The media (and some of the more gullible elements of the blogosphere) recently got itself into a lather about Douglas Alexander’s latest contribution to the independence debate – excellently rebutted by novellist and playwright Alan Bissett – which presented his vision of a post-referendum Scotland that voted No to independence.

Here’s an alternative picture. But unlike the typical “Better Together” scare story, these are not fabricated fantasies. Many are happening right now, while others are merely under discussion and in preparation.

This is what you’re voting for if you vote No.

1. The end of the NHS

(more)

2. The end of universal health care free at the point of use

(more)

3. Privatisation of the police

(and the Fire Brigade)

4. Thousands made homeless by the Bedroom Tax

(more)

5. The rich getting richer

(more) (don’t expect Labour to be any different)

6. The highest child poverty in the Western world

(and growing all the time)

7. Another 300,000 public-sector job losses

8. No votes for the unemployed

9. The continuing persecution of the disabled

10. The poor driven to suicide

(more) (more)

11. The income of nurses, teachers and soldiers slashed

12. Scotland to keep subsidising the Treasury

(more)

13. More collusion in torture

14. £100bn spent on Trident

(stationed on the Clyde because it’s too dangerous for England)

15. The continuing mass exodus of Scotland’s youth

(sporting talent too)

16. Drastic reductions in access to higher education

(coming soon to Scotland)

17. Slashed benefits for the elderly

(is there an echo in here?)

18. The evisceration of the Royal Mail

(in preparation for privatisation)

19. Corrupt banks acting above the law because they’re “too big to fail”

20. The UK leaving the European Union

21. The repeal of the Human Rights Act

22. The removal of the rights of injured workers

23. The removal of workers’ rights in general

(as fast as possible)

24. £5bn of Scottish money spent on English infrastructure

(also including Crossrail, HS2 and more, all without Barnett consequentials)

25. New nuclear power stations

26. Hundreds of thousands more people in fuel poverty

27. More cripplingly expensive PFI projects

28. Expansion of the House Of Lords

(why that’s bad)

29. The poor subsidising the rich in local government funding

30. MPs demanding enormous pay rises

(despite already costing us £250,000 a day in expenses alone)

(and still cheating to get even more)



31. More and more people queueing at food banks

(and being abused for it)

32. Forced unpaid labour for the sick and disabled

(forever, or else)

33. More working families living in poverty

34. Welfare cuts to bribe the wealthy

35. Social cleansing of the poor from cities

(more)

36. More (and worse) urban riots

37. Wage cuts for anyone outside south-east England

38. Children going hungry in schools to save money

39. Unprecedented intrusion into citizens’ homes

(yes, even more than under Labour)

40. Unprecedented surveillance in public

(so don’t be thinking of protesting about any of this stuff)

Goodnight, and good luck.