“Independence? I’ll probably vote for it although I oppose it.”
That was one of the more unusual views expressed when The Courier Independence Referendum Roadshow rolled into Aberfeldy and Kenmore on Wednesday.
Tony Gretton lives outside Pitlochry, but is originally from Cheltenham.
So why is he, a Union supporter, planning to vote Yes?
He explains: “I want the highest possible Yes vote short of a majority to force the UK Government to devolve greater powers to Scotland.
“I don’t think Scotland can really go it alone. It’s better as part of the UK but it needs a greater say over its own affairs.””Get off your backsides!”Local man Les Mair, 77, is also voting Yes and he appeals to others to give the issue the attention he says it deserves.
“Waken up Scotland!” he declares. “This is your chance. They’ve been leading us for 300 years. I think it’s our chance now.
“Independence will give us the Government we vote for, not one dictated from elsewhere.”
He also says he’s heard more than enough from people who claim they’re not being given the information they need.See more from Aberfeldy and Kenmore here“A lot of people say they don’t have the information to make a decision,” he continues. “That is wrong.
“If you were going out to buy a car you would make sure you go and look at all the different cars and form an opinion.
“All the information about whether you vote Yes or No is out there. They just need to get off their backsides and get it.
“They’ve got to listen to the Nos and listen to the Yes views, and then they can make their own judged opinion.”
He adds: “But instead of asking ‘What’s in it for me?’ what people really should be asking is ‘What can I do for my country?’”
With the sun beating down, it’s not hard to understand why Aberfeldy welcomes so many visitors at this time of year and many of them were happy to come forward to provide perspectives from beyond Scotland’s borders.’Too smart’Bristol man Ralph C expects a No vote because, he says, the Scots are too canny to vote Yes.
He believes Scotland does well from the Union’s share of the spoils and enjoys a higher standard of living than down south.
“If we in England did the same as you do in healthcare and things like that it would be OK,” he said.
“But you appear to be doing that with money Mr Salmond has very cleverly secured. By initiating a campaign he’s getting a lot more advantages for Scotland.
“You won’t vote for independence. You’re too smart.”
So is Scotland being run better than England?
“I think it’s run better. The Scots are much more savvy and they look after their own interests better than the English,” he says.
“That’s a good thing I just wish our lot would do the same.”
So would he consider moving to an independent Scotland?
“No chance! The bloody weather’s awful!”
So what about Alex Salmond for Prime Minister?
“He’d be all right. As long as he became English he’d be good!”
Another visitor to the town was Barry Clare, 53, from Richmond in North Yorkshire.
He was in the area to take part in the Etape Caledonia last weekend, and stayed on to enjoy a week’s cycling.
Although Mr Clare has no vote in September, he’s taking a keen interest and hopes Scots opt to stay in the Union.Emotion“I don’t think independence is something that has been properly explained,” he tells us.
“From an English point of view, what I hear is the emotional side of the argument rather than the black-and-white facts-and-figures side.”
Do English people care about the result?
“Without a doubt,” says Mr Clare. “It’s on the TV and in the papers a lot. People are very aware.
“My view, and I think the general view, is that Scots should stay.”
And if Scotland does vote Yes, does he foresee tensions between Scots and English in future?
“No. The currency issue would need to be sorted out but I don’t think there would be any difference, because we’re always made very welcome.
“That’s why we come to Scotland every year.”Big decisionOne man who does have a vote in September, but who has yet to decide which box to tick is young father Paul Spence, 30.
He says he’ll be spending the run-up to the vote researching the claims of both sides and coming to his own conclusion.
“Such a big decision does take time to think about,” he says.
And, pointing to his young daughter, he adds: “It’s not just my future, it’s future generations’ future. What could be good today, might not be good tomorrow.”
The most important issue for him is the economy.
“Can we survive on our own? Will we get into Europe?” These are the questions on his mind. And where will he get the answers?
“It’ll have to be a range of different sources,” he says. “Salmond will say we’ll be rich; Cameron will say we’ll be poor. Who do you believe? You can only find that out yourself.”Proud historyLocal historian Richard Deveria stops to share his views, and he appeals to Better Together to elevate its debate.
He believes Scotland probably could go it alone, but says it would be a shame if it turned its back on a proud history as part of a Union that has led political thinking in the modern world.
“British politics have emerged from the Union, such as constitutional monarchy, freedom of expression, the welfare state. These things have gone all round the world,” he says.
“These are far stronger reasons for supporting the Union than mere economic arguments put forward by Better Together.”
From Aberfeldy, it was on to Kenmore in the afternoon where again we met a mix of locals and tourists.
We chat with an elderly gentleman outside the village post office. For him, it’s bread and butter local issues that he feels no-one has the answers to.
From poor public transport to housing shortages to the poor state of the roads, he feels getting politicians to listen is harder than ever.
So would independence help?
“Edinburgh feels just as remote as London out here,” he says. “I’ve yet to be convinced it would make any difference.”We get no votePensioners John and Anne Campbell are frustrated that, despite living in Scotland for 70 years, they won’t have a say in September.
They moved south to Worthing three years ago to be closer to family but still feel close to Scotland and wish they could be involved.
John, 74, is originally from the Borders and Anne, 72, grew up in Aberdeen. They lived in Edinburgh for many years.
Anne says: “I trained as a nurse here. I worked all my life here. I did my 30 years’ voluntary work in the country and I still don’t get a vote.”
John agrees, saying: “I feel that expatriate Scots should have a say in some way. There’s nothing to say we won’t come back to live in Scotland one day.”
If they did have a vote, they would be backing the Union.
“We’re better off together,” said Mr Campbell.
“Although I’m very patriotic and always stand up for Scotland, I feel as a nation we are small and we are better represented as part of something larger.”Split householdAlso in Kenmore for the day were Edinburgh couple Ian and Janette Gormley, and theirs is a split household when it comes to politics.
While Ian is a passionate Yes voter, Janette will be voting no but they have “agreed to disagree”.
“We talked about it a lot and we talk about it a bit less now,” says Janette. “It caused too much friction!”
“We’re just hoping the other one forgets to vote,” laughs Ian.
Janette says it’s a big world, and Scotland would be too small to go it alone. “Look at the size of Russia, America and China Britain is a small country already, so we should stay together,” she says.
And Ian’s reply?
“We are able to do our own thing. I get fed up with Westminster politicians saying we’re all scroungers. We’re not, and I believe Scotland can stand on its own.”
Ian has switched between Labour and SNP over the years. He’s SNP now “no-one can hold a candle to Alex Salmond” but can imagine a very different political landscape in the years after independence.
“In an independent Scotland it’s not inevitable that I would vote SNP. It might be I’d support Scottish Labour. I would go according to what the parties are proposing for Scotland,” he says.
“The only one I would never vote for is the Tories!”
So will there be arguments in the Gormley household, and across the country, once the result is known?
“I hope that when the result comes out there’s not going to be a load of animosity,” says Ian. “There’s no need for any of that.”
Our roadshows continue right up until the end of June.
See the full list and follow all the coverage at www.thecourier.co.uk/indy-roadshow.