Jonathon Proctor, 28, is a security response officer in West Sussex. He travelled up to Scotland to campaign for Better Together in 2014 but Brexit made him reconsider his stance.
I CHANGED my mind on Scottish independence when I saw Scottish voices being completely ignored during the Brexit negotiations, as well as the constant ongoing dismissal of Scotland’s serious economic concerns.
Throughout the entire Brexit debate we were told that we would be better off with Brexit – the same argument we used to keep the Union in 2014 – and it’s simply not true. Scotland is much worse off with Brexit so the original question now should be re-put to the people of Scotland in order to give them a fair and clear choice. Brexit mess or independence.
I have been on TV and in papers arguing against independence because I believed it wasn’t the best choice for Scotland but I can no longer in good consciousness continue to argue that an independent Scotland is not going to be better off.
Westminster continues to ignore Scotland, it continues to grab powers back that were promised under the Barnett formula and to abuse Scottish land despite the efforts of Joanna Cherry QC MP, Ian Blackford MP and all SNP MPs in Parliament.
To tell us about your journey from No to Yes
During indyref1 I regularly travelled up to Scotland and campaigned on the honest belief Scotland was better off together. It was regularly argued that there is prosperity in togetherness but that now is simply not true.
Scottish fishermen are being bankrupted by a hard Brexit. With Covid-19 and Brexit, the goalposts have clearly changed and we are no longer in the same position that we were in back in 2014.
READ MORE: From No to Yes: I was a firm Unionist in 2014 ... then I had an epiphany
I know it was mention that it was a “once in a generation vote” and even I used to argue that but with the spectrum of disaster that Scotland is facing through no choice of its own I can see no logistical, economical or political reason why the people of Scotland, our friends in the north, should not be given the right to choose: shall we stay together or go independent.
Brexit, Covid-19 and Boris Johnson have threatened Scotland’s economy and future.
It should not be Westminster that makes the choice for Scotland, it should be the bonny people of Scotland who now get the choice.
It’s clear Westminster and the Tories have no interest in putting Scotland first. If the question was to be put again I would hand on heart argue that it’s time for Scotland to go independent and be given a chance to correct the messes of Westminster.
To tell us about your journey from No to Yes
From No to Yes: Why do you want Scotland to be independent?
Did you formerly back the Union but now support independence? In around 400 words, tell us why you've changed your mind about Scottish independence. Was it Brexit, the pandemic, the shambolic Tory government or a mixture of different factors? We want to hear all about it. Submit your answer to feature in one of our From No to Yes articles. If you have any questions or requests, please contact angus.cochrane@thenational.scot
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