There has been a view expressed regularly by the unionist camp that that the majority of Scots believe in their hearts that maintaining a union with England is the option they prefer. This is a very shooglie peg for unionists to hang their coats on. It is much more likely that the hearts of the vast majority of Scots yearn for independence, but being canny people, who can recognise the security and supposed financial benefits of the current union, they overrule these yearnings with the rational arguments in their heads. These Scots currently prefer the Union because it is the easy and comfortable option. However, the wind of change that is now blowing through Scotland could easily alter these opinions.

For unionists, the objective is to persuade the sceptical patriots that remaining in a Union with England is the most sensible course of action. However, the challenge for unionists is that the status quo, the current Union treaty, is no longer considered to be an acceptable agreement by a large number of Scots. Many Scots, including many sceptical patriots, wish to see change. For too long now the unionist arguments have been negative, scaremongering, and based on instilling the fear into Scots that Scotland is weak and incapable of sustaining itself in the world. “Stronger together, weaker apart” appears to be the favourite scaremongering slogan today. The thrust of this slogan is clearly aimed at Scots; “Scotland will be weaker if the Union does not continue”, is the doom laden message. Unfortunately for unionists, the events of the latter end of the twentieth century have completely undermined this type of argument, as one small European nation after another has stepped up to the challenge of independence and has succeeded. How many of the new nations that have emerged in the last twenty years have ended up being “weaker” than they were before? If unionists really wish to win the argument for maintaining a Union between England and Scotland the time has now come for them to embrace radical positive polices that can convince all Scots, but particularly the sceptical patriots, that there is value in maintaining a union with England.

The fundamental problem for unionists is that the desire for Scottish independence will not disappear, it will continue, it will endure. Even if independence is rejected in the referendum planned for 2014 the drive for independence will not be abated. For over three hundred years the desire for an independent Scotland has burnt in the heart of very many Scots. This desire will still be burning brightly three hundred years from now if independence has still not been achieved. For unionists the message is really quite simple, the “do nothing” option will never succeed, radical change is required or eventually the drive for Scottish independence will prevail. There is simply no point in unionists burying their heads in the sand any longer trying to convince themselves, and others, that the current Union is a viable solution for the future.