THE Sunday National asked some prominent Scots to nominate their first president of an independent Scotland in the style of an Irish president, who is elected by the people. Here's what they thought...
Liz Lochhead: I would nominate Karine Polwart. She is such a wonderful singer and also an articulate and powerful speaker and writer about Scotland and land and conservation and climate activism – the writing of her show Wind Resistance was lovely and accessible and unpretentious too. And she is beautiful and gentle and gracious as well as strong.
Neal Ascherson: I’d like it to be a woman, looking to the model set by Mary Robinson and her immortal inauguration speech. The President’s home (Edinburgh Castle, as our Aras an Uachtarainn) would be ever open to strangers and exiles and anyone with a tale to tell.
Jeane Freeman has it in her. Dignity, intelligence, fine looks – and the battle honour of the most horrible job in the Scottish Government through the pandemic.
Elaine C Smith: Helena Kennedy has been my choice for the last 30 years! A born diplomat, humanitarian and human rights specialist with vast experience and huge compassion!
Sara Sheridan: I was living in Ireland when Mary Robinson became the seventh president of the country in 1990. She said she was elected by the women of Ireland who instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system. As a young woman this felt seminal.
Robinson is a hugely talented communicator with a background in politics both at a local level and in the Senate. She understood the impact of diverse leadership and took seriously her commitment, in particular, to amplify less-heard female voices. I’m a republican and it struck me at the time that Robinson was the kind of figure I would have appreciated seeing as the head of state in my own country – dynamic, engaged and committed to progressive change.
There are many Scottish woman who fit all of those categories but the iconic symbol of change is Winnie Ewing, now in her 90s, still revered as Madame Écosse throughout Europe for her tireless advocacy of Scottish interests.
However, Ewing might prefer a rest after her decades of service, so I’d nominate, from the political arena, Jean Urquhart, Jeane Freeman or Tricia Marwick. From the law, Dame Elish Angiolini an erstwhile Lord Advocate of Scotland or Baroness Helena Kennedy QC (on the understanding they renounce their UK titles because we can’t have that in the Head of State’s chair), and from the arts A L Kennedy whose clear-sighted political nous often cuts through party-political lines and gets straight to the nub of the matter.
Looking for men? Andrew O’Hagan or Neal Ascherson would be my picks.
AL Kennedy: Dick Gaughan? Or given that a comedian has done very well for Ukraine, how about Frankie Boyle? Plus he wouldn’t want the job, which should be the first qualification.
Alan Bissett: There aren’t many Scots that are universally loved enough by everyone in Scotland that they would make a President capable of uniting the nation. Robert Burns would be one such historical figure, given his legacy is still claimed by everyone from the radical left to the Masons and the tweedy denizens of golf clubs. Billy Connolly would be a modern-day equivalent of Burns, although given his recent health problems I’m not sure he would be up for the post.
But Elaine C Smith has the name recognition, the political chops, the common touch, the humour and the empathy required of the role. She is in favour of independence, which certainly helps when governing an independent republic, but is crucially not the sort of person who particularly alienates unionists. A Scottish republic under her would be (to use a phrase which she herself coined) pure, dead brilliant.
Ruth Wishart: I’d go for Jackie Kay, as being emblematic of a diverse, modern Scotland. She’s also a great speaker with that essential commodity: a sense of humour. My other nominee would be Val McDermid, who’s funny, honest and feisty!
Gerda Stevenson: The British monarchy is one of the wealthiest in the world. It represents obscene privilege. The assumption hammered home by the media that we are all in awe of such glamourised mediocrity is offensive nonsense. I’m for an independent republic of Scotland. Who could be the first president? Someone who speaks for the commonweal rather than the Commonwealth – the British Empire in its death throes; an intelligent, forthright, good communicator, who talks common sense and espouses justice; someone with wit and humour, imagination and broad horizons, comfortable in her own skin. She likely wouldn’t want the job – seems to thoroughly enjoy the one she’s got! – but how about Val McDermid for president?
