numerous EU nationals who do vote in Scottish elections but who refuse to vote in an independence referendum because they don’t want to ‘interfere’ with a decision they believe should be taken by the ‘Scottish people’ i.e. anyone born in Scotland. It’s not that it doesn’t interest them – quite the opposite. It’s simply a feeling that it’s not a matter for them and not a process they should be involved in. The Yes campaign will have to make it clear from the outset that this is their referendum too.
So, should we even fuss about 60,000 votes? Yes, and Quebec tells us why. Fewer than 60,000 votes determined the outcome of the Québécois sovereignty referendum in 1995. Looking at the current opinion polls there is reason to believe that whatever the outcome in 2014, it will be a close battle. It’s therefore crucial that the Yes campaign communicates clearly with EU nationals. The message is simple: Scotland’s fight for self-determination is a matter for anyone who lives in Scotland and calls it their home. They must be made to feel included in the process because they will be affected by the outcome. Scotland is their country and 2014 will be their referendum too.
It’s no coincidence that so many Scots-Italians and Franco-Scots are members of the SNP. They have never understood why a distinctly separate nation continues to be ruled by another. It won't be hard to get EU nationals on side but they need to be mobilised. As a prominent nationalist once said, “it's not where we came from that's important; it's where we're going together”.
PUBLISHED IN THE SCOTS INDEPENDENT, MARCH 2012
