ON the streets of the capital city of Scotland there may just be a quiet revolution, or certainly a change of hearts and minds, taking place after the EU referendum vote for Brexit. Attitudes in the capital are very important for a future independence referendum, whenever that might be.
In the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, Edinburgh voted 61.1 per cent to 38.9 per cent for No on a turnout of 84.4 per cent, the highest No vote of any of the four major cities.
In the early hours of yesterday morning it was declared that Edinburgh had voted 74.4 per cent to 25.6 per cent to Remain in the EU. The turnout was 72.9 per cent, down on the indyref figure but ahead of the overall Scottish turnout figure of 67.2 per cent.
The capital thus became the 10th highest Remain constituency in the referendum. More importantly, it moved Edinburgh front and centre for the question that may well determine the outcome of indyref2.
Will sufficient people who voted No last time now change their mind and vote Yes as a result of Scotland being taken out of the EU against the nation’s collective will?
At 74.4 per cent, Edinburgh’s Remain vote was well ahead of the Scottish national figure of 62 per cent, and it was not difficult to find people who had changed their minds.
In her late 70s, Cathy – she declined to give her second name – put it in financial terms: “The stock market’s collapsing and the pound is heading the same way, and my pension will suffer. Thanks for that, Mr Cameron.
“I didn’t vote last time because I thought it was young people who should decide the future of our country but I just hope the second referendum comes quickly so I can vote for us to be independent and in Europe.”
At Waterloo Place, Annie Cannon, 76, was blunt: “Britain has just cut its own throat. I wasn’t able to vote because I was abroad in 2014, but if the new referendum was tomorrow I would be voting Yes for us to leave.”
Student Alan MacDonald, 19, voted No in 2014 – “big mistake,” he said, “but I was just a boy then,” – because he believed what he was told about staying in the UK to preserve Scotland’s place in the EU.
“What a load of garbage that was,” he said. “It was just a pack of lies and I think a lot of Scottish people, especially young people like me who want to travel and study in Europe, will not just vote Yes next time but will actually campaign as well.
“I’ll never be a Scottish Nationalist, but I am a European, and I will not ever believe an English politician ever again.”
By coincidence, BBC Scotland was also carrying out a street poll in Edinburgh – known as "vox pops" for "vox populi" (voice of the people) in the trade – and Alice Cook, 41, a teacher who lives in Portobello, told the BBC interviewer: “This is a disaster. I am devastated. I am astounded by the English.
“I am happy with Scotland’s vote but I’m embarrassed to be English and I’m glad I moved to Scotland to be with like-minded people. This is probably the most stupid thing that will ever happen in my lifetime.
“Isolating ourselves is ridiculous. I have a Danish boyfriend who was planning to move here but I don’t know what this means for him now.”
MJ Bolger voted Yes in 2014, and outside Waverley Station he said: “I’ve spoken to loads of my pals who voted No and almost every single one of them voted for Remain and says they will vote Yes next time. We can’t be ruled by England.”
On social media, Edinburgh man Alistair Barclay wrote: “Right. NOW I’m a nationalist.”
It’s a view that might catch on.
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