LONDON — Scots are six weeks away from a referendum on independence from Britain, and they’re getting the hard sell from British rock stars, Olympic champions and a former captain of the starship Enterprise to keep the kingdom united.
“We
want to let you know how very much we value our bonds of citizenship
with you, and to express our hope that you will vote to renew them,”
said a letter signed by over 200 people
including Mick Jagger, Sting, Judi Dench, Helena Bonham Carter and
Patrick Stewart. “What unites us is much greater than what divides us.
Let’s stay together,” the letter added.
Only those who live in Scotland can take part in the referendum, and
organizers of Thursday’s initiative, called Let’s Stay Together,
included few, if any, celebrities who can vote on Sept. 18. They live in
places like England, Wales or New York.
However, they hope an emotional appeal to their Scottish brothers and
sisters, and a public petition calling on Scots to reject independence,
will help Scotland vote “no.”
Dan Snow, a television presenter and one of the organizers of the campaign, said he felt “passionately” about Britain.
“I
don’t have a vote in the Scottish referendum, but I certainly have a
view and I really hope that our shared country stays together,” he said
in a statement.
The
Let’s Stay Together campaign, befitting its artistic membership, takes a
mellower approach than other efforts also opposed to Scottish
independence. Politicians who oppose separation have been accused of
trying to scare Scots about the economic consequences of going it alone.
Campaigners against independence also highlight its risks, stressing
that the three main British political parties say they would refuse a
currency union with an independent Scotland and that Scots would be
unable to use the British pound sterling.
Scots have not been short on advice from celebrities
trying to win their votes. The campaign for independence has been
endorsed by prominent figures including the actors Sean Connery, Brian
Cox and Alan Cumming. Those opposed to separation recently won the support of J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, who is English but lives in Scotland.
On
Thursday, pro-independence campaigners shrugged off the latest
initiative. “It’s great to know that Scotland has so many friends and
admirers, and we know they will all continue to be our friends and
admirers after we vote yes on Sept. 18,” said the campaign for
independence, known as Yes Scotland, in a statement.
“We’re
sure that everyone who genuinely has Scotland’s interests at heart will
be delighted in future years to see a fairer and more prosperous
Scotland emerge using the great opportunities of independence to grow
our economy and make an even bigger contribution on the global stage,”
the statement continued.
It
remains to be seen if English or Welsh celebrities will be able to win
the votes of patriotic Scots. One campaigner for independence said he
doubted his compatriots would be swayed by some of those who signed the
letter, including Will Carling, a former captain of England’s rugby team
— one of Scotland’s fiercest rivals.
