Radio Bloke and Anti-Scottishness

I was listening to Radio 5 Live a little after Gordon Brown's speech to the Labour Conference the other day . Afterwards they ran a vox pop on how acceptable GB would be as leader of GB. The hostility to his Scottishness, some of it appearing explicitly racist was alarming.

Ironically no-one seems as bothered or mentiones Sir Menzies Campbell's Scottishness ! Talking to people I know I think the tennis player Andrew Murray's alleged comments about supporting 'anyone but England' seemed to start this ball rolling [again]. Of course, whilst there seems to be anecdotal evidence of an increasing level of anti-English racism directed at the English in Scotland and a grain of anti-Englishness is in the psyche of some north of the border, but for the first time in my life, I am seeing / hearing some of this being reciprocated quite openly. A United Kingdom ?

At the same time, I hear on the news this morning, that RC's are allegedly six times more likely to be subjected to sectarian abuse than their Protestant counterparts in Scotland. I am however pleased that this hasn't been lazily blamed all on the 'Old Firm' of Rangers and Celtic as is often the case.

A Scottish perspective would be interesting on this, hopefully we might listen to each other and understand each other better. Gordon Brown, as for Ming Campbell too, should be judged on policies alone. Liberal values of tolerance and celebrating difference are much needed.