SIR, WHEN it comes to the referendum, people will vote no and people will vote yes, and it is wonderful that people can agree to disagree and be respectful to each other - a great example to the world.

But I think it is important that people should vote for the right reasons.

I keep hearing from No voters and worried undecideds different variations of the argument that Scotland is simply too wee to thrive and that being part of the bigger United Kingdom ensures a better, more secure life than being a small independent country.

But is big really better when it comes to the quality of life? In the Economist’s global quality of life index, small northern European countries consistently do best eg Norway 3rd, Denmark 5th and even troubled Ireland is 12th. The top big country, Germany is 16th and notably it has the highest degree of local autonomy.

The UK is 27th on the list, three places below Cyprus which went through a terrible banking crisis. Is 27th position a good argument for the status quo mantra of UK okay and us being bigger and Better Together?

Being big seems to be an impediment to a higher quality of life not an inherent advantage if you look at the rankings, so the argument does not hold true. Why would an independent Scotland be an exception to the rule and not be able to join the club of other small prosperous northern European countries doing so much better on quality of life than the UK?

Scotland is clearly not too wee, wee countries like Luxemburg are doing much better, and it certainly isn’t too poor, with more resources than most other small prosperous northern European countries such as Denmark and Finland. Scotland has contributed more money to the UK government than the UK government has given to Scotland for every one of the last 32 years.

So the only reason left is that it must simply be too stupid. What did the Scots ever do for us anyway? Apart from Adam Smith, James Watt and David Hume etc. and apart from inventing the televsison, the telephone, the bicycle, discovering Penicillin, setting up the Bank of England etc.

Also a vote for national self-determination is not a vote for isolation. Scotland will not lift the drawbridge and float off after independence. It is a globalised and inter-dependent world and Scotland is a very outward looking country and will become more so after independence. Independence simply means that Scottish people think maybe they can make better decisions about Scotland than London can or will, that decision-making power closer to the people will be a good thing. There will be bumps along the road and mistakes will be made but they will be Scotland’s mistakes not London’s, and corrections will be made faster with Scotland in the driving seat rather than as a passenger.

Also many in Scotland are starting to realise that aspiring to be an independent nation charting your own course, according to your own values and aspirations (e.g. a more equitable and caring society, not joining illegal wars, being serious about renewable energies, returning local governance to communities) is nothing to be ashamed of, but is actually something to get excited about. Throwing the ‘nationalist’ label in a derogatory way doesn’t stick any more. On that thread the vote is not for the SNP or Alex Salmond, no matter how many times the BBC and Daily Mail say it is, in their headlines.

For Yes voters the advantages of self-determination and nationhood (including the risks) outweigh the ‘benefits’ (number 27 on the quality of life index, Trident, fracking imposed on us etc.) of staying in the Union. If people do vote No, I really hope it is for the right reasons, and not because people actually believe we are ‘too wee’, ‘too poor’ and ‘too stupid’, although after 300 years of being ruled by London I can see where this complex comes from. There is even a psychology term for this condition; ‘system justification’. To put it in Border’s tongue, its ‘Aye been’.

On top of being arguably the first country to vote against its own independence, doing so for the wrong reasons or because its ‘Aye been’ would be very sad indeed. There are however many other valid views on both sides to weigh up. So please vote well, whichever way you vote.

I am, etc.

Peter O’Hara George Street Peebles