In August, the referendum got serious, but if it’s a laugh you want, skip to the 4th post. It’ll make you squeal.

The SNP and Yes saw the writing on the wall so started using desperate tactics saying the NHS, which is completely devolved to Scotland anyway, was under threat, using a much depended upon institution as a political weapon.

Some Liberal Democrats supported independence, though, as Denis Mollison wrote:

Crucially for Liberal Democrats, how will the prospects for further devolution look on 19th September if we vote No? Any progress will depend on Tory or Labour support, and what they are offering is minimal: indeed the limited devolution of income tax could in practice leave us worse off. Our own current policy is much watered down from the original Home Rule concept, with separate parliaments for each country and a federal parliament for foreign affairs and macro-economics. Until we reach that stage the `West Lothian’ problem will just get worse and worse.

If we couldn’t achieve Home Rule 100 years ago, when there was a majority Liberal government and 6/7ths of the Scottish MPs were Liberal, we’re not likely to do so now.

Former MP John Barrett was among the Liberal Democrat Yes supporters. I didn’t agree with the conclusions he’d drawn:

He clearly thinks that independence will create the sort of country he wants to see, but he hasn’t actually explained why. He acknowledges that it’s a massive risk. The thing is, if we take that risk and he’s wrong, there’s no way back. If we vote no, there’s the immediate prospect of the new powers in the Scotland Act of 2012 which come into force over the next few years and additional commitment from all 3 pro-UK parties to further powers. And, let’s face it, if we don’t get them, there will be another independence referendum at some point in the future.

Remember those days when you couldn’t spend 10 seconds on social media without seeing somebody chucking cold water over themselves? Gordon Aikman has set an ambitious new target of £250,000, by the way, donate here. Anyway, Alistair Carmichael and Mike Crockart rocked at it. 

Back to the referendum and the worst ad in the history of party political broadcasts. As I put it, it was Rosie Barnes and the Rabbit without the political intelligence. The despair of knowing how high the stakes were and how useless your side’s campaign was is not something I ever want to repeat.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social