Ian, 43, Edinburgh
Occupation Buyer success supervisor for a tech agency
Voting report Labour however not enthusiastically underneath Keir Starmer
Amuse bouche Ian was once the music editor of a vogue journal regardless of having little interest in vogue, then of a rollerblading journal regardless of by no means having worn rollerblades in his life
Monica, 65, Edinburgh
Occupation Tour information and funeral celebrant
Voting report Labour till “the entire Gulf warfare nonsense”. Now SNP
Amuse bouche Within the 70s, Debbie Harry walked into the bar the place Monica labored and requested for a gin and tonic. Monica requested if she needed weight loss program tonic, “and he or she simply checked out me with this withering look – I gave her full fats”
For starters
Monica I used to be a bit greatly surprised as a result of I ordered a gin and tonic and he was on glowing water. However he defined that they’ve a child and take it in turns at evening, so he needed to keep sober. It didn’t matter as a result of he was pleasant.
Ian We’re each vegetarians. Monica is heat, pleasant and very easy to get together with. We hit it off right away.
The massive beef
Monica I used to be desiring to vote no when the Scottish independence referendum was introduced. It was about solidarity and internationalism, and in addition a wee little bit of Scottish cringe – it’s all going to be about kilts and tartan. However I turned a really ardent sure. The arguments gained me over, after which I despised the Higher Collectively marketing campaign, telling us that we had been too small and too poor and we couldn’t take care of ourselves.
Ian I too voted sure. Coming from a robust Scottish Labour background, I’d been sceptical about independence, however was persuaded by how inspiring and radical the motion was. The purpose of divergence for Monica and I used to be what occurred after 2014.
Monica Over the previous 10 years, I’ve despaired of the Westminster authorities – over Covid, trashing the financial system in a single weekend, the cruelty of the profit cuts and the two-child profit cap. We now have our issues in Scotland – the SNP isn’t radical – however there’s extra of a perception that society nonetheless exists. I’m now much more sure than once I voted. If there was one other referendum tomorrow, I might be out knocking on doorways, 20 hours a day.
Ian If there was one other referendum tomorrow, I might vote no. Ten years in the past, there was this unbelievable pluralistic, democratic, participatory motion for an impartial Scotland. There’s nothing left of it. I blame the SNP, who took all of the power and creativeness of that motion and channelled it into virtually a sort of character cult about Nicola Sturgeon. I discovered that extremely dispiriting.
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Sharing plate
Monica I’m from Dundee, which has one of many highest loss of life charges from medication in Europe. Decriminalisation may truly change that. Scooping up the younger guys dealing on the streets doesn’t assist. When you’re criminalising those making hundreds of thousands of kilos, truthful sufficient.
Ian When you reside in one of many poorest components of Scotland, you’re 15 instances extra prone to die a drugs-related loss of life than in case you reside in one of many richest components. It’s clear to me these will not be medication deaths, however poverty deaths. I agree with Monica, who spoke for a extra humane and rational method, treating medication as a public well being challenge quite than a legal justice challenge.
For afters
Monica I’m a Nicola Sturgeon fan woman. I nonetheless have a number of respect for her, due to her management expertise throughout Covid. We’ve not obtained independence, and there have been missteps, however have a look at a few of the issues the SNP have achieved: they mitigated the consequences of the bed room tax, we have now free prescriptions, folks get child containers …
Ian The SNP went from being a small occasion to being a really large occasion. And I don’t suppose it had the sort of inside governance and democracy it’s essential to make it work successfully. The occasion drifted away from its rules.
Takeaways
Monica I used to be anticipating somebody sporting salmon pink corduroy trousers, telling me we will’t handle it in Scotland, however he was coming from one other angle. Not that he satisfied me, however I respect what he was saying.
Ian The cliche concerning the 2014 referendum was that strangers would discuss financial coverage on the bus – it was a really thrilling time. I felt a little bit of that spirit of 2014 having dinner with Monica. Her religion and her optimism had been inspiring.
Extra reporting: Kitty Drake
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