Effie Samara: I would nominate Professor Alison Phipps. Alison’s formal credentials form a very long list but her most impressive quality for the post of President of the Independent Republic of Scotland would be her absolute selflessness and her ability to understand and apply justice. Her impressive commitment to peace, respect for the other and public-spirited dedication to education and social justice. And to all those who claim that the office of a president could be vulnerable to corruption and villainy, actually no. There are those amongst us who can be trusted with the highest responsibility, honourably and beautifully.
Alison Phipps gets my vote.
Assa Samaké-Roman: Definitely Jackie Kay – I loved the fact that a Black, queer, adopted woman was the literary voice of Scotland, and how cool would it be for her to represent Scotland on the international stage?
Another great poet would, I think, be Nadine Aisha Jassat. I love the fact that, like me, she chose Scotland to be her home, and her commitment against racial hatred, islamophobia and violence against women is amazing.
Billy Kay: If we go for an auld ane wi gravitas, I suggest that one of our intellectual giants, Neal Ascherson or Tom Nairn, would be perfect.
They’re both in or close to their 90th year on the planet however, so perhaps a joint presidency would be wise! Younger literatti with a strong international profile who would also do a great job are Alexander McCall Smith and Val McDermid ... but is Scotland ready for a president fae Fife?
Finally if we decide to go for a young whipper snapper of a president then Murray Pittock, pro-vice-principal of Glasgow University would be ideal with his extensive knowledge of Scottish history and culture. President Pittock has a fine ring to it.
Lesley Riddoch: Okay this might seem a bit barking but I’d nominate singer/songwriters Dick Gaughan and Karine Polwart as job-share Presidents. We need folk with vision, wisdom, belief in Scotland and strong cultural roots. The role might be too all consuming for one person – after all the whole world will want to hear from the leaders of its newest nation state. But between them, I think these two fabulous, faithful Scots could do anything.
Alan Riach: Neal Ascherson is now approaching the nonagenarian vintage and has more than enough wisdom of ages and nations to focus his sharp pen on the abject failures of the United Kingdom as imperialism has rotted and decayed and its garish and ghastly manifestations are propped up and propelled inescapably into society’s view. But it is not only that. Edwin Morgan in his poem for the opening of the Scottish Parliament, October 9, 2004, itemised what we, the people of Scotland, do not want in that wonderful building:
A nest of fearties is what they do not want.
A symposium of procrastinators is what they do not want.
A phalanx of forelock-tuggers is what they do not want.
And perhaps above all the droopy mantra of ‘it wizny me’ is what they do not want.
And what have we got? As for us, Scotland’s people, half frustrated, half scared, all frozen in bias and thwart, waiting, still waiting, and those of us who can, only doing what we can, who only can do so much as we can. It would take Neal Ascherson to provide the full diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate remedy. I’d nominate him because he’s one of the very few whose judgment on such matters I’d trust. Not always agree with, perhaps, but trust. And for all the good and great work he has already done, he more than deserves a 90th birthday salutation.
Philip Differ: Given that the word “pub” is at the heart of the word “republic”, I’m going for Boaby the Barman from Still Game.
There’s something typically Scottish about this man. Maybe it’s his sense of unbridled resentment at the hand the world has dealt him, maybe it’s the way he has the same torn face for everyone he speaks to, maybe it’s because he has not so a chip as an entire fish supper on his shoulder.
These are just a few of the attributes he possesses that would make President Bobby perfect for the job. He wouldn’t need to know the names of all the statesmen and women he was meeting, in true diplomatic style he would insult all in equal measure. I think Bobby would be a progressive appointment because I hear the mullet hairstyle he champions is set for something of a comeback.
The only real person I can think of is Gerard Butler.
Anybody messes with us, he batters them.
However, he would have to drop the mid-Atlantic twang and re-embrace his Paisley roots.
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