Hands Across the Border

The independence debate in Scotland seems from aside to be largely a matter of heart vs head. There may be strong economic arguments against independence, but the danger is - as I wrote last month - they will prove counterproductive:

Were I Scottish, if anything could convince me to vote for independence it would be being told that I could not afford it. I would be strongly tempted to vote Yes just to spite such a foolish argument.

Besides, as  I wrote more recently, as far as Scottish independence would cause economic problems, they would be problems for the rest of the UK as much as problems for Scotland.

So it is interesting to see someone attempting to make a case for maintaining the Union that appeals to the heart.

As BBC News tells it:

A Cumbrian MP is urging people to hold hands along Hadrian's Wall to prevent Scotland voting for independence. 

Rory Stewart is calling for an event on 19 July to "show the love that exists between the four nations of the union".

You can sign up to be part of this event at Hands Across the Border.

It is a sign of how much the Conservative Party has changed that it has taken a maverick like Stewart to come out as an unashamed Unionist - though we are promised a major pro-union speech by David Cameron today.

Much of his party is either afraid of antagonising the Scots further or grinning at the prospect of a permanent majority in a rump UK.