9-N

The long awaited 9th of November arrived today for the people of Catalonia to vote in their...I wish I could say what it was exactly! It's certainly not a binding referendum on independence a la Scotland, nor is it a legal consultation to hear the resident vox populi on the issue as this was banned by the constitutional court after a submission by the Spanish Government. So it seems to be a home made poll on the matter sponsored by the head of the regional Catalan government and run by volunteers who man the make shift polling stations and note who is voting (name and address) as well as checking they have relevant ID which in my case was my passport and residence letter with my name and address on it. The Spanish Government will give it no credence, and the great unknown is if the so called silent majority of the 'no' vote will legitimise it with their vote.

I went along to vote at 11 am and there was a massive queue one and a half times around the entire block. I went back at 2:30 pm and 'only' had to wait an hour in the rain. Inside it was very 'church fête' in atmosphere with a real sense of occasion and happiness that any vote at all was taking place. And in a very Spanish 'we're all in this together' way I noted there were no actual booths to go into and most of the people marked their crosses on the shared table top! You could lift the paper up and surreptitiously mark it as you stood in line for the table where your box was. Apparently there are 100 international observers here...wonder what they will say about that little process point!

At one stage word got out that I was Scottish when the person who reviewed my British passport asked me outright if that was the case and I nodded to some localised acclaim. Table 1985 which has nothing to do with date of birth was where I deposited my vote just before this lady whose teenage son was on hand to record her big moment.

The Spanish government (corrupt through and through like no other in Europe) cling onto whatever tatters of credibility they have left by saying that the constitution is the constitution and they will uphold it to the end. Really? Through the next thousand years? No one will give you odds on the present constitution remaining unchanged for the next millenium. It's just that being good 'Sons of Franco', they will change it on their terms as and when it suits them.

And in another state sponsored act bordering on intimidation and persecution the fiscal authority ordered the police to take a note of the names of the people who had the temerity to open the school gates to let the voting take place.

'Don't tell 'em, Pike!'