My Bedtime Story for unionists was published in yesterday’s unionist paper, The Scotsman, which, unsurprisingly, chose to title it a ‘Fairy Tale.’
In today’s edition, the modern German history professor, Jill Stephenson (@HistoryWoman), published her riposte. My letter seems to have hit a nerve.
I’m pleased she read and then worked out that I was referring to Norway and Scotland in my bedtime story. However, she didn’t grasp the main point - that Scotland would be far wealthier if it were an independent country in control of its resources and economy, and not a colonial vassal. Instead, she engages in ad hominem as well as ill-informed personal attacks (I’ve been a UK citizen for over 30 years) on the messenger.
One thing I know for certain. An independent Scotland will welcome both ‘foreigners’ and new Scots who wish to contribute to the wealth and prosperity of the nation, rather than people like Ms Stephenson who only know how to talk it down.
Great piece. I think it's a bit of a bonus that you managed to upset 'History Woman'.... 👍
Prof Stevenson's comments reveal a staggering lack of awareness of the world around her. As a university contemporary of the Prof, I benefited from a full grant which paid more than the earnings of my female cousins, then graduated into a profession which offered career and security similar to that of Prof S and totally unavailable to the modern 'precariat'.
I could go on but confine my comments to the suggestion that, having grown up without any experience of hunger, I would regard having to miss out on food for a day as more reflective of present day deprivation than non possession of the latest smartphone. I regard Prof S's views as an embarrassment to my generation.