Editor’s Note: Eddie Izzard is a stand-up comedian, actor and activist. He has starred in movies and TV series including Ocean’s Twelve, Hannibal and The Riches. He is a UNICEF ambassador, and in 2009 ran 43 marathons in 51 days for Sport Relief. He supports the “Let’s Stay Together” campaign against Scottish independence. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely his.
Story highlights
Voters in Scotland to decide on country's independence on September 18
Comedian Eddie Izzard supports "Let's Stay Together" campaign
Referendum "will have a resounding impact on all of us -- how we see ourselves"
By staying in the union, "Scotland can have the best of both worlds," says Izzard
I am proud to be English. I am also proud to be British. In fact I define myself as a British European. This means I am happy to support England in football matches, support Team GB at the Olympic Games and support Europe in the Ryder Cup golf tournament.
When you write this all down, it looks a little complicated, but in practice millions of people do this every year in the UK with no problem – some supporting in the way I do, some supporting Scotland, others Wales, and so on.
I love the vibrant, tolerant, diverse, confident, nation that the UK now is.
In so many places I travel to in the world, people are struggling to find a way of working together, but we’ve developed this character and human skill over three centuries in our United Kingdom: It is a precious thing and worth standing up for.
With just days to go, on September 18, Scotland will vote on whether it wants to stay in the United Kingdom family or leave to form a separate country.
It’s a huge decision, especially for those in Scotland but also for everyone in the rest of the UK.
Whatever the result of the referendum, it will have a resounding impact on all of us – how we see ourselves, our culture and our future.
I feel it would be for more positive for Scotland to remain an important and integral part of the UK and I wanted to say so publicly. That’s why I am happy to support the “Let’s Stay Together” campaign to say to everyone in Scotland just how much we do appreciate them being part of the UK family.
The campaign brings together a wide and diverse group of people from all walks of life – both famous and not – to show Scotland just how much we do care.
The UK would feel a deep sense of loss if Scotland left Great Britain.
You could ask, why should an English person have any views on this?
Well as a member of the United Kingdom, I feel I have the viewpoint of a fellow UK family member. Also, I have performed in most major towns and cities across Scotland and I ran eight marathons through Scotland holding the Saltire, the flag of Scotland.
And it’s not just me. There are millions of people in the United Kingdom who feel like this, who care about Scotland and want it to remain within the union, but whose voices haven’t been heard.
Of course, I fundamentally believe in the right of those in Scotland to determine their own future and will fully respect the decision, whichever way the vote goes.
But it’s also true that everyone else in the UK will also find big changes in their lives, and I think it’s important that we think about our combined goals and future.
To my thinking, Scotland can have the best of both worlds: It can have its own parliament, its own strong voice and its own cultural identity. And at the same time it can also have the strength, the security and the stability of being within the UK.
At the 2012 Olympics, the whole of the Great Britain team was fighting so hard to win medals and had such a positive spirit. It was beautiful. If Scotland leaves, we’ll never have that again.
There are very strong economic reasons for staying together, but there is something even deeper that binds England and Scotland.
It’s like a beautiful and long-lasting relationship. We’ve overcome a lot to get where we are, we do care about each other despite our tiffs, and I believe the future is much better with us working together.
We do amazing things when we’re together and I ask anyone who feels the same to visit letsstaytogether.org.uk.
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